SpringyMissed call text back for Australian tradies
Why it matters: the Australian numbers
In August 2026, AIIMS Group published figures from more than 207,000 inbound calls to 858 Australian businesses across nine industries. The average business dropped 9.2% of its calls. Trades that work on roofs and floors did worst: 17.6% of calls to roofers and 17.9% to flooring businesses went unanswered. Pest control dropped 5.1%.
The same data showed 69.3% of inbound calls came from first-time callers, and 82.2% for locksmiths. A first-time caller has no reason to wait for you. They ring the next number.
Wider studies, mostly American, put the share of calls to small businesses that go unanswered at 62%, and the share of those callers who never ring back at 85%. Text messages get opened about 98% of the time.
Sources: AIIMS Group via Dynamic Business, Aug 2026 · Missed Call Statistics 2026, SchedulingKit · Quo, 16M+ calls analysed · Sakari SMS benchmarks
How it works on an Australian mobile
- Your phone rings as normal. You answer if you can. Nothing changes for the calls you get to.
- If it rings out, your carrier diverts it. A conditional divert (**61 on Telstra, Optus and Vodafone) sends the unanswered call to your text-back number after the ring time you choose.
- The caller gets a text from your business. Within seconds, from your business name: "Sorry we missed your call at Northside Pest Control. What can we help with?"
- The text back asks what you'd ask. One text, or a short conversation, depending on the service. Springy asks the questions your trade needs: the pest and the suburb, the lock and where they're locked out, the bin size and the date.
- The job lands on your phone. When they reply, you get the job on your phone, ready to ring back with a quote.
A real run of Springy's locksmith agent on 29 October 2026. Names and suburb are examples.
The divert codes
Telstra, Optus and Vodafone postpaid mobiles all use the standard GSM codes. Dial them like a phone number and press call.
| What it does | Turn on | Turn off |
|---|---|---|
| Divert when you don't answer | **61*number*11*15# | ##61# |
| Divert when you're on another call | **67*number# | ##67# |
| Divert when your phone is off or out of range | **62*number# | ##62# |
| Divert everything (phone stays silent) | **21*number# | ##21# |
| Check which diverts are on | *#61# | · |
| Turn every divert off | · | ##002# |
| Put Telstra MessageBank back on all three | **004*101# | · |
The 15 on the end of the first code is how many seconds your phone rings before it diverts. Most prepaid plans can't divert at all, and Optus charges for diverted minutes. Our call forwarding guide has the costs carrier by carrier.
Source: Telstra: forwarding calls on your mobile, and our own testing.
One text, or a conversation?
The simplest services send one fixed text, something like "Sorry we missed you, we'll call back soon", and leave it there. That stops some callers ringing around. You still ring back knowing nothing about the job.
A conversational service keeps texting. It asks what the job is, where, and how soon, one question at a time, and hands you the answers. You ring back with a quote in mind instead of starting from scratch. For jobs quoted from a photo, like roofs, floors and kitchens, Springy texts a link the customer can tap to add photos.
Which you want depends on your trade. If every job is a two-minute callback, one text is enough. If you quote from a few facts and a photo, the conversation saves you the first ten minutes of every callback.
What it costs, and what you lose without it
On 29 October 2026, Australian missed call text back services ran from about $39 to $297 a month. See all seven side by side. Springy Text is $49 a month at the founding rate, with 500 texts and two weeks free.
What to look for
- Keeps your number. Your number is on your van, your Google listing and every quote. A conditional divert keeps it. A service that wants you to advertise a new number doesn't.
- Seconds, not minutes. The text has to land while the caller is still deciding who to ring next.
- Your business name first. A text that doesn't say who it's from looks like a scam.
- Asks what you'd ask. A plumber needs different answers to a locksmith. Check you can change the questions.
- The job lands where you'll see it. On your phone while you're on the tools, not in an inbox you check at night.
- STOP works. Anyone who replies STOP should never get another text.
- Australian numbers and support. Texts from an overseas number get ignored, and so does a support desk in another time zone.
Questions
Do I need a new phone number for missed call text back?
Not with Springy. Your mobile keeps ringing as normal. A short code (**61) tells your carrier to send calls you don't answer across to Springy, which texts the caller back. Some services give you a new number to advertise instead, so check before you sign up.
How fast does the text go out?
With Springy, a few seconds after the call rings out. Speed matters because the caller is still holding their phone and deciding who to ring next.
What happens to my voicemail?
Calls you don't answer go to the text-back service instead of MessageBank or your carrier's voicemail. To put voicemail back on Telstra, dial **004*101#. Most callers in a hurry don't leave a voicemail anyway.
Does it work if my phone is off or I'm on another call?
Yes, if you set all three diverts: no answer (**61), busy (**67) and unreachable (**62). Springy's setup gives you the codes with your Springy number already in them.
Will it text spam callers and robocalls?
It replies to whoever rang. Withheld and private numbers can't be texted by anyone, so they get nothing. Springy only texts again if the person replies.
Is missed call text back legal in Australia?
Generally yes. Replying to someone who just rang you, about what they rang about, sits outside what the Spam Act is aimed at. Name your business and keep the text about their enquiry. See our guide to the legal side.
Does it work with a landline or a 1300 number?
Most landline and 1300 providers can forward unanswered calls to another number. Point that forward at your text-back number. Ask your provider for 'call forward on no answer'.
How much does missed call text back cost in Australia?
On 29 October 2026, Australian services ranged from about $39 to $297 a month. Springy Text is $49 a month at the founding rate, with two weeks free. See the side-by-side comparison.
Hear it on your own phone
Ring 03 4052 7102 and let it ring out. The text you get is the one your customers would get.
Start two weeks free →By trade
What Springy asks for pest control, locksmiths, rubbish removal, end of lease cleaning, carpet cleaning, roofing, flooring and kitchen resurfacing.