A missed call could be a missed opportunity to get a new customer, find a better vendor or hire the right team member. In other words, missed calls are costly for small businesses. Here’s how you can set up text auto-reply Android and avoid that.

You could be driving, spending time with your family or in a meeting. These are justifiable reasons to miss a call. But it’s important to keep the conversation going. That’s why setting up text auto-reply for Android is so important.

What are auto-replies on Android?

Auto-replies on Android let the caller know that you have seen the call and will be in touch with them soon. Since the text auto-reply on Android is sent immediately, it helps the caller understand that there’s a legitimate reason for you to not take their call.

Once you set up your text auto-reply for Android, you can always use it to respond to calls you may not be able to take. This begs the question: what’s the need for it?

Why would you need auto-replies?

To increase revenue

You may have an active social media channel and website but several customers prefer to call you first. This could be about your business hours or an ongoing sale. These are all opportunities to acquire and retain consumers and increase your revenue. If you don’t respond, they might go after one of your competitors.

To be more professional

The mark of a professional organisation is that it treats both existing and potential customers with respect. By setting up text auto-reply for Android, you’re telling the caller that you respect them enough to let them know why you can’t take the call and when you’ll get back to them.

To reduce missed business

For certain sectors, especially in B2B, phone calls are the main mode of communication. A call could be to know more about a product or service. If you’re unable to take the call, your text auto-reply for Android can give the name and number of the person they would be able to contact. This reduces the chances of missing new business.

To improve customer service

If you’re a small business and a customer has a problem with your product or service, in all likelihood, they will call you first. Remember that they might already be aggrieved and a lack of response could further anger them. By sending the right auto-reply text message, you’ll be assuring them that you’re always there to take care of their problems.

To protect brand reputation

Customers who feel that their calls are being ignored can take to online platforms and leave bad reviews. Auto-replies, on the other hand, can keep them engaged. For example, if it’s an out-of-office reply, your customer would understand that and wait for your call.

To inform family members

You’re not just an entrepreneur or small business owner. You also have a family and loved ones. They would be worried if they can’t reach you. With text auto-reply for Android, they will know why you can’t take the call and when they can hear from you.

How to set up auto-replies on Android

Click on the ‘phone’ icon on your mobile
Tap on the three dots on the top right
Now tap on ‘Settings’
You might find ‘Respond with SMS’ or ‘Quick decline messages’
There will be a maximum of four messages that you can customise
When a call comes in, tap on the ‘Message’ icon and you can select your reply
You can also send a custom reply for that particular call

Remember that your text auto-reply on Android should apologise for the inconvenience, explain why you can’t take the call and give the caller a solution.

How to use auto-reply with the Chalkboard app

While it’s convenient, text auto-reply for Android doesn’t give you enough options unless you download a specific app for that. Why go through all that when you can download a virtual app built for seamless conversations? Chalkboard is a second line for work that knows what small businesses need to engage with their customers.

You can easily set up an auto-reply on Chalkboard to send pre-written messages to calls that you might miss. The app’s chat also allows you to organise your contacts, broadcast group messages and talk to your customers like friends.

You don’t have to buy an extra device. You don’t have to pay for individual calls and texts. You don’t have to commit to any long-term contracts. All you need is to download the app from the App Store or Google Play.