texting auto reply

Introduction

Imagine a situation where your client has contacted your business to seek information about a new service after business hours or during the weekend. But they didn’t receive any response. Wouldn’t that be frustrating for the client? 

We live in an age where it is common for businesses to set up out-of-office emails and custom voicemails to assure their clients. But that’s not going to cut it.

About 48% of consumers are more inclined to communicate with businesses directly via text messages, per a survey. This implies that auto-reply text messages are a must-have tool in any business’s marketing toolkit. 

What Is An Auto-Reply Text?

Auto-reply text or automated text message refers to a pre-defined response that facilitates communication with consumers based on specific criteria or keywords.

Setting up auto-reply text help in keeping information transparent with the clients. It is an effective tool to utilize in absence of other channels to deliver a positive brand experience.

Whether your business is closed on certain days, holidays, or weekends, you can inform your clients automatically to minimize overall response time. It is easy to set up auto-reply text using a software solution that eliminates the need for manually sending messages. 

Why Should You Use Auto-Reply Texts?

As a business owner, you can leverage auto-reply texting to automate messaging tasks and increase customer engagement. Below are some advantages of auto-reply texts to grow your business –

  1. Save time: Auto-reply texts can save your business a ton of time which you can use elsewhere. By automating texts, you can experience reduced workload and you can put your time as well as energy into other crucial aspects of your business.
  2. Improve customer engagement: One of the obvious benefits of texting auto-reply automation is improved customer engagement. Customers know they are not being ignored. Also, you can re-target your customers and help increase sales.
  3. No chance of error: Another key advantage of using automated responses is their high accuracy. There is minimal or no chance of human error which increases your credibility as a business. 
  4. Enhanced brand awareness: Automated texts give you the chance to stay connected to your customers throughout the day. When you are accessible to them, it keeps you on top of their minds increasing brand availability. 
texting auto reply

30+ Auto-Reply Text Templates For Your Business

Before we dive into the process of setting up automated texts, let us look at some texting auto-reply examples to get you started. 

New Client Welcome Text

Staying connected with your newly acquired customers is essential. Auto-reply text is a great way to welcome and show them that you value them. Here are some templates that you can use: 

“Hi {{firstName}}, Welcome to {Busines Name}! 
Below is the login information you need to complete the onboarding paperwork:  
Username:  
Password:  
Here is the information to clock in/out on your phone:
Website:  
Username:  
Password:  
Please watch this short instructional video as soon as possible:  
Kindest wishes,  
{Name}
Director of Human Resources”

“Welcome To Our {Business Name} Family!
Show Some Love and like Our FACEBOOK Page!
We are giving ONE winner a FREE turkey dinner on November 16th, 2023  
To enter please make sure you like our page and text us a picture!

After Hours Auto-Reply Text

Setting up an auto-reply makes it easier to stay in touch with your customers even after official business hours. This also reminds your customers that they can expect to hear from you as soon as you are back in the office.

“Hi, thank you for reaching out to {Business Name} of {Location}. We are currently closed. Our normal business hours are Monday-Friday 8 am – 5 pm. Please contact us during our normal business hours.”

“Hello! You have reached us outside our standard business hours. Your message has been received, and a member of the office staff will respond to your message/question by the end of the next business day. If you feel this is an urgent matter, please call {contact number} to speak with the on-call attendant. Thank you!
{Business Name}”

Out Of Office Auto Text

Heading for an errand run out of the office? The auto-text replies will assure your customers that they will hear back from you soon. 

“Hi, we are out of the office until June 1, we will give you a call and book an appointment once we are back in the office. Thanks for your patience. 
Regards, 
{Business Name}”
“Dear {Patient name},
{Doctor Name} will be unavailable for your office visit today. He is requesting that your appointment be switched to a telephonic visit if you are OK with that, please reply YES.  
If you prefer an in-person appointment, please respond: In Person and someone from our office will contact you to reschedule today’s visit. 
We apologize in advance for any inconvenience that this may cause.
{Business Name}”

Appointment Confirmation/ Reminder Auto Text

Looking for a way to remind or confirm your customers of their appointments without getting too invasive? Well, the auto-text reply is the best way to send an appointment reminder text with custom date and time fields. This helps improve your business productivity by keeping your calendar full. Here are some templates that you can use: 

