Think about the last time you reached someone's voicemail. Did you leave a message, or hang up and send a text? For many people, especially younger ones, the answer is easy. And the research agrees.
Younger callers rarely leave a voicemail
In 2024, Generationally Speaking asked 4,067 people in the UK what they do when their call isn't answered (source):
| If your call isn't answered | Gen Z | Millennials | Gen X | Baby Boomers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Send a text, message, voice note or email | 53% | 46% | 34% | 15% |
| Hang up and try again later | 36% | 37% | 38% | 39% |
| Leave a voicemail | 12% | 16% | 28% | 46% |
Voicemail isn't gone: nearly half of Baby Boomers leave one. But for younger callers it's the last choice, and in every generation more than a third simply hang up.
Reading beats listening
The preference for text goes beyond voicemail. In a YouGov survey of 17 markets (November 2023), 66% of consumers said they prefer sending text-based messages, 7% prefer audio and 21% like both equally. In the US, 65% prefer receiving text and 6% audio (source).
It's easy to see why. You can read a text in a meeting or on the bus, find an address or a time at a glance, and reply when you have a moment.
2% leave a message. The rest leave you guessing.
For a small business, this is a real problem. An electrician, a cleaner or a personal trainer is with a customer and can't answer. The caller reaches voicemail, hangs up and moves on. The business is left with a missed call and no idea what the caller needed.
Invoca's data shows how often that happens. Across its business customers' calls in 2021, an average of 26% of calls from potential customers went unanswered, and only 2% of those callers left a voicemail (Invoca, 2021). The data comes from Invoca's own customers, and Invoca sells call software, so it isn't a neutral sample. In surveys, people say they leave voicemails far more often (42% in a CallRail survey), but what callers say and what they do can differ a lot.
Flip voicemail around
Voicemail asks the caller to do the work. A missed call text back does the opposite: when you miss a call, the caller automatically gets a short text from you, such as:
Hi! Sorry I missed your call. I'm busy right now, but I'll get back to you as soon as I can. You can also reply to this text.
The caller can reply with what they need or wait for your call, and you don't have to stop working. It doesn't replace a real conversation or guarantee a new customer. But it keeps the door open, even with callers who wouldn't have left a voicemail.
How Auto TextBack works
Auto TextBack is an Android app that does exactly this. When you miss a call, it sends the caller your own message as a normal SMS from your phone number, through your mobile operator. You write the message and decide when replies are allowed: switch them on or off and set paused hours. A cooldown per number and daily and monthly limits help keep the same caller from getting repeated texts. No account, no ads. You buy it once and it's yours to keep, with 3 free auto-replies to try first.
Auto TextBack: better than voicemail.
Get Auto TextBack on Google Play
Keep the voicemail. Add a text.
Voicemail still has its place, and some callers prefer it. But many would rather read a short message than leave one. Keeping up doesn't take expensive technology, just a simple text that keeps the conversation going.
Want the words for that text? Here are 15 missed call texts for every situation.
Miss a call. Send a text. Automatically.
Get Auto TextBack on Google Play
Frequently asked questions
Do people still leave voicemails?
Some do, but younger callers rarely do. In a 2024 UK survey, 12% of Gen Z and 16% of Millennials said they would leave a voicemail when a call isn't answered, compared with 46% of Baby Boomers.
What's a good alternative to voicemail for a small business?
A missed call text back: an automatic SMS that tells callers you'll get back to them and invites them to reply by text. Callers who won't leave a voicemail can still tell you what they need.
Does Auto TextBack work on Android?
Yes. Auto TextBack is an Android app, available on Google Play.