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Front desk for roofing contractors
After the hailstorm, every call is an estimate you could win.
Roofing leads arrive in bursts, and the crew is on a roof when they do. NewFrontDesk texts back the calls you miss, takes details by chat on your website, and keeps every lead in one inbox, in order.
NewFrontDesk is in preview, and no payment is taken until the features in your plan work. This page describes how it is designed to work for roofing contractors. See what's built today.
Where leads slip away
Three moments a roofer loses the estimate
Storm week
Dozens of homeowners call in a few days. Whoever calls back first usually gets the inspection.
How the lead inbox keeps them in order →Crew's on the roof
Nobody can pick up safely, and the office line is one person, if that.
How the text back works →The active leak at night
Water is coming through a ceiling. The homeowner needs to know someone got the message.
How the text back works →What you get
Text back, chat, one inbox
Each card says where that feature stands today.
Missed-call text-back
A homeowner you couldn't answer during storm week gets a text from your business number, so they know they're on your list.
- On both plans
- No texts between 9 PM and 8 AM: a call missed overnight gets its text at 8 AM.
- Today: rules work in test mode. It cannot send a real text yet
Web chat
The chat on your website asks for the property address, what happened, and whether water is coming inside.
- On both plans. Plain questions, no AI
- Today: working, with test businesses only
Lead inbox
Every chat, form and missed call lands in one list in the order it came in, so your estimator can work down it.
- On both plans. A separate account for each business
- Today: working, with test businesses only
On Pro: AI replies and follow-ups. Being built, and not in any plan: AI that answers incoming calls. See the plans.
On the Pro plan
AI replies that take the details
When someone texts back, AI replies are designed to keep the conversation going until you're free, and to always say they're AI. They are not in the app yet.
Details the chat and AI replies collect
- Name and callback number
- Property address
- What happened: storm date, visible damage, leak location
- Roof type and rough age, if they know
- Whether they've already filed an insurance claim
See a sample conversation in the demo.
What it won't do
- It won't say whether damage will be covered by insurance or estimate a price.
- It won't promise an inspection time you haven't made available.
- It only responds to people who contact you. It will never call or text a list of storm-area addresses.
The rules every plan follows are on How it works.
A homeowner calls after the storm. The crew is already on a roof.
Text back · automatic · both plans"Hi, this is Ridgeline Roofing. Sorry we missed your call. Text us your address and what you're seeing, and we'll get back to you. Reply STOP to opt out."
Customer · 8:15 AM"Hail last night. Shingles in my yard. Can someone come look?"
AI reply · Pro plan"I'm the AI assistant for Ridgeline Roofing. Sorry about the storm. I can get you on the inspection list. What's the property address, and is any water coming inside?"
Customer"2207 Marsh Creek Rd. No leaks that I can see."
AI reply · Pro plan"Thanks. 2207 Marsh Creek Rd, hail damage, no active leak. I've added you to the inspection list and the office will call this number to set a time. If water starts coming in, text back and I'll flag it as urgent."
DEMO · sample conversation written by us, not a real customer"Ridgeline Roofing" is a made-up business. The first text is missed-call text-back, which is on both plans. The replies after it are AI replies, which are on the Pro plan and always say they're AI.
Honest status
What works today, and what doesn't yet
The same list applies to every industry. No payment is taken for any of it yet.
BuiltWorking today
Running on our server right now, with made-up test businesses only. No real business is using it yet.
- Lead inboxEvery lead in one list, with status and notes. Each business has its own login and its own separate data.
- Web chat for a business's websiteOne line of code. Asks for a name, a phone number and what the visitor needs. Plain questions, no AI. The business picks the colour, the button words, its opening hours and a closed-hours greeting.
- Contact form linkFor a business with no website. Leads go to the same inbox.
- Consent recorded with each leadWhether the visitor ticked the box, the exact wording, and when.
- Owner dashboardLeads this week, typical response time, and missed calls caught.
- New-lead email alertsAn email tells the owner a lead arrived and links to the inbox. It never contains the customer's name, number or message.
NextBeing built
Not working for customers yet.
- Missed-call text-backThe rules work in test mode: each business's own number and opt-out list, no texts from 9 PM to 8 AM, one text per caller per day. Ready-made messages per trade and a preview tool are in the app. It cannot send a real text yet. That needs a real number per business, the sending step, and each business's carrier registration.
- AI replies (Pro)Not in the app yet. A reply engine exists in our older software and is being rewritten so it always says it's AI.
- Follow-ups (Pro)Not in the app yet. Email follow-up sequences exist in our older software.
- Up to 3 locations (Pro)Not built.
- AI that answers incoming callsNot in any plan. An early rule-based voice prototype exists in our older software and is switched off.
LaterPlanned
On the roadmap. No dates promised.
- Online sign-up and billingAccounts are set up by hand today, and no payment is taken.
- AI booking straight into your calendar
- AI replies to incoming email
- Calendar sync
- Reseller program for agencies
Status checked on October 7, 2026 against the running app and its automated tests. "Working today" means it works on our server with test accounts; it does not mean a customer is using it. Nobody is yet, which is why we take no payment yet. An attorney review comes before any real business uses it.
Request setup
Be the first callback after the storm
Tell us how your company handles calls and messages today. We'll reach out when your plan is ready to set up. No payment is taken until its features work.
Questions
Roofing questions
Can it text homeowners in a neighborhood after a storm?
No. NewFrontDesk is inbound only. It answers people who contact you and will never do outbound prospecting by call or text.
Can customers send photos of the damage?
Not yet. Receiving photos by text is something we'd like to support, but it is not built and not on the committed list.
Can it handle a surge of leads at once?
Text-back and chat don't tie up a phone line, so several people can get a reply at the same time. It has not been tested under real storm-week load yet.
Does it schedule inspections?
No. It collects details and gives you an ordered callback list. AI booking into your calendar is planned for later.
Does it answer my phone?
No. It texts back the calls you miss; it doesn't answer them. AI call answering is being built and is not in any plan.
Didn't find your answer? Write to [email protected], or see how it works.
One practical guide a week.
Short, plain guides for local businesses on missed calls, follow-up and leads. No sales emails. Read the guides.