Canned response examples

Hi {customer.name}, Thanks for writing in. I have your message and I'm looking into it now. I'll come back to you by [day] with either an answer or a clear next step. If anything changes on your end before then, just reply here. {agent.name} {workspace.name}

What to change: Set [day] to a deadline you can actually hit, and drop the {workspace.name} line if you sign off with just your name.

Hi {customer.name}, Thanks for reaching out. You caught us outside our support hours, so I wanted to confirm your message landed. We're back at [9am ET on Monday] and yours is near the front of the queue. Nothing more is needed from you in the meantime. {agent.name}

What to change: Put your real hours in. If you do not have an after-hours alert set up, do not hint at one.

Hi {customer.name}, Thanks for your patience. We're getting more messages than usual this week, so replies are taking about [2 days] instead of our normal [few hours]. I have your question and it's in the queue, not lost. You'll hear from me by [date]. {agent.name}

What to change: Use real numbers for both waits. A vague apology for being busy reads worse than an honest two-day estimate.

Hi {customer.name}, Thanks for the detail in this, it made the problem easy to find. I've reproduced what you're seeing and passed it to the person who can fix it. I'll update you here when there's a fix or a workaround. Nothing else is needed from you for now. {agent.name}

What to change: Only send this once you have actually reproduced it. If you have not, use the 'I need a bit more' template first.

Hi {customer.name}, Happy to sort this out. Two things first: 1. [what you need] 2. [what you need] With those I can take it from there. Reply whenever you have them. {agent.name}

What to change: Ask for two things at most, and say why you need each one if it is not obvious. A five-item form gets abandoned.

Hi {customer.name}, Thanks for flagging this. I've tried it here and it's working, which usually means it's specific to your browser, device, or account rather than broken for everyone. Could you send a screenshot of the screen where it happens, and tell me which browser you're on? That's normally enough for me to pin it down. {agent.name}

What to change: Swap browser for whatever actually narrows it down in your product, such as device, plan, or role.

Hi {customer.name}, I can look this up, I just need the order number so I pull the right one. It's at the top of your confirmation email and starts with [AR-]. If you can't find it, the date you ordered works too and I'll search from {customer.email}. {agent.name}

What to change: Put your real order-number prefix in, or cut that sentence if your numbers have no prefix.

Hi {customer.name}, Before I do this I want to be sure I've read it right. You'd like me to [action], which will [consequence]. That can't be undone, so reply with a yes and I'll take care of it straight away. {agent.name}

What to change: Spell the consequence out in plain words. Cancellations and deletions are the two people misread most often.

Hi {customer.name}, Your refund is approved. I've sent [amount] back to the card you paid with for order [order number]. Most banks post it within 5 to 10 business days. If it hasn't shown up by then, reply here and I'll chase it with our payment processor. {agent.name}

What to change: Swap in your real refund window, ours says 5 to 10 business days. Type the real order number in place of [order number] before you send.

Hi {customer.name}, I've refunded [amount] for the part of this that didn't work out and left the rest as it is. Here's the breakdown: [item] [amount] refunded [item] [amount] kept The refund goes back to your original payment method within 5 to 10 business days. If you'd rather have the whole order refunded, say so and I'll do that instead. {agent.name}

What to change: List the real line items. A partial refund nobody can check the math on reads like a fudge and comes back as a dispute.

Hi {customer.name}, Thanks for asking, and I'm sorry, I can't refund this one. Our refund window is [30 days] from purchase and this was bought on [date]. What I can do is [alternative]. That's a real offer, not a brush-off, so tell me if it helps and I'll set it up today. {agent.name}

What to change: Put a genuine alternative in, such as account credit, a downgrade, or an extension. A no with nothing after it is what gets escalated.

Hi {customer.name}, I checked, and the refund for order [order number] left us on [date]. On our side it's complete. Banks usually take a few more business days to post it, and many show it as a reversal of the original charge rather than a new line, so it's worth looking at the original transaction. If it isn't there by [date], send me a screenshot of the statement and I'll open a trace with our processor. {agent.name}

What to change: Include both dates, the day you sent it and the day you'll act if it hasn't landed. 'A few days' with no end date is why people write back. Type the real order number in place of [order number] every time, it is a blank, not a token.

