Effective communication is the backbone of any business. While you might have closing hours, your customer with a problem or request doesn't. To keep your customers and attract new ones, you need to provide great customer service. The backbone of customer service is timely intervention and response to a query.
It is unrealistic to expect that customer inquiries will be answered immediately upon receipt. If you're unable to reply, an automated reply message should provide customers with information they need at that time. When a customer inquires about a product or service and doesn't get a reply for hours, they may be taking the closest route to your competitors.
What are auto reply messages?
Auto-reply messages are messages set as replies to communicate with customers across different platforms. An automatic reply message should explain this to youCustomer why you are not there. An auto reply message could let your customer know if you are out of the office, on vacation, on vacation or will be back in the office in a few hours.
Automatic response messages keep your customers up to date with the information they need at that particular moment. In most cases, it doesn't solve the customer's problem, but it does give them the information on what to do next or when you'll be available to handle their request.
The Importance of Automatic Response Messages
Automatic reply messages improve your customer service by providing quick answers to your customer queries. Automatic reply messages help your company:
- Tackle the most important part of customer service – fast response. Automatic reply messages make this possible and create a better bond with your customers.
- Create continuous interactions on your platform when you're not there. If you're away for any reason, your social media will stay active with responses to inquiries.
- Lead customers to self-help channels. If you have optimized a self-help option at your company, an automated response message can direct the customer there to resolve the issue themselves.
How to write auto reply messages
Well-written auto-reply messages can make your customers feel valued, seen, and understood. When writing auto-reply messages, there are important components that shouldn't be left out of your email.
- Set a clear schedule
A common mistake companies make with their auto-reply messages is not setting a specific date. The reason for automatic reply messages is to reassure your customers by letting them know that you will be responding to their questions soon. An auto-reply that lacks a specific timeline counteracts this.
Here are a few examples of automated messages with no specific deadlines.
"We'll get back to you as soon as possible."
"Our Account Manager will be in touch with you shortly."
“Thank you for submitting your complaint; we will solve it as soon as possible.”
The auto-reply messages above don't sound convincing in any way. If anything, it makes the customer think their complaints are being swept under the rug.
Your auto reply message should be time specific. It should indicate when you are going to reach out to the customer, and it's equally important that you respond when you say it.
If you don't know when you're going to contact the customer, you should set a specific time frame. An example of this would be"We'll get back to you within 48 hours."Or"We'll get back to you as soon as possible, no later than Monday."
Giving customers an estimated time to respond to them is common practice for companies aiming to improve customer satisfaction. When a customer knows when you're going to respond, it reduces their frustration.
It is also advisable to set specific office hours and response times. So before a customer sends you a message, they know when to expect a response to their query.
- Do you have alternative contact options for serious inquiries
When setting up auto-reply messages, you must provide alternate means of contact for serious inquiries. The auto-reply message should clearly instruct your customers on what to do if their request is time-sensitive and needs immediate attention.
Here is an example of an auto-reply message that provides alternate messaging routes.
For urgent inquiries you can reach our sales representative Sam at 123-456-7890 or email me personally at[Email Protected]
Providing alternative contact options in your auto reply message creates a better experience for your customers.
- Write your auto reply message in the right tone
When writing your auto reply message, you need to remember that your customers are already desperate oreven angry. So, when writing your automated message, you should choose the right tone that puts your customer at ease. It is best to avoid unnecessary formulations that hardly reduce the current concerns of your customers.
Your auto-reply message should bring comfort to your customers.
- Personalize your message
Personalizing your auto-reply message creates a connection between you and your customer. When done right, personalizing your auto-reply messages can make your customers feel good. You can personalize your auto reply message by adding an image, meme, etc.
Automatic reply message patterns and examples
Automatic reply messages do a lot of good for your brand. It goes a long way to keeping your customer happy and giving you time to respond.
Here are some auto reply messages for different platforms.
Automatic reply messages for live chat
If a visitor lands on your site to file a complaint or make an inquiry and doesn't find anything there, they can exit immediately. It's important to track everyone who visits your website and automated live chat with replies is the most effective way to do this for your website.
Automatic reply messages for live chat examples
Hello, thank you for reaching out to us. Our operating hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. You can fill out the form below and our support team will contact you within 24 hours.
Hello, thank you for contacting Woculus. Please read our FAQs here for possible solutions to your complaint or query. You can fill out the form and our customer support team will get in touch with you within 48 hours.
Thank you for contacting Orange.com. Our office hours are weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please fill out the form below with your inquiry and we will get back to you within 24 hours.
Automatic reply messages for WhatsApp
WhatsApp businessmakes automation easy like other media. It is not easy to always be in the interests of the customer. In order to be able to react to inquiries in a timely manner, you therefore need one form or another of automation. Here are some auto reply messages for WhatsApp.
Automatic reply messages for WhatsApp examples
"Hello! Thank you for your message! We are currently unavailable, but we will get back to you within 24 hours! Thank you, the Woculus team."
"Thank you for your message. We are currently unavailable but will respond as soon as possible."
"Hi! We'll be away for the weekend and won't be available until Monday at 9am. For urgent inquiries please call 123.456.7890."
Auto Reply Messages for WhatsApp Holiday Examples
"It's Christmas! That means we're working harder than usual, so we can't reply to you at this time. Don't worry, we'll get back to you as soon as possible. In the meantime, you can browse our store for products."
"Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Please let us know if you have any questions or requests and we'll hop on Santa and get back to you in no time!"
Here are more automated response examples for different occasions
“Thank you for reaching out to Designer Inc. We have received your message and will respond within 24 hours."
"Thank you for reaching out to us! We will contact you as soon as possible. In the meantime, you can find some answers to your questions on our FAQ page. Look here."
"Hello! We have received your message and are committed to serving you better! A member of our customer service team will be in touch shortly to process your request! Thank you!"
Diploma
When writing automated messages, there are general rules that extend across all platforms. Automated replies follow the same principles across all platforms.
If you're a business providing time-sensitive services and can't afford 24/7 staff, you need to provide an alternate route for customers to route requests through. The samples in this email can serve as guidelines for creating your automatic reply messages.
FAQs
What is a good auto response message? ›
Professional Auto Reply Examples
Please leave a message and I will get back to you by the end of the business day. If it is an urgent matter, please contact _________. Hello, You have reached the office of _________. We received your message and will get back to you as soon as possible.
Simple Out of Office Message Examples
Thank you for your message. I will be away from the office until [return date] for [general reason]. If you require immediate assistance, please contact [name of colleague] at [colleague's contact information]. Otherwise, I'll get back to you after I return.
Thanks so much for reaching out! This auto-reply is just to let you know… We received your email and will get back to you with a (human) response as soon as possible. During [business_hours] that's usually within a couple of hours.
What is the best out of office message professional? ›Thank you for your email. I will be out of the office from (day/month) to (day/month) and will have limited access to email. If you have any urgent questions, please contact [Name] at [email] or [phone]. I will do my best to reply to your email as soon as I can.
What are some automatic responses? ›- “Thanks for your email. I'll be out of the office Aug. ...
- “I will be away from July 25-29. For urgent matters, you can contact my colleague, Marilyn Morales, at [email and phone number].”
- “Thank you for your email.
...
Respond with Smart Reply suggestions
- On your computer, go to Gmail.
- In the top right, click Settings. See all settings.
- Next to "Smart Reply," choose to turn Smart Reply on or off.