My plumber forgot to text back, and it cost him the job.
These are my stories and my fixes. An AI writes them up, and I check every fact and link before a post goes up.
Tuesday morning at 8:29 I texted my plumber. The toilet in our master bath has been bubbling when it flushes for a couple of weeks, we're on a block foundation so it's easy to get to, could he come out one day this week. He read it that day.
He texted back Wednesday at 4:14 in the afternoon. Sorry for the late response, completely forgot, he had Friday morning open. By then I'd moved on, and I still haven't booked him.
My guess is he read it in the middle of a job and meant to answer when he got back to the truck. Either way, at 8:29 Tuesday he had my business, and by 4:14 Wednesday he'd lost it by doing nothing.
How many times have you been on a job and too busy to text back, so you lost a booking? If it were my shop, that text gets answered while I'm still under the house, and it's on my calendar before I'm back in the truck.
What I'd set up
AI reads every text that comes in while you're working and texts back as you, in under a minute. Plain automation books the job off your calendar and sends you a summary.
The rules it follows
- Texts back inside a minute, as you, in first person.
- Checks your customer records before it asks a name or town.
- Offers only open times on your calendar, then books one.
- Never quotes a price. You price the job on site.
- Flooding or a gas smell: safety steps, then straight to you.
If a customer asks whether it's a person, it says it's AI. Anyone who wants you gets a call back from you, and every thread ends as a summary text to you.
Working demo
Six texts land while you're on three jobs.
Put your shop's name in and take the day one text at a time. You're the owner, and your hands are full.
Shop and customers are made up, except the first text, which is mine. Replies were written in advance; booking, calendar and texts run for real in your browser. Nothing you type leaves this page.
It shows up where the shop would say its name, and never leaves this page.
Who does what
- Automation
- Rules you set, run the same way every time. No AI.
- AI
- Reads the customer's texts and answers as you, inside your rules.
- You
- You, when it needs you.
Your Tuesday
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8:00‑11:00 AM
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11:30 AM‑1:30 PM
Clogged kitchen drain, Hendersonville
Drain machine running, phone on the counter
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2:00‑4:30 PM
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You're on the Water heater swap, Gallatin. Draining the old tank, hands wet
AI
- JoeHey bud, our master bathroom toilet has been intermittently bubbling during flushing for a couple of weeks. It otherwise flushes normally, and our other toilet or plumbing fixtures don't seem to be affected. We're on a block foundation so it should be pretty easy to investigate. Mind coming out and taking a look one day this week?
- Automation On file: Joe, Portland.
- Shop (AI)Hey, no problem. Bubbling toilet, block foundation, got it. Anything else?
- JoeNope, that's it.
- Shop (AI)Great. I'm free tomorrow between 10-12 or 1-3. Available Thursday if that doesn't work. What's best for you?
- Joe10-12 tomorrow works, thanks.
- Shop (AI)See you tomorrow between 10 and noon. I'll text on the way. Anything else before then, just let me know.
Automation What happened Booked Wed 10-12, a minute after the text came in.
Automation Text to you
Joe, Portland. Toilet bubbling on flush, a couple of weeks, nothing else affected, block foundation. Booked Wed 10-12.
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You're on the Water heater swap, Gallatin. Draining the old tank, hands wet
AI
- Marcushey is this the plumber? our water heater isnt keeping up, showers go lukewarm after like 5 min. in white house
- Automation New number, not on file.
- Shop (AI)Yep, this is Fountain Head Plumbing. In White House, water heater is struggling, got it. Is there any water on the floor around it?
- Marcusno leak, its just not heating right. not an emergency but soon would be good
- Shop (AI)I have a block tomorrow from 1-3 or 3-5. Do either of those work?
- Marcusi dont get home till after 3 so 3-5
- Shop (AI)Sounds good, see you tomorrow between 3 and 5. I'll text when I'm on the way.
- Marcuscool thanks
Automation What happened Booked Wed 3-5, the later window, since he's home after 3.
Automation Text to you
Marcus, White House. Water heater running lukewarm, no leak, not urgent. Booked Wed 3-5. Home after 3.
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You're on the Clogged kitchen drain, Hendersonville. Drain machine running, phone on the counter
AI
- Reneewater is coming through my kitchen ceiling right now!! its pouring out of the light. what do i do
- Automation New number, not on file.
- Shop (AI)Find your main water shutoff and turn it off. It's usually by the water heater, in the garage, or out at the meter by the road.
- Reneeok ok found it in the garage. turned it. its slowing down
- Shop (AI)Good, leave it off. What's your name and what town are you in? Anybody hurt?
