GoHighLevel's SMS and phone system lets general contractors and roofers text leads instantly, auto-respond to missed calls, and track every conversation in one dashboard. You can set up automated text follow-ups for estimates, project updates, and payment reminders without switching between multiple platforms.
Most contractors lose 60-70% of their leads because they don't respond fast enough. While you're driving between job sites or up on a roof, your competitors are texting your leads back within minutes. GoHighLevel's SMS system fixes this by automating your first response and keeping all conversations organized in your CRM.
What is GoHighLevel's SMS & Phone System
GoHighLevel's SMS and phone system combines two-way texting, call recording, power dialing, and ringless voicemail drops into a single platform. Every text message and call gets automatically logged to your contact's profile, so you never lose track of where each lead stands in your sales process.
The system includes LC Phone, which provides local and toll-free numbers that integrate directly with your CRM. When someone calls and you don't answer, the system can automatically send them a text message. When they reply, it shows up in your Conversations inbox just like a chat app. You can text from your computer or the mobile app, and all your team members can see the conversation history.
For contractors, this means you can send estimate follow-ups while you're still at the job site. Text project milestone updates to keep customers informed. Send payment reminders without awkward phone calls. The power dialer feature lets you blast through a list of cold leads when you have downtime between jobs.
Pro tip: The missed call text-back feature has the highest ROI of any GHL feature. Most leads who call and get voicemail never call back, but a text catches them while they're still thinking about their roofing or renovation project.
How to Buy and Set Up Your Phone Number
You need a dedicated phone number for SMS and calling in GoHighLevel, which you purchase through their LC Phone integration. Go to Settings > Phone Numbers and click "Buy Number" to see available local and toll-free options in your area.
Local numbers work better for contractors because homeowners trust calls from familiar area codes. A 555-123-4567 number from your city looks more legitimate than a random toll-free number. The local numbers cost around $2-3 per month, while toll-free numbers are slightly more expensive.
Step-by-step setup:
- Navigate to Settings > Phone Numbers in your GHL dashboard
- Click "Buy Number" and select your preferred area code
- Choose a number that's easy to remember (avoid too many repeating digits)
- Complete the purchase and wait 5-10 minutes for activation
- Test the number by calling it from your personal phone
Once your number is active, you'll see it listed in your Phone Numbers section. This becomes your business line for all SMS and calling activities. You can forward calls to your personal phone, let them go to voicemail, or answer them directly through the GHL mobile app. The number stays with your account even if you change your personal phone number.
Important: You'll need to complete A2P 10DLC registration to send SMS messages reliably. This process takes 1-2 weeks, so start it immediately after buying your number. Without proper registration, your texts may not deliver to customers.
How to Set Up Missed Call Text-Back
Missed call text-back automatically sends a text message to anyone who calls your business line when you don't answer. This single feature can save 30-40% of your missed leads because most people won't leave voicemails but will respond to a text.
The setup happens in your Business Profile settings, where you can customize the auto-reply message. For contractors, the message should be professional but personal. Something like: "Hey, this is [Your Name] from [Business Name]. Sorry i missed your call! What can i help you with regarding your roofing/remodeling project?"
Setting up missed call text-back:
- Go to Settings > Business Profile in your GHL account
- Scroll down to "Missed Call Text Back" section
- Toggle the feature ON
- Write your auto-reply message (keep it under 160 characters)
- Set the delay (i recommend 2-3 minutes)
- Save your settings
The delay setting is crucial. If you set it to 0 minutes, the text sends immediately when someone calls. But sometimes you're just stepping away from your phone and can call back within a minute or two. A 2-3 minute delay gives you time to see the missed call and respond personally before the auto-text goes out.
Your message should always identify who you are and your business. Homeowners call multiple contractors for estimates, so they might not remember which company's number they're texting back. Include your specialty too - "roofing project" or "kitchen remodel" helps jog their memory about why they called.
Test this feature by having a friend call your business number while your phone is off. Check that they receive the text message and can reply back to you. The conversation will appear in your GHL Conversations inbox where you can continue the discussion.
