Applicant text-back means every person who applies for a roofing job gets an immediate text reply, a few short screening questions, and a clear next step. It is the simplest fix in recruiting marketing, and often the one that pays back fastest, because it rescues applicants you have already paid to attract.
What this service is
Answer first: a fast, polite, automatic first reply, followed by a human. Picture a roofer who applies to three companies on a Sunday night. One texts back in two minutes, asks if they can start at 7 a.m. and whether they have their own boots and a vehicle, and offers a call Monday at 8. The other two call back Wednesday. The first company has usually won before the others pick up the phone.
The flow we build:
- Instant reply. A short text in your company's voice confirming the application.
- Screening questions. Three to five factual yes-or-no questions you approve.
- Routing. People who meet your basics get offered a call time; others get a polite reply and are kept on file if you want.
- Handoff. Your office manager or foreman gets a clean summary: name, role, answers and source.
- Follow-up. One reminder if someone goes quiet, then we stop.
Who it's for
Roofing companies that:
- get applicants but struggle to reach them
- have one busy office person handling sales calls, scheduling and hiring
- run ads after hours and on weekends
- lose people between "applied" and "interview"
If your current reply time is measured in days, this is where to start.
What's included
- set-up of the text reply and screening flow on a number you control
- question wording reviewed for clarity and to avoid questions about protected personal characteristics
- a simple daily summary for whoever does the calling
- source tracking tied to crew recruiting ads and hiring pages
- monthly review of where applicants drop out of the flow
Applicant details are personal information. We set the flow up to collect only what you need, and you keep ownership of the data. Privacy law in Canada is covered at the source by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner, and electronic messaging by the CRTC's anti-spam guidance. We point you to them; we don't give legal advice.
Timeline
Most set-ups take one to two weeks: a few days to agree on wording and questions, a few days to build and test with real phones, then a live week where we watch every conversation closely and adjust.
How results are measured
| Measure | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Median time to first reply | The number this service exists to shrink |
| Share of applicants who answer the screening | Shows whether the first text sounds human |
| Share who pass screening | Tells us whether the ad is attracting the right people |
| Interviews held per screened applicant | Shows whether the handoff to your office works |
| Hires per 100 applicants | The bottom line of the funnel |
Our cost-per-hire guide shows how a faster reply changes the maths without spending a dollar more on ads.
Mistakes to avoid
- Robotic messages. Write like a foreman, not a call centre. Short, friendly, plain.
- Too many questions. Past five, completion drops fast. Ask the rest on the phone.
- Personal questions. Age, family plans, health and similar topics have no place in a screening text. Keep to job requirements.
- Ignoring the handoff. An instant text followed by a call three days later wastes the advantage.
- Waiting until Monday. Weekend applicants are often the keenest. The automatic reply covers Saturday night; make sure a person calls first thing Monday.
- Texting people who never applied. Buying lists or cold-texting is a different activity with different rules, and we don't do it.
We are a marketing service, not a staffing agency. We don't interview, hire or employ anyone. See plans and pricing or reach us on the contact page.
Frequently asked questions
Is it legal to text applicants?
Texting someone who just applied and asked to be contacted is normal, but Canada's anti-spam law and privacy laws still apply to how you message and store their details. We set the flow up conservatively; confirm your obligations with the CRTC and privacy guidance we link.
Who writes the screening questions?
You do, with our help on wording. We keep them to factual basics, like start-time availability or a valid licence if the role needs driving. We steer away from questions that could be discriminatory, and you remain responsible for them.
Does this replace our office manager?
No. It handles the first five minutes so your office manager spends their time talking to people who are ready. A person still calls, interviews and decides.
What happens to applicants after hours?
They get the same instant reply, the screening questions and a promise of a call during your hours. That alone saves many Friday-night applicants.