- ReneeRenee, hendersonville. nobodys hurt its just everywhere
- Shop (AI)Got it, Renee. Keep everybody away from that light and the wet floor. I'll call you in a few minutes.
Automation What happened Reached you right away, with the water already off.
Automation Text to you
URGENT: Renee, Hendersonville. Water pouring through the kitchen ceiling light. Main valve is off, nobody hurt. Call her now.
You Drain machine off. You step outside and call Renee.
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You're on the Clogged kitchen drain, Hendersonville. Drain machine running, phone on the counter
AI
- GaryGot a drip under the kitchen sink, bucket's catching it but it's filling faster than I'd like. Westmoreland. Not an emergency
- Automation New number, not on file.
- Shop (AI)Got it, kitchen sink leak in Westmoreland. If you can reach the two small valves under the sink, shut them off for now.
- Garydone, valves are off
- Shop (AI)Good. I can do tomorrow 1-3 or Thursday 8-10. Either of those work?
- GaryI'm working tomorrow. Off Thursday so 8-10 is good
- Shop (AI)See you Thursday between 8 and 10. Leave those valves off till then. I'll text on the way.
- GaryThank y'all
Automation What happened Booked Thu 8-10. Valves shut till then.
Automation Text to you
Gary, Westmoreland. Leak under the kitchen sink, valves shut, bucket under it. Booked Thu 8-10. Off Thursday.
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You're on the Crawlspace repipe, Cottontown. Flat on your back under the house
AI
- Reviews TeamHi! We help local plumbers get a flood of five star reviews every month, guaranteed. Can we set up a quick call with the owner this week?
- Automation New number, not on file.
- Shop (AI)No thanks, I'm good.
- Reviews TeamTotally get it! Just ten minutes, I promise it's worth it
AI What happened Said no thanks once and left the rest alone. You never saw it.
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You're on the Crawlspace repipe, Cottontown. Flat on your back under the house
AI
- BethHey, our shower is draining so slow we're standing in water by the end. Been getting worse all week. Can someone come look?
- Automation On file: Beth, Springfield.
- Shop (AI)Hey Beth. Slow shower drain, got it. Is anything else backing up, or just the shower?
- Bethjust the shower. no rush but before the weekend would be great
- Shop (AI)I've got tomorrow 1-3 or Thursday 10-12 open. Either one work for you?
- Bethtomorrow afternoon is perfect, I'm home after lunch
- Shop (AI)Ok, tomorrow between 1 and 3. I'll text before I head over.
- Bethperfect, thank you!!
Automation What happened Booked Wed 1-3. Your Wednesday is now full.
Automation Text to you
Beth, Springfield. Shower draining slow, nothing else backing up, before the weekend. Booked Wed 1-3. Home after lunch.
Back in the truck, nothing waiting on you.
- Texts while your hands were full
- 6
- Answered within a minute
- 6
- Booked onto your calendar
- 4
- Emergency sent straight to you
- 1
- Sales pitches turned down
- 1
- Texts still waiting on you
- 0
Same Tuesday without it: six texts read between jobs and answered tonight, or tomorrow if you remember. By then they've moved on, the way I did.
Your turn. Text the shop.
Pick what's wrong and when works for you. It books you into whatever's still open on the calendar.
Your text comes in after the day's texts, so it gets what's left on the calendar.
What missed texts cost you
Put in your own numbers and the figures below change with them.
The starting figure is an example. Change it to yours.
Count the ones you read on a job and didn't answer in time.
What you're losing
- A week
- $1,050
- A month
- $4,550
- A year
- $54,600
The math is rough: every missed text counts as a booked job, times 52 weeks for the year, divided by 12 for the month. A day's wait and they're texting somebody else.
How you'd set this up yourself
Every step is here, and none of it needs a particular product.
Get a number software can answer
Software can't answer texts to your personal cell. Most business phone services can text-enable a number, often yours. Carriers require business texting to be registered (10DLC).
Write its rules
It texts as you and says it's AI if asked. What's wrong, where, how urgent, never a price. What's an emergency, who gets it, and anyone can ask for you.
Connect your calendar and customer list
The calendar you run the truck from, with only the windows it may offer. Your customer list too, if you keep one, so it knows a name and town before asking.
Summaries to your phone, then test
Every thread ends as a summary text to you. Then text your own business number from another phone while you're on a job, and read what your customers will read.
If you're too busy to set this up, or you'd rather not, I'll set it up on the number and calendar you already have. You'll see what it says before a customer does.