Hello [Patient’s Name],
This is a friendly reminder of your upcoming appointment at [Optometry Clinic Name] on [Date] at [Time]. We look forward to seeing you and providing you with exceptional eye care. If you need to reschedule or have any questions, please call us at [Clinic Phone Number].
See you soon!
[Optometry Clinic Name]
Hello {{firstName}}, this is a friendly reminder of your upcoming pampering session at [Spa Name] on [Date] at [Time]. We’re excited to provide you with a relaxing experience. If you need to reschedule or have any questions, please call us at [Spa Phone Number]. See you soon!
“Hi {{fullName}}, this is {Business name}, reminding you of your PRP and Microneedling appointment on {{appointmentDate}}. Your Numbing time is TIME. Your start time is TIME. Please reply CONFIRM, RESCHEDULE or CANCEL within 24 hours to avoid a $50 no show/cancellation fee. Thank you.”
“Hi {{firstName}}. This is {Name} with {Business name} reminding you that we have you on our schedule for service on {{appointmentDate}}. Please reply C to confirm. If you are a new customer and you’ve not already done so, please respond to this text with a picture of your electrical panel, devices, and the work area. Existing customers if we already have a picture of your panel, please respond with pictures of your devices and the work area. {{arrivalWindowText}}”

Holiday Auto Text

Closing your office on a holiday? You don’t want to leave your customers hanging around. This is where an informative auto-reply text will come in handy to let your customers know about business closure. Checkout these templates: 

“Holiday REMINDER:
{Business Name} will be closed this coming Monday/Memorial Day. For this reason, we will be slower to respond than usual. The office will resume on Tuesday the 30th of May. For emergencies, call 911.
Thank you,
{Business Name] Team”
“Good afternoon, sadly we need to cancel your appointment with your provider being out of the office because of holiday on July 4, 2023. Please call us to reschedule.
Thank you.”

Thank You Auto Text

You can use the ‘thank you’ auto-response to incentivize customers and prompt them to complete a purchase or direct them to crucial product/service details. Here are some templates: 

“{{firstName}} Thank you for contacting {Business name}. 
Unfortunately, we have reached full capacity with our existing clientele and are unable to take on new customers throughout this month.
It is important that we are able to maintain a high quality of service for our customers and while we regret that we can not serve you at this time we hope that in the future we will have the opportunity to open our schedule back up.”
Hello {{firstName}}, This is [First Name] from Express Employment Professionals in Gastonia, NC. Thank you for contacting our office today. Please fill out our online application to begin our onboarding process. To access our online application, please visit www.expresspros.com/gastonianc to create an account. Once you have created your account, please fill out the application and then submit it to the Gastonia office. We work with companies in Gaston, Lincoln, Cleveland, and Cherokee, SC counties. Once completed we will reach out to conduct a phone interview with you.

Customer Support Text

Auto-reply texts ensure that customers get the attention and support that they need while trying to reach out to your support team. This also reassures them that you will be them shortly so that they do not get more frustrated.

“Dear {{firstName}}, Thank you for your response. Please contact our Patient Support team 6 am-6 pm MT at {Contact number} or {email ID} if any additional assistance is needed. Regards, {Business Name]” 
Thank you for contacting [business name] 24/7 Customer Support Desk. We have got your back. A member of our support team will respond to your message within the next one hour. Thank you for your patience.

High-Volume Notification Text

Getting overwhelmed by a huge volume of calls? This texting auto-reply example can help in explaining to your customers your situation and letting them know that you may not be able to serve them right away.

“Hello! We’re currently getting more texts than usual. We just wanted to let you know we received your message and will be in touch before our offices close at [Closing Time]. Thank you for your patience.
Regards, 
{Business name}” 
“I apologize for any delay. We have a high volume of candidates applying for this position. Our office is located in {Location}. We are remote recruiting for this client. We will have to finish your interview process. Can you install Microsoft Teams for a 5-minute interview to complete your onboarding? Please let me know when you have it installed and I will create a private room to verify your identity. You will then need to submit your i9 documents via text or email to: {email ID}. You can submit your documents before or after your interview. If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know. Otherwise, reply with READY when you have Microsoft Teams installed. Thank you!”

Sales Promotion Text

You can drive more sales by customizing or adding a promotional message along with your informative sales auto-reply text. Checkout these templates: 

“Hi {first name}, 
Start your Summer with a “”FREE home cleaning””
*New customer only
Get Your Home Deep Cleaning & Receive your next cleaning FREE. Up to $210 Value‚òÜ
Disclaimer: Deep Cleaning must be booked by June 15th. Your next FREE cleaning must be used within 30 days after your Deep Cleaning.
Reply to this text to get started.”
“Please find the promotional code: “”LOWFEE”” that you can use on your next transaction.
We hope you had a wonderful experience using our services. See us again!
Thank you,
Customer Service
{Business Name}”

Missed Call Auto Text

Missed an important returning customer’s call? You can create a customized text response to show you that you care and ensure your customer that you will get back soon. Here are some auto-reply text templates that you can use: 

“Thank you for contacting {business name}! You have reached our text message program, how can we help? You can respond by typing “”book appointment’, “”confirm appointment time”” or “”confirm address””. Please rest assured that we will respond to your message as soon as possible. As a high-risk practice, we are doing our very best to triage all patient communications and requests. We appreciate your patience.”
“Hello {{firstName}}, We are reaching out from {Business name} as we have missed a few calls from you – our apologies. Is there a specific time of day that works best to contact you to avoid future missed calls? We can be reached 7a-5p MT at {Contact number} or at {Email ID}. Regards, Team {Business Name}.”

