Ever gone back to work after a vacation only to be met by a mountain of emails? It’s an overwhelming situation having to deal with unhappy customers who were expecting a response to their issues in a prompt manner.
A simple solution to avoid this is using auto-reply emails, acting as an immediate response acknowledging customers and confirming that their correspondence has been received.
In some cases, you can use these auto-reply emails to inform customers of your or your team’s unavailability and provide an alternative means of assistance for urgent situations.
In this blog, you are going to learn how you can use an auto-reply emails effectively to drive positive relations and customer experiences.
What is an auto-reply email?
An auto-reply email is a message automatically sent in response to customer emails that meet specific conditions. It’s also referred to as an email autoresponder.
Auto-reply emails confirms to customers that your inbox received their message. One can also reassure clients of the status and progress of support, based on the inquiry.
Additionally, automatic replies can be used for repetitive tasks. You can avoid having to send similar replies to every email using autoresponders.
How to write effective auto-reply emails
How you express yourself in an auto-email is determined by how you and your company interact with your customers to cultivate positive relationships and a specific brand image.
Here are some tips to write effective auto-reply emails:
- Use a subject message that clearly shows readers that you are currently unavailable.
- Start with a polite greeting in your email.
- Always remember to thank the reader for communicating.
- Be as professional as possible when writing your auto-reply email.
- Be brief, direct, and use simple language that makes your email easy to understand.
- Sign off professionally with your name and position held in the
- Proofread your email before sending it to correct any spelling, grammar, or other mistakes.
What to include in your auto-reply email
Everyone wants to have their business done in a clear, fast, and reliable manner.
Auto-reply emails should be short, acknowledging to clients that you’ve received their inquiries but with extra information to make the support process simpler.
Here’s some of the information to be included in your auto-reply emails, if appropriate:
- Acknowledgement of receipt: You need to let your customers know your team has received their emails to avoid any uncertainty.
- Expected time for response: Informs customers how long they should expect to wait to receive a response.
- Working hours and days: A way of making your customers aware of your support team’s active hours and days so they have a better idea of when their inquiries will be resolved.
- Sources of additional information: Provide links where customers can find extra information so that they may be able to find answers on their own.
- Alternative email or contact information in case of emergency situations: Clearly guide your customers or colleagues on where they can find urgent support during off hours.
- General reasons for your unavailability: If this is an email to a specific agent, they should offer only an overview of why they are unavailable, in a clear and professional manner.
What to avoid when writing an auto-reply email
With an auto-reply email, you can keep the communication flowing and ensure every involved party is clearly informed, leading to better customer satisfaction.
You always want to ensure that you remain professional in your auto-reply email. The following are some mistakes you should avoid:
- Enabling auto-replies when available: Remember to turn off the email autoresponders when you or your team is present and ready to work. This can be automated for working hours.
- Including a colleague’s contact information without getting their approval: Reach out to your colleague and seek their approval first before directing inquiries to them in the email.
- Assuring your readers of immediate responses when you are available: You don’t know what kind of workload you may come back to, so this is a promise you can’t necessarily keep.
- Bragging and sounding funny: Do not use unnecessary jokes or boastful words because they may be easily misinterpreted. Remember to always be precise and direct.
- Including excessive personal information: Share only the general, required information without details.
6 Examples of auto-reply email templates
Writing the perfect auto-reply message can be challenging.
Given the different situations that may require an auto-reply email, the following are some simplified customer service email templates you can use as a basis.
Acknowledgment auto reply template
Sending an acknowledgment message reassures customers that their communication has been received and is being addressed.
| Hi, Thank you for reaching out to (company name). We have received your email and opened a ticket. A member of our support team will be in contact with you within 24 hours. For further concerns, feel free to reach out to us at any time. Best regards, (Company) support team |
Status update auto-reply template
Providing progress updates to customers is a way to reassure them that they haven’t been forgotten and that their concerns are being taken seriously.
| Hi, Your ticket has been assigned to a team member for further assessment. Our agent is currently working on finding the best solution. If you have an update to your issue, please log into the customer portal and click the Support tab. There you’ll find your ticket and can write comments. If your issue has become more urgent, you can also contact our emergency support at [Email] or [Phone number] for escalation. Best regards, (Name) |
Vacation out of office template
You can be away from your office for various situations, such as vacation, sick, maternity, annual, or casual leave.
Ensure that your correspondents are informed about your absence using an out of office reply like the following example.
| Hi, I will be out of the office from (date range). If you are experiencing any issues that need attention before I return, please email (address). Someone from our team will assist you as soon as possible. If this is a matter of urgency, you can also contact our emergency contact at [Email] or [Phone number] for assistance. Best regards, (Name) |
Delayed response automatic reply email template
You may be able to access your emails, but due to other external factors, it may be difficult to offer a response on time. These factors can include network issues, troubleshooting, software updates among others.
In case of any delays, here is an automatic reply example you can use.
| Hi, Thank you for contacting us. We are working to ensure your issues are attended to promptly. However, our systems are currently being upgraded, so please have patience with any delays. We are working to provide you with responses as fast as possible. If urgent, please reach out to our support team at [Email] or [phone] or you can initiate a live chat to speak directly to an available agent. Best regards, (Name) |
After-hours autoresponder template
Smaller companies often cannot offer 24-hour support. Following is a template letting customers know the timeframe for a response and offering methods for finding quicker solutions.
| Hi, Thank you for your message. Our support team is currently unavailable. We will get back to you during our office hours, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. PST, Monday–Friday. In the meantime, check out our knowledge base to see if your question might already be answered. It contains many FAQs and how-to tutorials to help you work with our products and troubleshoot. We’ll be contacting you soon. Thank you for your patience. Best regards, (Name) |
Feedback auto-reply emails
You can use an auto-reply emails to gain leads by including compelling offers and a strong call to action. Below is an example.
| Hi, I hope you are having a great week/month. Thank you for working with us and we appreciate your presence. We would love to get your feedback and serve you better in future. Kindly share your feedback by clicking the provided link [Feedback link] to share suggestions and thoughts. Best regards, (Name) |
Auto-reply emails in BoldDesk
BoldDesk has simplified the process of sending auto-reply emails with features such as email templates, placeholders, and the use of triggers to automatically send customized automatic responses.
You can customize both the content of the templates and the email recipients, so that the auto-reply email sent meets the specific trigger condition(s).
Always make sure your templates and triggers are compatible to avoid causing confusion.
Keep everyone in the loop using auto-reply emails
Communication has become simpler, faster, and better in this digital age. Using auto-reply emails, you no longer have to worry about fixing broken relationships due to a lack of proper communication. Reassure your customers without taking up your support team’s time.
At BoldDesk, auto-reply emails are just one of many great features your company can utilize to create a positive relationship with your customers. Try our 15-day free trial or book a live demo with us to see what it can offer you.
For further information, contact our support team, who are more than willing to assist you every step of the way.
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