Hi {customer.name}, I've canceled your subscription and refunded [amount] for [month]. You won't be billed again. Your account stays open until [date] so you can export anything you need. After that it goes read-only rather than being deleted, so nothing disappears if you come back. If you're leaving because of something we could have fixed, I'd genuinely like to hear it. {agent.name}

What to change: Say what happens to their data after cancellation. If you skip it, that is the next email you will get.

Hi {customer.name}, You're right, you were charged twice on [date]. That was our error and I'm sorry for the scare. I've refunded the duplicate, [amount]. The original charge stands, so you've paid once for order [order number]. The refund should post within 5 to 10 business days and nothing is needed from you. {agent.name}

What to change: Be explicit about which charge went back and which one stays, because on a bank statement the two look identical. [order number] is a blank you fill in, not a token, so type the real one in every time.

Hi {customer.name}, Your order is on its way. Tracking is here: [tracking link] It can take [24 hours] to show movement after the label is created, so don't worry if it looks quiet at first. If nothing has updated by [date], tell me and I'll chase the carrier. {agent.name}

What to change: Paste the real link and set a date for them to come back to you, so a stuck parcel surfaces instead of sitting there.

Hi {customer.name}, Your order [order number] is running late. It was due [date] and it's now looking like [date]. The hold-up is [reason]. I'm sorry. A date you can't plan around isn't much use, so if the new one doesn't work for you I can refund it today instead. Just say the word. Nothing has been canceled and nothing is needed from you. {agent.name}

What to change: Name the real reason. 'Unforeseen delays' tells them nothing and reads like you are hiding something. [order number] is a blank, not a token, so type the real number in before you send.

Hi {customer.name}, Tracking for order [order number] hasn't moved since [date], so I'm treating it as lost rather than making you wait it out. A replacement ships today and I'll send the new tracking as soon as I have it. If the original turns up later, keep it, no need to send it back. {agent.name}

What to change: Decide what happens if the original turns up before you send this, and state it, or you negotiate it later with an annoyed customer. Swap [order number] for the real number, it is a blank you fill in, not something the product resolves.

Hi {customer.name}, We sent the wrong item. I'm sorry, that one's on us. The correct [item] ships today. A prepaid return label for the one you received is attached, and there's no deadline on sending it back. {agent.name}

What to change: Attach the label before you hit send. Promising one in a follow-up email doubles the work and the wait.

Hi {customer.name}, [Item] is out of stock until [date]. Your order is reserved, so you're first in line when it lands. Three options, your call: 1. Wait, and I ship it the day it arrives 2. Swap it for [alternative], which is in stock now 3. I refund you today Tell me which and I'll handle it. {agent.name}

What to change: Only offer options you can actually deliver, and give a restock date even if it is approximate.

Hi {customer.name}, We got this wrong and I'm sorry. [What happened, in one sentence.] Where it stands now: [what you have already fixed]. What happens next: [next step, with a date]. You don't need to do anything. I'll come back to you when it's done. {agent.name}

What to change: Fill in all three blanks or send something else. An apology with no specifics is the definition of a form letter.

Hi {customer.name}, Sorry for the slow reply, your message sat longer than it should have. To your question: [answer]. If there's more to it than that, reply here and I'll be quicker this time. {agent.name}

What to change: Answer the question in this same email. Apologizing for a delay and then asking for another round trip is worse than saying nothing.

Hi {customer.name}, {workspace.name} was down from [time] to [time] today. I'm sorry. That's time you lost and we caused it. The cause was [cause] and it's fixed. We've also [what you changed] so it doesn't happen the same way again. If you lost work or missed a message during that window, reply here and I'll dig it out of our logs for you. {agent.name}

What to change: Give the real cause in plain words. 'A technical issue' is the phrase customers have learned to distrust.

Hi {customer.name}, We billed you incorrectly, [what happened]. I'm sorry. I've corrected it and refunded [amount], which should post within 5 to 10 business days. Your next invoice on [date] will be [amount], which is the right figure. Nothing is needed from you. If those numbers don't match what you're seeing, send me a screenshot and I'll look again. {agent.name}

What to change: Confirm the next invoice amount as well as the refund. The next bill is what they are actually worried about.

Hi {customer.name}, You're right, and I'm sorry. The reply you got wasn't good enough and I'm not going to defend it. Starting again: you need [restate what they asked for]. Here's where I've got to on it: [answer or next step]. I'm handling this one personally from here, so reply straight to me. {agent.name}

What to change: Only send this if you will really own the thread. Handing it back to the same person undoes the apology.

