Missed call text back with Twilio and Make

Part of our Small Business Automation guide: what to automate first and the 10 easiest wins.

The problem

When you miss a call, most people don’t leave a voicemail. They call someone else. A missed call text back sends them a short text so they know you’ll get back to them.

This guide shows how to build it with Twilio (which sends the texts) and Make (which connects apps with “when this happens, do that” rules). If you prefer Zapier, see the main missed-call text-back guide.

What you need

• A Twilio account and a Twilio phone number that can send texts.
• A Make account. The free plan is fine to start.
• Call forwarding on your business phone, so unanswered calls go to the Twilio number.

Words you’ll see

• Scenario: Make’s name for one automation.
• Module: one step in a scenario, like “watch calls” or “send a text”.
• Filter: a rule between steps, like “only carry on if the call was missed”.

Step 1: Connect Twilio to Make

1. In Twilio, open your console home page and copy your Account SID and Auth Token.
2. In Make, click Create a new scenario.
3. Click the big plus, search for Twilio and pick Watch Calls.
4. Click Create a connection, paste your Account SID and Auth Token, and save.

Step 2: Watch for calls

1. In the Watch Calls module, choose your Twilio number if it asks.
2. When asked where to start, pick From now on, so old calls are ignored.

Watch Calls checks Twilio for new calls on a timer you set, so the text goes out on the next check, not straight away. Set the timer in Step 5.

Step 3: Only continue for missed calls

1. Click the small line between Watch Calls and the next module, then Set up a filter.
2. Name it “Missed only”.
3. Set the condition to Status equal to no-answer. Click Add OR rule and add Status equal to busy.

Step 4: Send the text

1. Add a new module: Twilio, Create a Message.
2. From: your Twilio number.
3. To: map the From field of the call (the caller’s number).
4. Body: your text, for example:

Hi, it’s [Business]. Sorry we missed your call. Reply with what you need and we’ll call you back today.

Step 5: Test it and turn it on

1. Click Run once, then call your business number from another phone and don’t answer.
2. Check the text arrives on that phone. If it doesn’t, open the run history and see which step stopped.
3. Set the schedule (the clock icon). Shorter gaps mean faster texts but use more Make operations.
4. Switch the scenario On.

Common problems

• No text arrives: check the filter. The status must match exactly (no-answer, lowercase).
• Texts only go to your own number: Twilio trial accounts can only text verified numbers. Upgrade your Twilio account.
• Too many operations used: make the schedule gap longer.

Consent and local rules

A text replying to someone who just called you isn’t marketing, so leave promotions out. Follow-up texts should include your business name and “Reply STOP to opt out”. Marketing texts need opt-in consent (TCPA in the US, the Spam Act in Australia, PECR in the UK, CASL in Canada). This isn’t legal advice.

FAQ

Is Make or Zapier better for this?

Both work. Make often gives you more runs on its free plan. Zapier can feel simpler for a first build. Pick the one you already use.

Can it text back faster?

Make’s Twilio Watch Calls step checks on a schedule. Advanced users can point a Twilio webhook at a Make custom webhook instead, but the scheduled version is simpler for beginners.

Can I send a different text after hours?

Yes. Add a second filter that checks the time, with one Create a Message module for business hours and one for after hours. See Auto-reply after hours.

What does it cost?

Twilio charges for the number and each text. Make has a free plan with a monthly limit on operations. Check each provider’s current prices.

Skip the build with our template pack

Our US$19 Missed-call text-back pack has a ready-to-import Make blueprint, plus an n8n workflow, a Zapier build sheet and texts already written. Includes a step-by-step guide.

Related

• Automation for real estate agents: all the easy wins
• Missed-call text-back: main guide
• Missed call text back message examples
• Missed call text back app: DIY vs buy
• Missed call text back in the UK
• Missed-call text-back template pack
• Get it ready-made

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