Self-Service Support Text

You can set up an auto-reply to help customers support themselves in the absence of the support team. Here are some templates for you: 

Hi! Thank you for your message! Our customer support team will get back to you very soon. In the meantime, you can browse through our Help Center to get help for your query. 

Auto-Response For Technical Bugs or Glitch

In case a customer identifies a bug or glitch on your website or app, this response message will let them know that you received their complaint and the bug will be resolved very soon. Alternatively, if there’s some pre-existing glitch on your platform, you can let the customer know about it in advance.Here are downloadable templates for both use cases: 

“Hi! Thanks for reporting. We will try to solve this as soon as possible and will reach out to you at the earliest. Your patience is appreciated.” 

“This is {Business name}. We are experiencing some technical difficulties and ask that you text this number to stay in contact with your dispatcher and operations team. We will notify you when you can resume texting {Contact number}.”

Redirect Text 

Redirect text response shows the customer that their query is received and they are not ignored.

“We are sorry you are having issues with accessing the property. Please contact ShowingHero support directly at this time. {Contact number}. 
Regards, 
{Business name}”
“Hi! Thanks for reaching out to us. Please call our customer support number or drop us an email <mention email id> to help us serve you better.” 

Purchase Reminder Text

You can nudge your customer into re-purchasing certain products or purchasing something that they had been eyeing for a long time with this auto-response text. This will help increase repeat purchases for your business.

“Hi {First name}! Are you ready for your next order? Order right away so that you do not run out. Regards, {Business name]”

Job Application Response Text

You can set auto-reply text to your job applicants to let them know that you received their application and processing it. 

“Hey, {{firstName}}, This is {Business name} at {Location}. We received your online job application. You are currently registered with us and will be marked available for work. You will be notified when we have a job that matches your skills and experience.” 
“Hi, this is (NAME) with Express Employment Professionals. We’ve received your online application and would like to schedule you for an interview. Please call our office at 601-355-7000. We look forward to hearing from you soon.”
“Hi, this is (NAME) with {Business name}. We’ve received your online application and would like to schedule you for an interview. Please call our office at {contact number}. We look forward to hearing from you soon.”
“Hello,
This is {Business name} in {Location}. I received your online application and would like to schedule a phone interview. Please use the link below to schedule a time that is best for you: {link}
I look forward to hearing from you soon!”

 

Popular Platforms That Offer Auto-Reply Text

If you want to improve workflows and make business communication more efficient and effective; then you can choose a platform that offers auto-reply texting as a functionality. Here are the top platforms that you can consider: 

  1. Emitrr 
  2. OpenPhone 
  3. SlickText 
  4. TextMagic 
  5. SimpleTexting 
  6. Textedly
EMITRR
EMITRR

Emitrr is a complete customer communication and engagement platform that allows businesses of all sizes to elevate their business communication. It offers a plethora of features that make auto responses easy and breezy for users. 

From setting keywords to scheduling messages, from adding signatures to text messages to setting automatic follow-ups; Emitrr helps centralize all communication with its advanced capabilities. 

Features:

 

FEATURES 

YES/NO

SMS Keyword 

Yes

Templates 

Yes

Signature 

Yes

Group texting 

Yes

Mass texting 

Yes

Automatic follow-ups 

Yes

Text message scheduling 

Yes

Pros and cons: 

 

PROS

CONS

Exceptional customer support 

No free trial available 

User-friendly interface 

 
OPENPHONE 
texting auto reply

About: 

OpenPhone is a popular phone system and a great Google Voice alternative for teams that also offers auto-reply texting. It allows you to set autoresponders for missed calls, voicemails, and missed texts. 

Features:

 

FEATURES 

YES/NO

SMS Keyword 

Yes

Templates 

Yes

Signature 

Yes

Group texting 

Yes

Mass texting 

No

Automatic follow-ups 

Yes

Text message scheduling 

Yes


Pros and cons: 

 

PROS

CONS

Decent user interface 

Limited features 

Poor customer support 

SLICKTEXT 
texting auto reply

About:

SlickText is an SMS marketing platform that offers texting auto-reply features that allow businesses to scale their communication efforts. 

Features:

 

FEATURES 

YES/NO

SMS Keyword 

Yes

Templates 

No

Signature 

No

Group texting 

Yes

Mass texting 

Yes

Automatic follow-ups 

Yes

Text message scheduling 

Yes

Pros and cons: 

 

PROS

CONS

Easy to use 

Issues with message personalization 

Good for small businesses 

Average customer support 

TEXTMAGIC
texting auto reply

About:

TextMagic is an intuitive text marketing platform that allows users to set up SMS marketing campaigns with ease. In comparison to other text marketing platforms out there, pricing is higher with TextMagic as the add-ons provided by Text Magic are usually included in the main package with other text marketing platforms. 

