Text Message Auto-Reply: How to Setup Fast [2024 Update]

As a business owner, poor communication is one of the fastest ways to lose your customers. When clients send you text messages, they’ll always want a reply as quickly as possible. But, sometimes, situations may have you unavailable.

In such moments, using text message auto-reply software can be incredibly helpful. Automating your text message replies helps you keep communication flowing, thus, improving customer relationships. In this article, we’ll show you how to quickly set up text message auto-reply with examples and tips to help you create the best auto-replies. Let’s dive in.

What Is a Text Message Auto-Reply?

A text message auto-reply is an automatic message that you send out in response to text messages. These messages ensure your customers get instant responses irrespective of your availability, making them feel heard and valued. This way, you can speedily leave important information or notify them of your absence.

Even better, certain tools let you customize text message auto-replies to suit your specific scenario. Instead of bland, generic texts that may not necessarily address the customer’s problems, you can tailor auto-replies to fit unique situations.

Types of Text Message Auto-Reply

Failing to create custom messages confuses customers, as different situations require distinct tones and instructions. This inevitably leads to miscommunication, frustration on the customer’s end, and, eventually, a poor business image. To prevent this, you need to have separate types of auto-replies depending on the situation.

Below, we’ll see eight types of auto-reply text messages with corresponding examples of each. Let’s begin.

1. After-Hours Auto-Reply

After office hours, you may want to leave work behind to get a little rest. Still, you have to attend to customers’ messages, as ignoring them does not bode well for your business. Incorporating an after-hours auto-reply text message is the best way to acknowledge their messages without infringing on personal time.

This type of auto-reply gives your customer a sense of access to you even during technically unofficial hours. They can leave messages at their convenience, irrespective of the time, with an assurance that you’ll receive and respond to them.

Here’s an example for you:

2. Out-of-Office Auto-Reply

Sometimes, you’ll need to leave your office or business place during business hours, but you could receive incoming messages in your absence. Leaving customers unanswered for the entire length of time you’re away may leave them upset and impatient. This is especially true in today’s world, where we’re used to instant replies.

So, an auto-reply text message when you’re out of the office informs customers of your unavailability. Additionally, it lets them know that you value them and will get back to them at a certain time.

Here’s an example for you:

3. Customer Support Auto-Reply

Although a bigger client list means more business, it also means more customer inquiries. Unfortunately, you may be unable to respond to all customers immediately, but you can’t leave them unattended. Using the best mass texting services to send out auto-replies makes your clients feel heard and more understanding if you need time to get back to them.

Here’s an example for you:

4. Event RSVP Auto-Reply

To host a successful event, you need to plan appropriately, and RSVPs are a common way of confirming attendance. But communication shouldn’t end with the customer’s or invitee’s RSVP. Rather, sending an event RSVP auto-reply tells the guest that you received their RSVP and look forward to hosting them.

While this may seem little, it goes a long way to encourage people to honor your invitation and improve your relationship with the guest.

Here’s an example for you:

5. Lead Generation Auto-Reply

Converting leads to steady customers requires a lot of strategic actions, and this list includes auto-replies. With these automatic text messages, you can collect contact details like email. Using these details, you can send offers and newsletters to help drive and increase engagement and promote interest in your products.

Moreover, a fast, polite response helps leads to trust you and gives your business a good image. Building trust helps you create and maintain a relationship with these potential clients, which will eventually turn them into returning customers.

Here’s an example for you:

6. Purchase Confirmation Auto-Reply

After a client makes a purchase, it’s unprofessional to leave them hanging without offering further information. A purchase confirmation auto-reply confirms customers’ transactions, cementing their trust and satisfaction.

Furthermore, you can use these text messages to send additional information, like the details of the transaction. This way, your customer has a personal record of their purchases and can refer to it when necessary.

Here’s an example for you:

7. Appointment Reminder Auto-Reply

Every customer likes to feel seen and valued, and appointment reminders are an excellent way you can show this. Missed appointments frustrate the customer and can also cause friction and disorganization within your business.

On the other hand, sending a quick appointment reminder to your customers prior to their appointment day prevents these delays and situations. Additionally, it improves customer satisfaction and loyalty to your brand.

Here’s an example for you:

8. Feedback or Survey Auto-Reply

Failing to thank your customer for providing feedback shows a lack of courtesy and presents a poor professional outlook. With survey auto-replies, you can instantly send out thank-you messages when customers provide feedback or respond to surveys. This assures them that you appreciate their input and encourages them to give more feedback in the future.

