Missed the call? They get a text before they ring your competitor.
Plenty of people who reach voicemail hang up without leaving a message and call the next company on the list. With missed call text back, anyone whose call you can't answer gets a text from your business within seconds, and Cita's SMS agent carries the conversation from there: what they need, where they are and when suits them.
Why a missed call costs more than you think
On a busy day your team is on other calls, on a job or up a ladder. The phone rings out, and the caller doesn't wait for you to call back. A text that arrives before they've dialed the next number keeps them talking to you.
How it works
- Your phones ring as normal, and your team answers what it can.
- If nobody picks up, the caller gets a short text from your business within seconds, asking how you can help.
- Cita's SMS agent replies to whatever comes back. It asks the questions your office would ask, checks the address is in your area and answers the basics.
- It books the job into Housecall Pro or GoHighLevel, or passes a qualified lead to your team with the details.
- Your team can read every conversation and step in at any point.
Voicemail vs a basic auto-text vs Cita
| Voicemail | Basic auto-text | Cita | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What the caller gets | A beep | One canned text | A text, then a real conversation |
| Who replies | You, later | You, later | The SMS agent, straight away |
| Outcome | Usually nothing | A reply sitting in an inbox | A booked job or a qualified lead |
| After hours | Waits until morning | Waits until morning | Handled the same night |
Texts that actually get delivered
Carriers block business texts that aren't registered. We register your texting with the carriers (A2P 10DLC) as part of setup, so your messages land instead of disappearing.
Works with what you already have
Keep your existing number. Calls you can't answer forward to a texting line we set up for you. If you already run GoHighLevel, we build it there, and bookings go into Housecall Pro or GoHighLevel.
Pairs well with
- An AI answering service, so calls get answered in the first place, day or night.
- Speed to lead for web forms and ad leads, texted back within a minute.
How setup works
- A short call on your service area, the questions your office asks and how you want leads handed over.
- We register your texting, set up call forwarding and write the first text with you.
- We test it on real missed calls before it goes live.
- You're live in about a week.
Stop losing jobs to voicemail
Book a call with the team to try AI in your business.
What owners ask us.
How much does it cost?
It depends on your call volume and which agents you run. We go through it on a short call with the team.
Do I need a new phone number?
No. You keep your number. Calls you can't answer forward to a texting line we set up, and that line sends the text.
What does the first text say?
Whatever you want it to. We write it with you, in your company's name, and keep it short.
Can my team take over the conversation?
Yes. Your team can read every conversation and reply themselves at any point.
Is this the same as speed to lead?
They're close. Missed call text back starts from a missed phone call. Speed to lead starts from a web form or ad lead. Both use the same SMS agent, and many companies run both.
How long does setup take?
About a week from the first call. Carrier registration for texting sometimes takes longer, and we'll tell you on the first call if yours will.
Related pages.
Speed to lead
New web and ad leads get a text within a minute and a booked estimate.
Learn moreAnswering service for contractors
Every call answered on the first ring, qualified and booked, 24/7.
Learn moreDatabase reactivation
Bring back past customers with messages in your name, and book the ones who are ready.
Learn moreSee what Cita can do
for your business.
Book a 15-minute demo and see how AI agents can recover revenue, save time, and handle your calls.