By Logan, founder of HVAC Marketing HQ · Updated Oct 12, 2026How it works
Your existing number forwards through a system that rings your phones as usual. If nobody picks up, the caller gets a text from your business a few seconds after the call ends: "Hi, this is Your Shop Heating & Air. Sorry we missed you, we're on a job. What's going on with your system?" They reply, the conversation lands in a shared inbox your office and techs can see, and someone books the call.
You keep your number. Customers keep calling the number on your trucks.
Why it matters most in July
Your phone rings most when it's hottest, and that's exactly when your techs are in attics and the office is on another line. A homeowner with a dead AC in 100-degree heat won't wait for a call back; they'll dial the next shop on the map. A text in seconds holds them long enough for you to answer.
It also catches the calls you'd never know you missed: after hours, during lunch, when the line was busy.
The registration it needs: A2P 10DLC
U.S. carriers require businesses that text customers from a regular 10-digit local number to register first. It's called A2P 10DLC (application-to-person, 10-digit long code). You register your business and describe the kinds of messages you'll send. Unregistered business texts get filtered, slowed down or blocked.
Registration asks for your legal business name and tax ID, and checks that your website explains how people opt in and opt out. That's one reason your privacy policy and terms need to mention texting.
Texas rules to know
Texas expanded its telemarketing law in 2025 (Senate Bill 140) so that it covers text messages as well as calls. The safe rule for an HVAC company is simple:
- Reply to people who contacted you. A text back to someone who just called you is a conversation they started.
- Get clear consent before any marketing texts, such as tune-up reminders or promotions, and keep a record of it.
- Every marketing text says how to stop: "Reply STOP to opt out." Honor it right away.
- Never cold text a list.
This is general information, not legal advice. Federal law (the TCPA) also applies to texts. If you plan marketing campaigns, have a lawyer look at your consent wording.
What a good text-back setup includes
- A first text within seconds, written in your voice, that asks what's wrong.
- A shared inbox, so whoever is free can answer.
- A link to book, for customers who'd rather pick a time themselves.
- Alerts to your phone when a customer replies.
- Tracking, so you can see how many missed calls turned into booked jobs.
Free report card: your Google profile, reviews, website and listings graded against the shops near you.
The 40-point HVAC online scorecard
Website, Google profile, reviews and follow-up. Print it, check yes or no, add up your score. We'll email you the printable PDF.
Questions
Will customers find the text annoying?
It goes only to people who just called you, once, so it reads as a quick response rather than marketing.
Do I have to change my phone number?
No. Your existing line forwards through the system.
What about after-hours calls?
The same text goes out, and the message can say when you'll call back or offer an emergency option.