Texts back straight away
The moment a call goes unanswered, the caller gets a text from your business, by name, with a link to your booking page.
Missed call text back that turns a missed call into a booking
Most callers who reach voicemail hang up and call someone else. When you miss a call, Operator texts them back straight away with a link to your booking page, where they can see your services, pick a time and pay the deposit.
Free for 14 days · no card to start · keep your number
By text
A missed call, answered by text in seconds
After the text, the caller can book from your link or reply to keep going. Operator uses the question set for your trade, and you decide which questions matter for your prices.
- OperatorSorry we missed your call at Northside Heating and Air. Tell us what you need here and we'll take it from there.
- CustomerThanks. Do you do weekend appointments?
- OperatorYes, there are Saturday times on the booking page. Which service did you have in mind?
- CustomerThe standard one. I’ll book it now.
Built for small businesses
Why a text back beats a voicemail box
A voicemail box waits for a caller who has already moved on. A missed call text back reaches them while they are still looking, with a way to book right there.
Books from the link
The link opens your booking page with your services, your prices and the times you actually have open, so the caller can book without waiting for you.
Keeps the conversation going
If the caller replies to the text, Operator answers from what you have told it and helps them book, and the whole thread is in your inbox.
A deposit locks the job
The customer pays a deposit you set, straight to your own Stripe account. Tire-kickers drop off, and a no-show costs them, not you.
Respects opt-outs
A caller who has replied STOP never gets a text back. Texts go only to people who just called you, about the call they just made.
Or let the AI answer instead
Want the call answered, not texted? Turn on Operator’s AI receptionist and it picks up the calls you miss, then books them the same way.
Answering service vs Operator
What happens after a missed call
Most callers never leave a voicemail
People calling a small business usually want an answer now. When the call goes to voicemail, most of them hang up and try the next business instead of leaving a message. A missed call text back catches them in that moment: a text arrives from your number within seconds, with a link that lets them book without waiting for you to call back.
Every missed call becomes a lead
Each missed call is saved as a new lead in your inbox with the caller’s number, so nothing slips through even on your busiest day. If they book from the link, the appointment is on your calendar and the deposit is in your own Stripe account. If they reply, the conversation continues in the same thread, where you can take over at any time.
Text back or answer, your choice
Some businesses want every call answered by a person during the day and a text back when they miss one. Others want every call answered. Operator does both: keep the text back on its own, have your phone ring first and the AI receptionist catch what you miss, or let the AI answer every call around the clock.
You pay for what it answers
There is no per-message fee and no booking fee. Each plan includes monthly credits, and a minute of answered call is 25 credits, where one credit is one cent. If the credits ever run out, calls ring your own phone the way they did before. The line never goes dead.
A message is not a booking
Compare the steps an enquiry needs. Answering-service and bot capabilities vary by provider and plan; check the specific workflow before choosing.
| Operator | Live answering service | Voicemail | Message-taking bots | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Answers the call | ||||
| Sounds like a person | ||||
| Answers questions | From a script | |||
| Captures the lead | Takes a message | |||
| Quotes a real price | Depends on provider | Depends on provider | ||
| Holds a time | Sometimes | |||
| Takes a deposit | Depends on provider | Depends on provider |
Pricing
Start free. Pick a plan when it answers.
Three plans, no contract. Try Operator free for 14 days; the card is asked for only when you claim your number, and nothing is charged until the trial ends.
Starter
For a solo business or a small shop.
$49
per month · no booking fee
About 200 minutesof answered calls per month, or 500 conversations5,000 credits per month
Start your free trialPro
For a shop whose phone rings all day.
$129
per month · no booking fee
About 600 minutesof answered calls per month, or 1,500 conversations15,000 credits per month
Start your free trialScale
For a busy team, open to close.
$299
per month · no booking fee
About 1,600 minutesof answered calls per month, or 4,000 conversations40,000 credits per month
Start your free trial14-day free trial, card only when you claim your number · switch or cancel anytime
Calls you get a day6
130+
Starter
$49
5,000 credits
Pro
$129
15,000 credits
Scale
$299
40,000 credits
6 calls a day fits Pro. Answering them uses about 9,900 of its 15,000 monthly credits.
6 calls × 3 minutes × 22 working days × 25 credits a minute. Voice only: chats and texts use the same balance.
Questions from small businesses
How does missed call text back work?
Calls come in on the business line Operator gives you, or on your own number forwarded to it. During your business hours your phone rings first. If nobody answers, or the call comes outside your hours, the caller gets a text from your business, by name, with a link to your booking page, and the call is saved as a lead in your inbox.
Can the caller reply to the text?
Yes. A reply continues the same conversation. Operator answers from what you have told it and helps them book, and you can step in and reply yourself from your inbox at any time.
Will people who opted out get a text?
No. Anyone who has replied STOP to your number is never sent a text back. Texts only go to someone who has just called you, about that call.
Can I keep my business number?
Yes. Forward your existing number to Operator all day or only when you do not pick up. Or use the business line Operator gives you.
What does a call look like in my inbox?
Each call arrives as a conversation with the recording, a short summary, the caller’s number and the answers they gave. If they booked, the time is on your calendar and the deposit is in your Stripe account.
Does it work in Canada?
Yes. Operator works for small businesses in Canada and the United States, in your own currency.
How much does it cost?
Operator is free for 14 days with no card to start. Plans start at $49 a month on Starter, which covers up to about 200 answered minutes. There is no booking fee on any plan.
Stop losing the calls you miss
Set up takes 5 minutes. Keep your current number.