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"On my way" text templates for home service businesses (+ when to send them)

RRon · Founder, ScheduleyJune 10, 2026 · 6 min read

Ask homeowners what they hate about service visits and it’s never the price — it’s the waiting. “Between 8 and 12” with no update is how trust dies. The on-my-way text fixes it with one message, and it’s consistently the most-loved feature in every field-service tool’s reviews. Here are the templates.

The classic on-my-way

1. Standard:

Hi [name]! [Tech] from [business] is on the way for your [service] — arriving in about [X] minutes. See you soon!

2. With a face to the name:

Hi [name], good news — [tech] is headed your way for the [service]. He’s the one in the [color] van 🙂 ETA about [X] minutes.

3. Anything-we-should-know version:

Hi [name]! [Tech] from [business] is on the way (ETA ~[X] min). Anything we should know before we arrive — gate code, dogs, best door to use? Just reply here.

Arrival-window texts (the promise you can keep)

4. Morning-of confirmation:

Morning [name]! Confirming your [service] today — we’ll arrive between [9:00] and [10:00]. You’ll get another text the moment we’re on the way.

Quoting a window instead of a minute is how experienced shops keep promises: the schedule holds the exact slot, the customer hears the honest range. (Scheduley does this automatically — see arrival windows.)

When things slip

5. Running late:

Hi [name], quick update — the job before yours ran long, so [tech] now expects to arrive around [new time]. Sorry for the wait, and thanks for your patience!

6. Need to reschedule:

Hi [name], we hate doing this — today’s schedule broke and we can’t make your window. Can we make it right with priority booking [tomorrow at time] or [day at time]? Your choice, and the trip fee’s on us.

After the knock

7. Arrived (no answer at the door):

Hi [name], it’s [tech] with [business] — I’m at the front door for your [service]. Give me a shout or a wave when you see this!

8. Job done, invoice next:

All done, [name]! [Tech] finished the [service] — your itemized invoice is coming by text next. Thanks for choosing [business]!

The rules

  • Send it at dispatch, not departure. The moment the tech is assigned and rolling — that’s when the customer’s anxiety starts.
  • Name the tech. A named human at the door converts an intrusion into an appointment.
  • Never promise a minute you can’t hit. Windows for the schedule, ETAs for the drive.
  • Come from a textable number. “Reply here” only works if replies land somewhere someone answers.

Automate it or it won’t happen

The on-my-way text dies as a manual habit — techs forget, dispatch is busy, and the one customer who needed it doesn’t get it. In Scheduley it’s wired to the job itself: mark a job Dispatched and the customer is texted automatically from your business number, with your job board tracking every stage after. Pair it with reminder texts before the visit and a review invite after, and the whole customer-communication loop runs itself.

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