Features:

 

FEATURES 

YES/NO

SMS Keyword 

Yes

Templates 

Yes

Signature 

Yes

Group texting 

Yes

Mass texting 

Yes

Automatic follow-ups 

Yes

Text message scheduling 

Yes 

Pros and cons: 

 

PROS

CONS

Easy to use 

Expensive product 

Good customer support 

SIMPLETEXTING
texting auto reply

About: 

SimpleTexting is an SMS marketing software that allows you to send mass texts, send automated marketing campaigns, thereby improving workflows. 

Features:

 

FEATURES 

YES/NO

SMS Keyword 

Yes

Templates 

Yes

Signature 

Yes

Group texting 

Yes

Mass texting 

Yes

Automatic follow-ups 

Yes

Text message scheduling 

Yes 

Pros and cons: 

 

PROS

CONS

Easy to use 

Expensive product 

Good customer support 

TEXTEDLY
texting auto reply

About: 

Textedly is an intuitive business texting software that suits all kinds of businesses. It allows users to make the most of the features related to auto-reply texting to help enhance workflows and make processes more efficient. 

Features:

 

FEATURES 

YES/NO

SMS Keyword 

Yes

Templates 

Yes

Signature 

No

Group texting 

Yes

Mass texting 

Yes

Automatic follow-ups 

Yes

Text message scheduling 

Yes 

Pros and cons: 

 

PROS

CONS

Cost-effective product 

Poor customer support 

Easy to use 

Technical glitches 

Top Texting Auto-Reply Platforms: An Overall Comparison

 

 

Features

Ease of use

Value for money

Customer Service 

24/7 Support 

Emitrr

4.8/5.0

4.8/5.0

4.9/5.0

5.0/5.0

Yes

SlickText

4.8/5.0

4.8/5.0

4.7/5.0

4.9/5.0

No

OpenPhone

4.3/5.0

4.3/5.0

4.2/5.0

4.3/5.0

No

TextMagic

4.4/5.0

4.7/5.0

4.5/5.0

4.5/5.0

No

SimpleTexting

4.5/5.0

4.7/5.0

4.5/5.0

4.8/5.0

No

Textedly

4.4/5.0

4.5/5.0

4.5/5.0

4.5/5.0

Yes

Source: Capterra 

Key highlights:

  • Emitrr is the only texting auto reply platform that is rated 5/5 in customer service 
  • Emitrr and Textedly are the only platforms that offer round-the-clock support
  • OpenPhone has the lowest Capterra ratings in the aforementioned parameters 
  • Emitrr offers the best value for money as compared to the other platforms 

What Are The Best Practices for Creating Auto-Reply Text Messages?

It is recommended to adhere to the best practices for creating effective and professional auto-reply text messages to stay engaged with your customers and ensure business success. These include –

  1. Use relevant triggers: Make sure that the auto-reply message that goes to the customer is relevant to the trigger that caused it. 
  2. Implement a variety of triggers: Don’t use keywords as the only triggers for your auto-reply texts. You can use location, date, and time triggers as well. This will help you foster better relationships with your customers. 
  3. Personalize your response: Instead of setting up a generic auto-reply text, try to personalize the message. For example, you can address the customers by their first name in the text.
  4. Set clear expectations: Specify the expected response times to let your customers know exactly when you can follow up with them. Instead of using lines such as ‘we will reach back very soon’ or ‘we will contact you ASAP’, it is better to specify wait duration in terms of hours, days, or weeks.
  5. Make it easy for the customer to respond: Make sure to include relevant links or important information in your texting auto-reply. Doing so will prompt the customer to take action. 

By following the aforementioned best practices, not only will you be able to improve your response times, but will also significantly augment your customer service, thereby spiking up customer experience and satisfaction. 

Set Up Texting Auto-Reply For Your Business with Emitrr

Now that you have gotten a brief overview of all the texting auto-reply platforms out there, it is important to address how you can set up auto-reply texts with a business texting software like Emitrr. Here’s how you can set up auto-replies using Emitrr: 

Ready to set up auto-reply texting for your business? Emitrr is a one-stop solution that can easily integrate with your existing technology to engage with your customers using personalized messages and improve brand credibility. With simple, strategic, and customizable automated messages, you can delight your customers while effectively reducing response times. 

Conclusion

Knowing your customers requires consistent effort. Hence, it is of paramount importance to use every opportunity and platform to convert it into an excellent experience. Auto-reply texts show that customer support is a priority and you are willing to get it right. If you have been sending manual responses to your customers all this while, it is high time that you automate your processes. Why work ‘hard’ when you can work ‘smart’? 

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