How to Use Two-Way SMS in Conversations
The Conversations section in GoHighLevel acts like a text messaging app for your business, showing all SMS conversations with leads and customers in one organized inbox. When someone texts your business number or replies to your automated messages, the conversation appears here with their full contact profile attached.
You can text from your computer during office work or switch to the mobile app when you're on job sites. Every message gets saved to the contact's timeline, so you can see the full history of estimates, project discussions, and payment conversations. This is way better than using your personal phone where messages get lost in your regular texts.
For contractors, the Conversations inbox becomes your project management hub. You can see which customers are waiting for estimates, who needs project updates, and who hasn't responded to payment requests. The search function lets you find specific conversations quickly - just type "roof estimate" or a customer's name.
Using Conversations effectively:
- Open the Conversations tab from your main GHL navigation
- Click on any contact to see your full text history
- Type your message in the text box at the bottom
- Use the paperclip icon to attach photos of job sites or damage
- Star important conversations for quick access later
- Use templates for common responses like estimate confirmations
The attachment feature is perfect for contractors. You can text photos of roof damage, before/after shots of completed work, or pictures of materials you're recommending. Customers love visual updates on their projects, and it builds trust when they can see the work in progress.
Templates save massive amounts of time for repetitive messages. Create templates for estimate follow-ups, project start notifications, completion confirmations, and payment reminders. Instead of typing the same message over and over, just select your template and personalize it with the customer's name or specific project details.
Pro tip: Keep your text messages under 160 characters to avoid them splitting into multiple messages. Most phones display long texts as separate messages, which looks unprofessional and confuses customers.
Setting Up the Power Dialer for Outbound Calling
GoHighLevel's power dialer lets you call through lists of leads systematically, automatically dialing the next number when you finish each call. This is perfect for contractors who need to follow up on old estimates or reach out to leads from home shows and referrals.
The power dialer works through your browser or mobile app, so you can make calls from anywhere with internet connection. All calls get recorded (where legally permitted) and logged to each contact's profile. You can see call duration, outcome, and add notes about what was discussed.
Power dialer setup process:
- Go to Marketing > Phone in your GHL dashboard
- Click "Create New Campaign" and select "Power Dialer"
- Choose your calling list (or create a new one)
- Select your caller ID number (the LC Phone number you purchased)
- Set your local presence settings if calling outside your area
- Configure call recording preferences
- Launch the campaign and start dialing
Local presence is a smart feature that shows a local area code to whoever you're calling, even if your business number is from a different city. If you're a contractor in Dallas calling leads in Houston, the power dialer can show a Houston area code to improve answer rates. People are more likely to answer calls from local numbers.
The system automatically moves to the next contact after each call, whether you connected or not. You can mark each call with dispositions like "interested," "not interested," "callback needed," or "voicemail left." These dispositions help you filter your lists for follow-up campaigns.
Call recording is valuable for contractors because you can review conversations about project specifications, pricing discussions, and customer concerns. Just make sure you're following local laws about call recording - some states require both parties to consent before recording.
Legal note: Check your state's call recording laws before enabling automatic recording. Some states require two-party consent, meaning you must inform customers that calls are being recorded.
How to Add SMS Actions to Your Workflows
SMS workflows automate your text message follow-up sequences, sending the right message at the right time without you having to remember every lead. You can create workflows that text leads immediately after they request an estimate, send project milestone updates, or remind customers about overdue payments.
The workflow builder lets you drag and drop SMS actions into your automation sequences. You can set time delays, conditional logic, and personalized messages that pull information from each contact's profile. This creates a professional follow-up system that works 24/7 even when you're busy on job sites.
For general contractors and roofers, the most effective workflows combine form submissions with immediate SMS responses. When someone fills out your "free estimate" form, the workflow can instantly text them a confirmation message and ask when they're available for you to come look at the project. This immediate response dramatically improves your conversion rates compared to waiting hours or days to follow up.
