After-hours auto-reply generator for support email
A good after-hours reply says three things: you got the message, when someone will answer, and what to do if it can't wait. Fill in the blanks and copy the result into your help desk or mail rules.
Your reply
Hi, Thanks for writing to Acme. Our support hours are Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm ET, and we're closed right now. Your message is in our queue and we'll reply within one business day. You don't need to send it again. Acme support
Questions
What should an after-hours auto-reply say?
That the message arrived, your hours, when the customer will hear back, and what to do if it can't wait. Keep it to a few lines and don't ask them to resend.
Should an auto-reply go to every email?
Send it once per conversation, and only when you're actually closed. Replying to every message in a thread, or to automated emails, is noise. Flatdesk, for one, sends it to new emails only.
How specific should the reply time be?
Specific enough to keep. “Within one business day” is easier to meet than “first thing tomorrow”, and customers prefer a time you hit to a time you miss.
Do I need an out-of-office rule in my mailbox as well?
Not if your help desk sends one. Doing both means customers get two. Set it up in one place, and check it by emailing your support address from a personal account.
Can Flatdesk send this for me?
Yes. Flatdesk has an after-hours reply that goes to new emails that arrive while you're closed, using your business hours and holidays, if the AI didn't already answer. Paste the text in Settings.
Link to this page
Free to use and share. If it helped, a link back is the best thanks.
<a href="https://flatdeskfinal.vercel.app/free-tools/after-hours-auto-reply-generator">After-hours auto-reply generator</a>Guides that go with this tool
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