On this page
- The numbers behind missed calls
- Why towing companies miss so many calls
- Your options for towing company calls you cannot answer
- How a missed call text back works for a tow company
- How much are missed calls costing you?
- Example text back templates for towing companies
- What does a tow dispatcher do, and what does a text back replace?
- Is there an AI answering service for towing companies?
- Which TextbackFast plan fits a towing company
- How to set it up
- Frequently asked questions
The numbers behind missed calls
Sources: 411 Locals study; CallRail 2025 survey.
One in five callers who hit voicemail dials your competitor next. A text in seconds keeps them talking to you.Based on the CallRail 2025 survey
Why towing companies miss so many calls
Towing calls do not wait for a good moment. They come in while your driver is hooking up a car on the shoulder, winching a vehicle out of a ditch, or driving with both hands on the wheel. Small operators often run the truck and the phone themselves, and even companies with a dispatcher see calls stack up after storms, on icy mornings and late on weekend nights.
A stranded driver almost never waits for a call back. They are standing next to a broken-down car with a search results page full of other tow companies. In a 2025 survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers, only 42% said they leave a voicemail when a business does not answer, and 21% said they call another business right away (CallRail 2025 consumer survey, summarized by Local Voice). For a tow company, that next call is a job someone else gets.
Your options for towing company calls you cannot answer
- A live towing dispatch answering service. People also search for "towing dispatch answering service" and "towing dispatch service". Operators answer with your company name, collect the location, vehicle and problem, and pass the job to your driver. This is the most complete option, and it is usually priced per minute or per call, so the cost rises with volume.
- Forwarding to a driver cell. Free, but the driver is often the person who cannot answer, because they are already on a tow.
- A voicemail greeting. Simple, but many stranded drivers hang up without leaving a message, and you lose the job before you ever hear about it.
- A missed call text back. Your phones ring exactly like they do now. Any call you do not answer gets an immediate text from your number asking where they are and what happened, so the caller knows someone saw the call and can reply with the details in writing.
These can work together. Some companies keep a dispatch service for nights or rotation calls and add a text back so every missed caller, even during a busy daytime rush, gets a reply right away.
How a missed call text back works for a tow company
You keep your existing business number. You set up conditional call forwarding so that only calls you do not answer go to your TextbackFast number. Calls you or your dispatcher pick up ring as usual.
When a call goes unanswered, the caller gets a short text right away, written in your company voice. They can reply with their location, the vehicle and what happened, such as a flat tire, a lockout, a dead battery or a car that will not start. When you finish the hookup, the details are already on your phone, so you can quote an arrival time instead of starting from scratch. Messages are plain text with no emojis, and callers can reply STOP at any time. TextbackFast keeps automatic texts under 160 characters, so each one goes out as a single standard text.
How much are missed calls costing you?
Drag the sliders to estimate the revenue towing companies leave on the table from calls that never get answered.
Estimate only: missed calls × 4.33 weeks × job value × booking rate. Your numbers will vary.
Example text back templates for towing companies
These are examples only. You write your own messages in TextbackFast.
- On a tow: "Hi, this is [Company]. Sorry we missed your call, we are on a tow. Where are you and what happened to the vehicle?"
- Roadside service: "Hi, this is [Company]. Sorry we missed you. Do you need a tow, a jump start, a lockout or a tire change?"
- Late night: "Hi, this is [Company]. Sorry we missed your call. If you are in a safe spot, what is your location and vehicle?"
- Safety first: "Hi, this is [Company]. Sorry we missed your call. If you are in danger call 911. Where is the vehicle right now?"
A good first text says who you are, says sorry you missed the call, and asks one easy question, usually where they are. Leave prices and arrival times for the reply from a person on your team, so you can quote what you can actually deliver.
What does a tow dispatcher do, and what does a text back replace?
A tow truck dispatcher answers calls, gets the location and vehicle details, decides which driver goes, and keeps the customer updated. A missed call text back does not replace a dispatcher. It covers the moment when nobody can pick up, so the first piece of the job, getting the caller's location and problem, still happens while you are busy. For an owner-operator without a dispatcher, that can be the difference between keeping the job and losing it.
Is there an AI answering service for towing companies?
Some tools use AI to answer or reply to calls. TextbackFast works by text. On the AI plan, the reply runs from your playbook: it can ask for the location, the vehicle and what happened, and it hands the conversation to you for pricing, anything it is not sure about, upset callers, or anyone who wants to talk to a person. If you would rather handle every conversation yourself after the first text, the Starter and Pro plans work that way.
Which TextbackFast plan fits a towing company
Every plan includes the 7-day free trial. Compare them in the pricing section.
- Starter ($49/mo) sends one automatic text per missed call and forwards replies to your cell. A good fit for an owner-operator with one or two trucks.
- Pro ($99/mo) adds a two-way texting inbox, follow-ups for repeat callers, quick replies, CRM or Google Sheet sync, and review requests. Useful when a dispatcher and several drivers share messages.
- AI ($199/mo) runs the conversation from your playbook and hands it to you whenever a person is needed.
A one-time carrier registration fee also applies when you sign up ($35 for a sole proprietor, $69 with an EIN), which is required to send business texts in the U.S.
How to set it up
Setup takes a few minutes. Pick your plan and reserve a local number at signup. Then forward unanswered calls from your current phone. Many tow companies run on a cell, so start with the cell phone setup guide. If you use a business line or a VoIP system, see the landline guide or the VoIP guide. Then call your own number from another phone, let it ring out, and confirm the text arrives.
Want to see more? Read what missed call text back is, visit the TextbackFast homepage to try the live demo, or start your 7-day free trial.
Stop losing jobs to missed calls
Starter $49, Pro $99, AI $199 a month, plus a one-time carrier registration fee: $35 one-time ($69 for businesses with an EIN). Your 7-day free trial starts once texting is approved. Keep your number by forwarding unanswered calls.
Start free trial →Compare plansFrequently asked questions
What is an answering service for a towing company?
It is any setup that responds to people who call your tow company when nobody can pick up. That can be a live towing dispatch answering service, a driver cell, a voicemail greeting, or a missed call text back that texts every caller you miss.
What is a towing dispatch answering service?
It is a service where operators answer your calls, collect the caller's location, vehicle and problem, and pass the job to your driver. A missed call text back is a lighter option that collects those details by text when you cannot answer.
What does a tow truck dispatcher do?
A tow truck dispatcher answers calls, gets the location and vehicle details, assigns a driver and keeps the customer updated. A text back does not replace that job. It makes sure missed callers still get a reply and share their details.
How much does an answering service cost per month?
Live answering services are often priced per minute or per call, so the monthly total depends on volume. TextbackFast is a flat monthly plan: Starter $49, Pro $99, or AI $199, plus a one-time carrier registration fee, with a 7-day free trial.
Is there an AI answering service for towing companies?
There are AI tools that answer or reply to calls. TextbackFast's AI plan replies by text from your playbook, asks for the location and vehicle, and hands the conversation to you for pricing or anyone who wants a person.
Does TextbackFast change my business phone number?
No. You keep your number and forward only unanswered calls to your TextbackFast number. Calls you answer ring as usual.