Using your text line

You don't need to do anything. When a call goes unanswered on your mobile, this happens within seconds:

• The caller gets your text, from your TextBack number, in your words.
• You get an alert with their number, from the same TextBack number. Save it in your contacts so you recognise it.
• Their reply lands in that same thread as a new lead, with their number. Ring or text them back from your own phone. A reply that says nothing ("Hello") gets one question back in your name, so the lead has something in it.

A caller is texted once an hour at most, however many times they ring. Landlines and hidden numbers can't be texted, so you just get the alert.

Text HELP to your TextBack number, any day, from any phone. You get two links back: your own page (your number, the code to dial, a Test button) and this guide.

• New phone or new SIM? The call divert lives on the phone, not with us. Open your page from the HELP text, dial the code again, press Test. About a minute.
• Not sure which number is your TextBack number? It's the one your missed-call alerts come from. Nothing in your messages? Text Harry on 0401 965 802.

Ring or text them from your own phone, like any other customer. Their number is in every alert, so it's one tap.

• Texts you send to your TextBack number aren't passed on. Type a reply in the alert thread by habit and you get a one-line reminder; nothing goes to the customer.
• The customer only ever sees your business's text, then you from your own number. Nothing in between.

Change the text your missed callers get, or the message they hear, any time. Start with SET TEXT or SET VOICE, then your words.

• SET TEXT or SET VOICE on their own show what's set now.
• SET TEXT DEFAULT or SET VOICE DEFAULT put the standard wording back.
• The voice message is read out by an Australian voice, not a recording, and your direct number is added after it.
• Up to 300 characters. A text over 160 sends as two messages. A booking or quote link is fine: put it near the end, e.g. SET TEXT Hi, it's Dave's Electrical. Sorry I missed your call. Book a time at daves.com.au/book or text me what you need.

Tell us when you're open. Outside those hours, missed callers get a "we're not open right now" text instead of your usual one.

• Any of these work: HOURS 7:30am-6pm Mon-Sat, HOURS 6-8pm every day, HOURS 24/7.
• Not on Melbourne time? Add your city or state: HOURS 7-5 Mon-Fri Perth.
• Text HOURS on its own to see what's set.
• Overnight hours (like 10pm-6am) aren't supported yet. Text Harry if you need them.

On holiday or away for a stretch? Callers get an away message and are told when you're back. Alerts still come to your phone.

• AWAY on its own means away until you say otherwise.
• BACK switches it off early.
• Dates can be written as 4 Nov, 4/11 or Nov 4.

After a job, text REVIEW and the customer's mobile. They get a short request with your Google review link, from your business.

They receive: "Thanks for choosing Dave's Plumbing. A quick Google review helps a small business a lot: [your link]"

• First, save your link once: text REVIEW LINK followed by your Google review link. Find it in your Google Business Profile under "Ask for reviews".
• Up to 20 requests a day. Everyone gets the same wording, which is what Google's rules require.
• Anyone who has asked not to be texted won't be sent one.

Know a business owner who misses calls? Text REFER and we'll send you an invite to forward to them, with your own link in it.

• The invite comes to you, not to them. You forward it, so it arrives from someone they know.
• A month free for you once they've stayed on past their first month. We'll text you when it's applied.

Every Monday at 7:30am you get one text: last week's missed callers, who replied, who never did, and the jobs you've counted. After a week with no missed calls, nothing is sent.

• Count a job. When a missed call turns into work, text BOOKED and their mobile, e.g. BOOKED 0412 345 678, or BOOKED 2 for two jobs. Only what you count is counted: we never guess.
• RECAP on its own sends you the last 7 days right now.
• RECAP OFF stops the Monday text, RECAP ON starts it again.
• The list of numbers is only the people who never replied, oldest first, so you know who to ring. Everyone else is already in your messages.

Some people should never get your auto-text: your partner, Mum, a friend, your other number. Put them on your skip list. When they ring and you miss it, they get no text and you get no alert (your phone shows the missed call anyway).

• SKIP on its own shows the list. UNSKIP 0412 345 678 takes someone off it.
• Several numbers in one text is fine, with commas or on separate lines. The list holds 50.
• You can also fill in the list when you sign up. If someone on it texts your line, that still comes through to you.
• If they ring your TextBack number and miss you, they hear "can't take your call right now, please try again a bit later", nothing about a text.

Text CLOSE to your TextBack number, then reply CONFIRM with the four-digit code we send you. (Replying CLOSE to any text from us works too.) Your line stays on until the end of the month you've paid for, and you're not charged again. On the yearly plan, unused full months are refunded.

• Changed your mind? KEEP undoes it any time before the end date.

Sending your calls back to normal

When your line ends, for any reason, your phone is still diverting unanswered calls to it. Dial this one code and every call goes straight back to your mobile and your old voicemail. We text you this on the day.

If your phone says that code isn't valid, dial ##61#, then ##67#, then ##62#, pressing call after each.

Forget? For two weeks after your line closes, anyone who rings you and doesn't get through hears "Sorry, this text line for [your business] has closed. Please call [your name] directly on" your mobile number, and you get a reminder text with the codes.

• Your message. SET TEXT and SET VOICE change your wording yourself. Want a link in it, or a hand with the words? Text Harry on 0401 965 802.
• Customers can opt out. If a caller replies STOP, they won't get your auto-text again. You still get an alert if they ring.
• One text per hour per caller. Someone ringing three times in ten minutes gets one text, and your alert says they rang again.
• Only mobiles get texts. Landlines and hidden numbers hear your voice message and you get the alert.
• Your plan. $59 a month, or $588 a year, GST included. Add or change a card, see invoices or cancel at billing.stripe.com using the email you signed up with.
• Something not working? Text Harry on 0401 965 802 or email hello@evergreenstudios.net.au.