Creating an estimate follow-up SMS workflow:
- Go to Marketing > Workflows and click "Create Workflow"
- Choose "Form Submission" as your trigger
- Add a "Send SMS" action immediately after the trigger
- Write your confirmation message: "Thanks for requesting a free estimate! I'll call you within 2 hours to schedule a time to look at your [project type]."
- Add a 2-hour delay, then another SMS: "Hey [first name], i tried calling about your estimate. When's a good time to reach you?"
- Add a 24-hour delay, then a final follow-up text
- Activate the workflow
The personalization tags are crucial for making automated texts feel human. Use {first_name} to address people by name, {project_type} if you capture that information on your forms, and {city} to reference their location. These small touches make a huge difference in response rates.
Project milestone workflows keep customers informed throughout long jobs like full roof replacements or kitchen remodels. You can automatically text updates when you order materials, start work, pass inspections, or complete phases of the project. Customers love staying informed, and proactive communication prevents most complaints and misunderstandings.
Payment reminder workflows are particularly valuable for contractors dealing with large invoices. Instead of making awkward phone calls about overdue payments, you can set up a sequence that sends polite text reminders at 7 days past due, 14 days past due, and 30 days past due. The messages can start friendly and become more firm over time.
Workflow tip: Always include an easy way for customers to contact you in automated messages. Add your phone number or say "reply STOP to opt out" so they don't feel trapped in your automation.
SMS & Phone System Use Cases for Contractors & Roofers
General contractors and roofers can use GoHighLevel's communication system for estimate follow-up, project updates, emergency calls, payment collection, and seasonal marketing campaigns. The key is matching your message timing to where each customer is in your sales and project process.
Estimate follow-up is where most contractors see immediate results. After providing a quote, you can automatically text the customer within 24 hours: "Hi [name], i sent your roofing estimate yesterday. Do you have any questions about the materials or timeline?" Then follow up again in 3 days, then weekly until they make a decision or ask to be removed from your list.
Project milestone communication keeps customers happy during long jobs. For a full roof replacement, you might text: "Good morning! We'll be starting your roof project today around 8 AM. I'll text you updates throughout the day." Then send progress photos and updates about completion timing. This proactive communication prevents 90% of customer complaints because people get anxious when they don't know what's happening.
Emergency storm response workflow:
- Create a list of past customers in storm-prone areas
- Set up a manual workflow you can trigger after severe weather
- Send SMS: "Hi [name], we're checking on customers after last night's storm. Did your roof suffer any damage? Reply YES for a priority inspection."
- Follow up with phone calls to anyone who replies YES
- Schedule emergency repairs and send confirmation texts
Seasonal marketing through SMS works incredibly well for contractors. In early spring, text past roofing customers about gutter cleaning and inspection services. Before winter, remind them about heating system maintenance or winterization services. These texts feel helpful rather than salesy because you're reaching out to existing customers with relevant timing.
The payment collection process becomes much less awkward with text messaging. Instead of uncomfortable phone calls, you can text: "Hi [name], your final payment of $2,400 is due today for your kitchen remodel. You can pay online at [link] or call me at [number]. Thanks!" Most customers appreciate the reminder and the easy payment options.
Referral requests work great through SMS too. After completing a project, wait 2-3 days then text: "Thanks again for choosing us for your bathroom remodel! If you were happy with our work, would you mind referring us to friends who might need similar projects? I really appreciate it!" The timing is crucial - too soon feels pushy, too late and they've forgotten about you.
For contractors looking to systematize their entire follow-up process, i wrote about this in my complete guide to GHL automation for general contractors and roofers, which covers how to connect SMS workflows with email sequences and project management.
GoHighLevel SMS vs Other Platforms
Most contractors currently use a combination of personal phones, basic texting apps, and separate CRM systems that don't talk to each other. GoHighLevel consolidates everything into one platform where every text message automatically connects to your customer's profile and project history.
Twilio is powerful but requires technical setup and charges per message sent. You need a developer to integrate it with your website and CRM, then you pay around
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