Answering machine for plumbers: stop losing jobs on site

TL;DR: When you cannot answer, the forwarded call reaches Heilo's greeting in the Heilo Voicemail plan, which is voicemail for missed calls. The caller leaves a description of the problem and the location, and you get a transcript and an SMS with the context you need to call back. Heilo does not talk to the caller and does not book the job for you.

See also: How many customers do you lose to missed calls? | Automatic answering machine for business

You are a plumber, an electrician, an air-conditioning fitter, a service engineer. Your work is out on site, not sitting by the phone. The problem? The job and the phone rule each other out.

Hands busy → you don't answer → the customer keeps ringing → you lose the job.

This is not a "small problem". In the scenario in this article, several jobs slip away in a single day. Time to fix it.

A day in the life of a plumber: how many calls slip away?

Example (an illustrative scenario with made-up call counts):

8:00 — You drive to the first job. The phone rings. You're driving. You don't answer. Loss: the customer calls the next plumber.

10:30 — You're under a sink, hands in the pipes, a wrench in one, a torch in the other. The phone rings in your pocket. You think: "I'll call back in 10 minutes." Reality: in 10 minutes the customer has already agreed with someone else.

1:00 p.m. — Lunch break. You check your phone: 4 missed calls from unknown numbers. You do: call back. 2 don't answer. 1 says "thanks, I've already booked someone". 1 is a solar panel pitch (spam). Time lost: 20 minutes. Jobs lost: 3.

4:00 p.m. — You finish up and check your phone: 3 new missed calls. 6:00 p.m. — You call back. "Thanks, I had a leak, but someone else has already come." Loss: 3 more jobs.

This is an illustrative scenario: the real number of lost jobs and their value depend on the city, the trade, the season and how quickly you call back. First measure, over a few weeks, how many calls you miss and how many of them end in a conversation or a job.

Why "I'll call back after the job" does not work

You think: "The customer will wait 2 hours, I'll call when I'm done."

The customer thinks differently:

The problem is NOW. A burst pipe, water on the floor, panic. They won't wait 2 hours.
A search shows many plumbers nearby. The customer rings the next one on the list. Whoever answers first gets the job.
No answer = no professionalism. The customer thinks: "Probably too busy, no time for new customers."

You call back in the evening: "Hello, you called me..." "Oh, thanks, I've already sorted it with someone else."

End of call. End of job. End of income.

How Heilo works: the caller leaves a message, you get an SMS

The mechanism:

1. Conditional forwarding You set up forwarding "when you don't answer" to your Heilo number (Android guide / iPhone guide).

What this means:

If you answer → a normal conversation with the customer
If you don't answer (you're under the sink) → the phone forwards to Heilo automatically

2. A professional greeting The caller hears: "Hello, this is [company name]. I'm with a customer right now and can't answer. Please leave your name, tell me what happened, give me the address and say when you need help. This message is recorded, and I'll call you back."

The caller should know they are leaving a recorded message and that a person will call back.

3. The caller leaves the details "Hello, I have a burst pipe under the sink and water is coming out. I need someone today if possible. 14 Station Road."

4. Heilo writes a transcript and a summary In the dashboard you have the recording, the full transcript and a short summary. From this message you can see at once:

Problem: burst pipe under the sink, water leaking
When: the customer asks for a visit today
Where: 14 Station Road

Whether the job is urgent is your call, after you read the message.

5. You get an SMS If notifications are on, the SMS gives the caller (a name from your contacts or the number), the topic, for example "burst pipe under the sink", and a link to the call in the dashboard. You read the full transcript in the dashboard. We do not promise a specific delivery time.

6. You call back during a break You are not calling blind. You know what the customer needs. The call is short: "Hello, I got your message. I'll finish my current job in an hour, I can be with you at 3 p.m. Is that all right?" "Great, I'll be waiting!"

Job booked.

Setup without an app and without a switchboard

You don't need to buy hardware, install an app, change your number or hire anyone.

Step 1: Choose the Heilo Voicemail plan on the Heilo answering machine page and create an account.

Step 2: Set up the greeting in the dashboard Example: "Hello, this is [your name] from [company name]. I'm with a customer right now and can't answer. Please leave your name, tell me what happened, give me the address and say when you need help. This message is recorded, and I'll call you back."

Step 3: Set up forwarding on no answer

Android and iPhone: in the Phone app, enter the code **61*[Heilo number]# and press call; ##61# cancels it. On most mobile networks, forwarding on no answer uses this code, but codes and charges vary by carrier, so check with yours.
Note for iPhone: the "Call Forwarding" option in Settings normally forwards all calls, including the ones you want to answer. For voicemail on unanswered calls, use your carrier's code, or ask your carrier whether it offers conditional forwarding.
Before you change anything, ask your carrier whether it supports forwarding and what it costs. Then call your own number from another phone and don't answer, to check the greeting.

Done. Now, when you don't answer, the forwarded call can reach Heilo's greeting and mailbox.

How to work out the return

Measure the messages, successful callbacks and jobs over a full month. Compare the margin from recovered jobs with the price of Heilo Voicemail, without assuming every missed call would have ended in a sale.

Who is this for?

✅ Ideal for:

Plumbers, electricians, gas fitters (work on site, hands busy)
Appliance and TV repairers (home visits, lots of driving)
Air-conditioning fitters and installers (working at height, noise)
Carpenters, locksmiths (noisy workshops, the phone can't be heard)
Car mechanics and auto repair shops (you're under the car, the phone is in the locker)

❌ Not necessarily for:

Offices with a front desk (you have someone who answers)
Companies with a call centre (you have a team)
Freelancers at a desk (you answer without a problem)

Heilo is for people who PHYSICALLY cannot answer the phone while they work.

Summary

You are a plumber, electrician or service engineer: your work is hands on the job, not on the phone. Heilo.io saves the message after a forwarded call, transcribes it and sends an SMS with the topic and a link to the call. You call back during a break with better context.

You will find plans and prices on the pricing page, and a description of Heilo voicemail on the answering machine page.

FAQ

Will customers realise they are dealing with an automated system?

That should come across in the greeting: the customer is leaving a recorded message for a person who will call back. Heilo does not pretend to be a live assistant.

Can I listen to the recording if the transcript is unclear?

Yes, you have access to the original recording in the Heilo dashboard. It is worth checking the transcript, especially with background noise, proper names and unclear speech.

How much does it really cost?

Heilo Voicemail covers messages after missed calls: the recording, a transcript, a summary and an SMS notification. Heilo Select and Heilo Line record the calls you answer. Billing is monthly, per number. Check your carrier's charges for forwarded calls separately. Plans and prices are on the pricing page, and the product is described on the answering machine page. Work out the return from your own number of messages, successful callbacks and job margin.

Does it work when I'm on the road all day?

Yes, Heilo works in the cloud. With forwarding set up properly, the call can reach the mailbox even when you don't answer or are out of coverage; the exact behaviour depends on the carrier and the type of forwarding.

How soon can I start?

We do not promise a specific time. For Heilo Voicemail you need a Heilo account, a greeting and forwarding with your carrier, so the start depends mainly on whether your carrier supports forwarding on no answer. Make a test call as soon as it is set up.