Here’s an example for you:

How to Set Up Text Message Auto-Replies for Android

If you’re an Android user, you may have noticed that your phone doesn’t come with auto-reply features. However, with the DialMyCalls app, you can incorporate auto-reply functionality onto your phone.

Its two-way texting and personalization features give you a wide range of communication abilities. Additionally, DialMyCalls offers a bulk SMS extension, letting you send auto-replies from your Chrome browser without having to visit the app or website.

How to Set Up Text Message Auto-Replies for iPhone

If you’re an iPhone user, your phone already has built-in auto-reply features, so you don’t necessarily need a third-party app. However, note that this is only possible in iOS 15 and later versions.

Follow the steps below to set up text message auto replies for iPhone.

For Text Messages:

1. Open Settings on your home screen. You’ll see a list of apps and other features.

2. Click Focus.

3. Next, click Driving.

4. If you can’t find this option, click the + sign at the top right corner of your screen, select the Driving option, and click Customize Focus.

5. On the Driving Focus screen, click Auto-reply.

6. Select who you’d like to send an auto-reply to—whether No One, Recents, Favorites or All Contacts.

7. Below, customize your message in the text box.

To activate this feature:

1. Scroll down from the top right corner of your screen to see your Control Center and click Focus.

2. Then, select Driving.

For Calls:

You can also set up auto-replies for calls in addition to text messages. Here’s how to go about it.

1. Open the Settings app.

2. Scroll through your app list and click Phone.

3. Under Calls, select Respond with Text.

4. Create your custom messages in the text boxes.

5. To activate, click the message icon above Accept when you receive a call, and select the message that pops up.

How to Set Up Text Message Auto-Replies in DialMyCalls

DialMyCalls offers a few ways to set up text message auto-replies from within your account. Create a great experience for your mass texting contacts by using one of the methods listed below.

• Opt-In Form Notifications
• Text Message Auto-Reply
• Keyword Opt-Ins

Opt-In Form Notifications

Create an opt-in form within your DialMyCalls account to receive opt-ins for your mass text messages. When setting up your opt-in form you can create auto-replies via text message. Choose which phone number the auto-reply will come from and where you will receive that auto-reply. In addition to a text message, you can also receive the auto-reply via email.

Text Message Auto-Reply

The vanity number you receive when you sign up for a DialMyCalls account has the ability to send auto-replies. Once someone opts into your vanity number by sending “START” to that number then they will receive a custom message in return. With DialMyCalls you can even attach an image to your auto-reply and send out an MMS when someone opts in. Easily see messages sent to your vanity number with the 2 way texting feature.

Keyword Opt-Ins

In addition to being able to text “START” to your vanity number, you also have the ability to register a keyword for that number. Keywords will allow you to customize your opt-ins and create personalized auto-replies for each keyword. Once someone texts “YourKeyword” to your vanity number then they will receive your custom auto-reply. You can also have your account set up so that it adds those opt-ins into a specific contact group.

Benefits of Text Message Auto-Replies

Above, we’ve explained that text messages are great for maintaining communication with your customers. Without them, replying to messages may be difficult for you and create room for inefficiency and dissatisfaction. Here, we’ll explain this in more detail, so keep reading.

1. Better Communication With Customers

Clients want to get instant responses when they make inquiries, as this lets them know that you’ve seen and acknowledged their message. Using text message auto-replies can help you deliver these responses without lags or delays, keeping your clients properly informed. With auto-replies, you can promptly address their messages whether you’re available or not, thus enhancing communication with them.

2. Efficiency

Responding to messages can be quite a chore, especially in busy organizations with several lined-up inquiries. Although some messages need human attention, many are repeat questions with generic responses. Using auto-replies lets you eliminate the need for manual responses to such questions, thus making this process more efficient and less time-consuming.

3. Creating Awareness

Sometimes, you may need to circulate information about response times or office hours, especially with new clients. Auto-replies are a great, convenient way to inform customers about your availability and schedules. For example, you can use an after-hours auto-reply to let customers know that you don’t work on weekends. This way, they can also adjust their calling times around your schedule.

4. Customer Engagement

Although some customers make purchases without a push, many need to be convinced to trust your brand. Positive engagement is one way to build trust to encourage purchase, and auto-reply text messages can be used to achieve this. With an inviting text, you can persuade a lead to follow your social media pages or subscribe to a newsletter. Thus, you’re creating channels for engagement and advertisement.

