The Missed-Call Fix

Holiday closed message for contractors: voicemail greetings and texts you can copy

Disclosure: we wrote and sell a guide on this.

Closing for Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year's? Calls don't stop because the shop does. A homeowner with a leak on a holiday morning calls whoever picks up, or whoever tells them what happens next. A good holiday closed message does three things: it says you're closed and when you're back, it says whether you take emergencies, and it gives the caller something to do now. That usually means texting you their name, address and the problem. Below are holiday voicemail greetings and missed-call texts you can copy, plus a short checklist so the message actually plays on the day.

Holiday voicemail greeting templates

Swap the brackets for your own details. Keep each one short so callers hear the "text us" line before they hang up.

1. Closed, back on a date

"Hi, you've reached [Business Name]. We're closed for [holiday] and back on [day, date]. The fastest way to reach us is to TEXT this number with your name, address, and what's going on. We'll reply when we're back."

2. Closed, but taking emergencies

"Hi, you've reached [Business Name]. We're closed for [holiday] and back on [day, date], but we're taking emergency calls. TEXT this number with your name, address, and what's going on. If it's an emergency like [a burst pipe / no heat], put 'EMERGENCY' in your text and we'll call you first. If you smell gas, leave the building and call 911 or your gas company from outside."

Only if someone really answers emergencies over the holiday. If no one does, use Text 1 / greeting 1.

3. Closed, with an on-call number

"Hi, you've reached [Business Name]. Our office is closed for [holiday] and opens again on [day, date]. For an emergency like [no heat / water coming in], call our on-call tech at [number]. If you smell gas, leave the building and call 911 or your gas company from outside. For anything else, TEXT this number with your name, address, and what's going on, and we'll get back to you when we open."

Only if the on-call number is really answered over the holiday. If no one is, use greeting 1.

4. Holiday hours (open part of the week)

"Hi, you've reached [Business Name]. Our holiday hours are: closed [dates], open [day and hours]. TEXT this number with your name, address, and what's going on, and we'll reply during those hours."

Only use the emergency line (2 or 3) if someone is really on call. If no one is, say so. "We're closed and back on [date]" is better than a promise nobody keeps. Keep the gas line in any greeting that mentions emergencies.

Holiday missed-call text templates

If your phone or software sends an automatic text when you miss a call, change its wording for the holiday too. Each one below starts with the business name, asks one question, ends with an opt-out and stays near 160 characters with no emojis, curly quotes or em dashes. Those are the same rules as on our missed call text templates page.

Text 1: closed, back on a date (147 characters as written; 152 filled in as "Smith Plumbing", "Thanksgiving")

[Business]: sorry we missed your call. We're closed for [holiday] and back [Mon 11/30]. What's the problem and your address? Reply STOP to opt out.

Text 2: closed, emergencies flagged (145 as written; 138 filled in with "a leak", 139 with "no heat")

[Business]: we're closed for [holiday], back [Mon 11/30]. Emergency, like [no heat / a leak]? Put EMERGENCY in your reply. Reply STOP to opt out.

Only if someone really answers emergencies over the holiday. If no one does, use Text 1 / greeting 1.

Text 3: holiday hours (143 as written; 143 filled in)

[Business]: sorry we missed your call. Holiday hours: closed [11/26-11/27], open [Sat 8-12]. What do you need help with? Reply STOP to opt out.

Long business names push a text past 160 characters. If yours does, shorten the holiday name ("closed Thu-Fri") before you cut "Reply STOP to opt out."

Before the holiday: a 4-step checklist

  1. Change your greeting. Record one of the greetings above a day or two early, not the night before.
  2. Change your hours where callers and tools look.
    • Google Business Profile: Google's help says "You can set special hours if your business temporarily adjusts its hours of operation or remains closed for up to 6 days in a row," and lists holidays as one use. For 7 or more days in a row, Google says to mark the business as Temporarily closed instead. (Google Business Profile Help: How to set Special hours, checked Oct 20, 2026)
    • Your phone or text-back tool: in Quo, for example, the "after hours" auto-replies depend on the business hours set on the number. Quo's help says: "Auto-replies for 'after hours' depend on accurate business hour settings." (Quo: Auto-replies, checked Oct 20, 2026.) Quo's schedule is set by day of the week ("Custom: Different hours per day"), so for a one-day closure, change that day's hours and change them back afterward. (Quo: Business hours, checked Oct 20, 2026)
    • Local Services Ads: if you run them, check the hours your ad shows for the holiday too. Google's Local Services Ads help page ("How leads work") lists a missed call during business hours, where the caller stays on 20+ seconds, as a chargeable lead, voicemail included (checked Oct 2026). More on that: Google Local Services Ads missed-call charges.
  3. Test it. On the day before, after you close, call your business number from a phone that isn't in your customer list and let it ring out. Do you hear the holiday greeting? If you use a text-back, does the holiday text arrive, start with your business name and include STOP? It's the same as test #2 ("Same, after hours") on our free 1-page worksheet.
  4. Change it all back. Put a reminder on your phone for the morning you reopen: greeting, hours in your phone tool and anything else you changed. An old holiday greeting in December confuses callers.

Weekends work the same way

The same structure works for a weekend you're off: closed, back when, emergencies or not, text us. Use greeting 1 or 2 with "back on Monday at [time]", and Text 1 with "back [Mon 7am]".

Don't have a text-back yet?

Greetings 1–4 already work without one: customers texting you isn't automated messaging, so it needs no registration, and it works on any phone that can receive texts, Google Voice included. If you set up automatic texts now, start early. Automatic texts start once carriers approve your registration. Quo reports most approvals within 24–48 hours, but some take up to 20 days or longer.

FAQ

What should a holiday closed message say?

That you're closed, the date you're back, whether you take emergencies (and how to flag one), and what the caller should do now: usually, text you their name, address and the problem.

Should I say we're closed or just say we're away?

Say "closed" and give the date you're back. Callers decide whether to wait or call someone else based on that date.

Do I need "Reply STOP to opt out" in a holiday auto-text?

Put an opt-out at the end of every automatic text. It's on all three templates above. Also treat "stop", "quit" or "don't text me" as an opt-out, in any wording.

Can I send a "Happy holidays, we're closed" text to all my customers?

That's a different thing from replying to someone who just called you. Follow-ups, review asks or promos need the customer's permission. Before you turn on after-hours texts, check the federal and state texting rules that apply to you on consent and quiet hours.

How long before the holiday should I change my greeting?

Early enough to test it. Record it a day or two before, test it after you close on the last working day, and set a reminder to change it back.

Keep it honest

(This is general information, not legal advice.)

Get the step-by-step

Disclosure: we wrote and sell a guide on this.