The problem in tradie terms
- Phone rings mid-job, you can't answer, and by smoko you've forgotten who it was.
- Lots of callers don't leave a voicemail, and you're left with an unknown number.
- Leads are spread across missed calls, texts, Messenger and email, with no single place to see what's waiting.
- You call back a day later and they've already booked someone.
Step-by-step fix
- 1. Update your voicemail greeting. Say you're on site, ask for name, suburb and job, and say when you'll call back (prompt 1).
- 2. Turn on voicemail-to-text if your phone or carrier offers it — for example iPhone's Live Voicemail or Visual Voicemail, or your carrier's own service. Names and availability vary in NZ and AU, so check with your phone and carrier. Then you can skim voicemails between jobs.
- 3. Send a callback text within the hour, using a saved text template (prompt 2). Some job apps and phone systems can auto-text missed callers — check what yours already offers before paying for anything extra.
- 4. Keep ONE lead list. A Google Sheet with these columns: Date | Source (missed call / voicemail / Messenger / IG / email / Lead Ad) | First name | Phone | Suburb | Job | Urgency | Next step | Status (new / replied / booked / quoted / lost). Pin it to your phone's home screen.
- 5. Add every lead the moment you see it, whatever channel it came in on. Messenger and Instagram leads go in too — see Facebook & Instagram leads.
- 6. Use AI to tidy messy voicemail transcripts into a list row (prompt 3). Check the phone number yourself, because transcripts often get digits wrong.
- 7. Twice a day, work down the list: call back or text anyone "new", and update the status.
- 8. Later, optional: an automation (Zapier or Make) that copies web-form or Lead Ad enquiries into the sheet. Or move to your job app's enquiry list once you have one.
Suggested tool stack
- Your phone's voicemail or your carrier's voicemail-to-text: read voicemails instead of listening (depends on your phone and carrier).
- Google Sheets: the one lead list.
- ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini: tidy transcripts and write callback texts.
- Meta Business Suite: Messenger and Instagram leads feeding the same list.
- Zapier or Make (optional): automatically add form or Lead Ad leads to the sheet.
- A job app (ServiceM8, Tradify and others): some include enquiry lists or missed-call texts — check what's included.
- Note: US-only virtual phone services aren't generally available to NZ/AU businesses. Ask your own carrier what it offers instead.
Prompt 1: Voicemail script
Write a 20-second voicemail greeting for [first name] at [business]. Ask callers to leave their name, suburb and what the job is, and say I'll call back [today / next working day]. If it's after hours or an emergency, say [instruction]. Easy to say out loud.
Prompt 2: Missed-call callback text
Write a text message (under 40 words) to send to someone whose call I missed. From [first name], [business], [trade]. Say sorry I missed you, I'm on a job, and ask them to reply with their suburb and what the job is, or say I'll ring back by [time]. Plain [NZ/AU] English, no emojis.
Prompt 3: Voicemail transcript → lead list row
Turn this voicemail transcript into one spreadsheet row with these columns: Date | Source | First name | Phone | Suburb | Job | Urgency | Next step. Source = voicemail. If something is missing or unclear, write "missing" or "check". Do not guess phone digits. Transcript: [paste]
Prompt 4: Batch sort leads from all channels
Here are today's leads from missed calls, voicemails and Messenger. Sort them into a table: First name | Suburb | Job | Source | Urgency (today / this week / price only / junk) | Next step. Urgent first. Don't invent details. Leads: [paste, numbered]
Important: AI sorts messages, it doesn't judge faults
⚠️ Safety: AI is only sorting a message. It cannot judge a fault. This is not a substitute for regulations or a licensed tradesperson. If a caller mentions gas, sparking, burning smells, flooding or anyone hurt, call them straight back yourself or tell them to call 111 (NZ) / 000 (AU) or the network emergency line. Never send AI-written repair or safety advice to a customer.
Prompt 5: Soft follow-up after silence
Draft a short follow-up text (under 40 words) for a customer who called about [job] in [suburb] [2/3] days ago and went quiet. Friendly, no guilt, offer to close the file if they've sorted it. Do not add a discount.
Privacy and safe habits
- The lead list holds personal information. Keep it in a password-protected account with two-step login, and share it only with people who need it.
- Collect only what you need (first name, phone, suburb, job). Delete or archive old "lost" leads on a regular schedule.
- When pasting into AI, strip surnames and street addresses where you can. Check phone numbers by hand.
- Don't put bank or card details, IDs or passwords in the sheet or in AI.
- Only text people who contacted you, about their enquiry. No marketing lists without consent — spam rules apply in NZ and AU.
- Not legal advice. NZ: Privacy Act 2020 (privacy.org.nz). AU: Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles (oaic.gov.au). See what's safe to paste into AI, Safe AI habits and our privacy page.
Related
Inbox & leads · Facebook & Instagram leads · After-hours enquiries · Reminders · Voice notes on site
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