Hi {customer.name}, This is the second time [problem] has hit you, and a second apology isn't worth much on its own. So here's what's different. Last time we [previous fix], which clearly wasn't enough. This time we [new fix]. I've also set a reminder to check your account on [date] whether or not you write in. If it happens again before then, reply to this email and it comes straight to me. {agent.name}

What to change: Set that reminder before you send. The promise to check back on your own is the entire template.

Hi {customer.name}, This needs [name], who knows [area] far better than I do. I've given them the whole thread, so you won't have to explain it again. You'll hear from them by [date]. I'm still on the thread if it goes quiet. {agent.name}

What to change: Name a person and a date. 'Our team will be in touch' is the line people quote back when they complain.

Hi {customer.name}, I've read this and I'm treating it as urgent. [Name] is on it now. I'll update you by [time] even if there's nothing new to report, so you're not left wondering. {agent.name}

What to change: Pick an update time close enough to reassure, an hour or two, and then actually send that update.

Hi {customer.name}, What you're asking for is more than I can approve on my own, so I've taken it to [name]. I've put your case the way you described it, not a summary with the edges sanded off. You'll have an answer by [date], yes or no. {agent.name}

What to change: Promise a yes-or-no date rather than 'an update'. The open-ended wait is what makes people angry, not the answer.

Hi {customer.name}, I've logged this as a formal complaint and [name] is reviewing it. Your reference is {conversation.id}. They'll come back to you by [date] with what we found and what we're doing about it. I won't pre-empt that here. {agent.name}

What to change: Only use this if you really have a complaints process. Inventing one to sound serious makes the next email worse.

Hi {customer.name}, You can reset it yourself in about a minute: 1. Go to [reset URL] 2. Enter {customer.email} 3. Open the email we send and set a new password The link is good for [60 minutes]. If it doesn't arrive, check spam first, and if it's still missing reply here and I'll send one directly. {agent.name}

What to change: Put your real reset URL and link expiry in. Guessing at the expiry is how people end up clicking a dead link.

Hi {customer.name}, Your account locked itself after [5] failed sign-in attempts. That's automatic, and there's nothing wrong with the account. I've unlocked it, so try {customer.email} again now. If you're not sure of the password, reset it first at [reset URL]. {agent.name}

What to change: Say why it locked. People assume they have been banned, and the explanation saves you the angry follow-up.

Hi {customer.name}, Done. [Name] now has access to {workspace.name} as [role], and an invite is on the way to [their email]. If it doesn't arrive in a few minutes it's usually a spam filter. You can also add and remove people yourself under [Settings, then Team], which is quicker than waiting on me. {agent.name}

What to change: Point at the real settings path. This is the template that stops the same request arriving every month.

Hi {customer.name}, I can't make this change from this email address, because it isn't the one on the account. That's a rule we don't bend, and it's what stops someone else doing it to you. If you can still get into [account email], write to me from there and I'll sort it immediately. If you've lost access to it, reply here and I'll send you the steps to prove the account is yours. {agent.name}

What to change: Give them a real way back in. A security refusal with no next step is where account-recovery complaints start.

Hi {customer.name}, This one's sorted: [what was fixed]. I'm closing the thread here. If it comes back, reply to this email and it reopens with all the history attached. You won't have to start over. {agent.name}

What to change: Describe the fix in your own words. 'Your issue has been resolved' makes people go and check whether it really was.

Hi {customer.name}, I haven't heard back on this, so I'm assuming you're all set and closing it. Nothing is lost. Reply any time and it picks up exactly where we left off. {agent.name}

What to change: Send this after one follow-up, not three. Two chase emails about a solved problem is just spam.

Hi {customer.name}, We can't do [request] today, and I'd rather tell you that than leave you waiting on a maybe. I've logged it with your note attached, and if we build it I'll come back to this thread and tell you. In the meantime the closest thing we have is [workaround]. {agent.name}

What to change: Only promise to come back if you keep a list you actually reread. If you do not, cut that sentence.

Hi {customer.name}, Quick check: is [thing] still behaving since we fixed it on [date]? No reply needed if all is well. If it's playing up again, say so and I'll pick it straight back up. {agent.name}

What to change: Only send this where a fix might not hold, such as an intermittent bug. After a simple answer it is noise.