When you can't pick up,
we text back instantly.
The average UK service business loses around £4,000+ a month in missed-call leads — most never call back. Our system sends a friendly, personalised SMS to every missed caller in under 30 seconds, with your booking link or a route to our AI receptionist. Setup in 48 hours. From £49 a month. No contract.
Already have a phone system? Works with BT, Sky, Vonage, RingCentral, CircleLoop, bOnline or any SIP-based system.
Hi, this is Smith Dental Chester — sorry we missed your call. What can we help with? Or grab a slot here:
smithdental.co.uk/book
Every missed call is a customer choosing your competitor
The UK SME phone problem isn't about being rude. It's about being human. Mobile callers don't leave voicemail and they don't wait. The numbers are fairly bleak:
of mobile callers refuse to leave voicemail
BIA/Kelsey 2024
won't call back once they've moved on
Forbes 2023
is the customer expectation for a response
Lead Response Mgmt Study
of new enquiries go to whoever responds first
InsideSales / HBR
A back-of-envelope on what you're losing
If your average customer is worth £200 and you miss roughly 4 calls a day where 50% of those would have converted given a quick reply, that's ~£4,000 a month leaking out. The cheapest plan covers itself if it recovers one call a week.
How it works (in plain English)
Four steps. Most go from sign-up to live in two days.
Call comes in
A customer rings your normal business line. You don't pick up — could be anything: in a meeting, on another call, asleep at 11pm.
We detect it
Our system sees the missed-call event from your phone provider's API. No phone-tree, no recording, just a quiet event log.
SMS sent
Within ~20-30 seconds the caller gets a text from your branded sender — apology, what you do, a booking link or a route to AI.
Lead converts
They tap the link, book themselves a slot, or text back. Bookings flow into your calendar (Calendly, Google, Outlook, NHS Spine, etc.)
Honest comparison: text-back vs the alternatives
We're not the only option for catching missed calls. Here's how the choices stack up so you can pick the right one for your business.
| Feature | Voicemail | iPhone Focus | Hire receptionist | Phone answering service | Hand On Web |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Response speed | ❌ Caller never gets one | ❌ Same generic text | ⚠️ During working hours | ⚠️ Average 6+ rings, 12-15s | Under 30 seconds |
| Personalised to caller | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ⚠️ Generic script | Yes — by industry, time of day, repeat caller |
| Costs per month | £0 | £0 | £1,800–£2,500 | £100–£400 | £49–£149 |
| After-hours cover | ⚠️ | ⚠️ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ 24/7 |
| Books appointments | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ⚠️ Limited | ✅ via booking link |
| Tracked outcomes | ❌ | ❌ | ⚠️ | ⚠️ Quarterly report | ✅ Monthly dashboard |
| GDPR & PECR compliant | n/a | n/a | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ ICO-registered |
| Setup time | Instant | Instant | 2–4 weeks | 2–4 weeks | 48 hours |
Where it earns its keep
Some industries see this pay back faster than others — usually the ones where the next-call competitor is one Google search away.
Dental practices
Most missed dental calls happen 7am-9am when patients are commuting. A morning text-back keeps the booking on the same day.
Trades & services
Plumbers and electricians often miss calls while on a job. The text recovers the lead before the customer rings the next number on Google.
Estate agents
Buyer enquiries on weekends and evenings drop into a black hole. The text replies instantly and offers a viewing slot.
Solicitors
High-value first calls (personal injury, conveyancing, family) rarely leave voicemail. A text with a 15-minute consult link recovers them.
Salons & wellness
Quiet phone moments often coincide with appointment chairs full. The text books the next slot without interrupting service.
Healthcare clinics
NHS callers expect callback within 4 hours. A 30-second text-back beats every other clinic in the area on perceived responsiveness.
Simple, transparent pricing
No long contracts. Cancel with 30 days notice. All plans include UK ICO registration.
Starter
Up to 100 missed calls/mo
- Single line
- AI personalised SMS
- Booking-link CTA
- Monthly report (PDF)
- UK shortcode sender
Pro
Up to 500 missed calls/mo
- Multi-line
- Branded alphanumeric sender
- Calendar integration
- Per-scenario messages
- Slack/email forwarding
Pro+
Unlimited calls
- Everything in Pro
- AI receptionist after-hours
- Two-way SMS conversations
- Priority support
- Custom integrations
Bigger team or multiple locations? See our full pricing or talk to us.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers. If something's missing, drop us a line.
How quickly does the SMS go out after a missed call?+
Will customers think the text is spam?+
Does it work after-hours and weekends?+
Can I customise the message per scenario?+
What happens if the customer texts back?+
Is this GDPR and PECR compliant?+
How long does setup take?+
Do I have to change my phone number?+
What if I already have an answering service?+
Can I cancel anytime?+
Related services & guides
Missed-call recovery is one piece of the bigger picture — keeping every prospect warm from the first phone ring through to a booked job.
AI Receptionist
Pick up live with a 24/7 AI voice that books appointments and routes calls. Works with the text-back as a one-two punch.
Read moreVirtual Receptionist
A 24/7 AI virtual receptionist from £149/mo — every call answered, every lead captured.
Read moreSmall Business Phone System
A modern phone setup for SMEs — combines text-back, voice AI, voicemail and call routing in one.
Read moreAutomated Review Collection
Once you book the lead, ask for the review automatically. Builds your Google Business Profile rating on autopilot.
Read moreAI Automation in Chester
See the wider AI automation work we do for SMEs across Chester and Cheshire.
Read moreVoice AI overview
The full Voice AI capability stack: receptionist, outbound, IVR replacement, plus how the pieces fit together.
Read moreIndustries — Trades
A deeper dive on missed-call rescue specifically for plumbers, electricians, builders and HVAC engineers.
Read moreStop losing calls today
Book a 15-minute setup call. We'll show you exactly what your industry's missed-call SMS would look like, then quote you in plain pounds and pence.