5. Brand Image

A good reputation is the best form of advertisement, and constant communication helps to boost your reputation. When customers are confident that you always give them a listening ear and fast replies, they’re more likely to return. In contrast, slow communication makes them lose interest in your business and makes them less likely to recommend you.

What Are the Cons of Text Message Auto-Replies?

Naturally, most innovations have both advantages and disadvantages, and this includes text message auto-replies. But understanding its possible cons can help you better control them while utilizing auto-replies to your maximum benefit. Below, we’ll look at a few cons of text message auto-replies.

1. Lack of Human Touch

Certain customers prefer to converse and interact with humans, so an automated message can be off-putting for such people. Auto-replies are incredibly helpful in bridging communication gaps but can’t replace the smile and soft tone that humans can offer. Depending on the customer’s wishes and preferences, this can present a challenge.

Hence, you must properly customize your text message to have a personalized feel and tone. This way, it is more agreeable with most customers.

2. Overuse and Misuse

Auto-replies are undoubtedly convenient for any business but can very easily be misused. Business people who can’t differentiate between situations requiring auto-replies and those that demand human attention end up misusing them. Moreover, in a bid to gain attention, many people spam customers, leading to displeasure and annoyance on the customer’s end.

3. Dependence

Auto-reply technology greatly enhances any business, but as with all technology, it can fail at any point. Without a proper backup system in place, the business is likely to suffer downtime in such situations and may fail to deliver timely responses. This downtime will affect the business and may lead to customer dissatisfaction if not properly handled.

4. Reduced Personalization

Depending on the technology or mass texting service you use, customization and personalization features vary. This may be a problem when you’re faced with specific customer needs that require personalization or reference to previous interactions. In these situations, autoresponders may be limited in their ability to handle the customer’s inquiry.

How Do Auto-Reply Text Messages Work?

Auto-reply text messages work when you set up special predefined rules in your messaging app. On receiving a message, based on these rules, the autoresponder evaluates the message and sends an auto-reply. Moreover, you can change or customize these rules and features as you see fit. Certain systems also offer analytics to show you the performance of your text message auto-replies.

5 Tips and Strategies for Auto-Reply Texting

Not knowing how to use a tool makes you more likely to misuse it. With adequate knowledge and the right tips, you can fully utilize the power of autoresponders and auto-reply text messages. Keep reading to see five auto-reply strategies you should employ.

1. Be as Clear as Possible

Lengthy, verbose messages bore and frustrate customers, as everyone wants their problems resolved as quickly as possible. Keeping your auto-replies brief and concise helps retain your customer’s attention and ensure they read through your messages. So, provide the necessary information without overwhelming your customer.

2. Communicate Your Plans

Auto-replies should impress your customers and either tell them when you plan to reply or communicate the next steps they’re to take. Without these vital details, your customer is left hanging or doesn’t know when to expect your response. This can build their frustration and leave them dissatisfied with your business operations.

3. Personalize Messages 

A cold, unfeeling message does little to nothing to show your customers that you’re concerned about them. So, when creating your auto-replies, endeavor to incorporate as much personal detail as you can without making your messages lengthy. These little elements, whether it be your customer’s name or a personal touch, make your messages friendlier, livelier, and more engaging.

4. Be Time-Sensitive

Consider timing when sending out auto-replies, as certain hours are more strategic and require more urgency than others. So, set the timing of your auto-replies to make provision for such occasions. This ensures you’re meeting customers’ demands when you should. For example, your replies should be quicker during business hours compared to after hours.

5. Test Your System

Before implementing a new system, test it repeatedly to ensure it integrates smoothly with your business operations. Continually request feedback from coworkers and trusted customers, and review your system to keep it as foolproof as possible. More importantly, update the auto-replies and messages to keep them as current and modern as possible.

What Is the Best Auto-Text Responder?

Effective communication is paramount to sustaining good relationships with your customers, and ignoring it may be disastrous for your business. Leaving customers’ messages unattended for long periods causes them to feel unheard and unlikely to patronize you.

But, by using good autoresponders like DialMyCalls, you can improve your business communication and transform your business’ reputation. With text message auto-replies, you can reply to your customer instantly, even on your busiest days.

So, sign up with DialMyCalls  and enjoy the power of auto-replies in your business today.

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