What is a canned response?

A canned response is a saved, pre-written reply that a support agent inserts into a chat or email instead of typing it from scratch. Good ones are short, have placeholders for names and details, and get edited before sending.

What's another word for canned response?

Common synonyms are saved reply, reply template, macro, snippet, quick reply, text shortcut and predefined response. Help desks use different names for the same idea: Zendesk calls them macros, Gmail calls them templates, and Feedbot calls them reply templates.

How many canned responses should a support team have?

Most small teams do well with 20 to 40. Start with the ten questions you answer most often, add one template whenever you type the same reply for the third time, and delete any template nobody has used in three months.

Are canned responses bad for customer experience?

Not when they're edited before sending. Customers dislike replies that ignore what they wrote, not replies that started from a template. Personalize the first line, answer their specific question, and never send a canned reply to an angry or unusual message without rewriting it.

Can AI replace canned responses?

Partly. An AI chatbot trained on your docs can answer routine questions on its own, and AI draft tools can write a reply from the conversation history. Templates still help as a style guide and for messages where the wording must be exact, like refund or legal policy.

What is a canned response?

A canned response is a saved, pre-written reply that a support agent inserts into a chat or email instead of typing it from scratch. Good ones are short, have placeholders for names and details, and get edited before sending.

What's another word for canned response?

Common synonyms are saved reply, reply template, macro, snippet, quick reply, text shortcut and predefined response. Help desks use different names for the same idea: Zendesk calls them macros, Gmail calls them templates, and Feedbot calls them reply templates.

How many canned responses should a support team have?

Most small teams do well with 20 to 40. Start with the ten questions you answer most often, add one template whenever you type the same reply for the third time, and delete any template nobody has used in three months.

Are canned responses bad for customer experience?

Not when they're edited before sending. Customers dislike replies that ignore what they wrote, not replies that started from a template. Personalize the first line, answer their specific question, and never send a canned reply to an angry or unusual message without rewriting it.

Can AI replace canned responses?

Partly. An AI chatbot trained on your docs can answer routine questions on its own, and AI draft tools can write a reply from the conversation history. Templates still help as a style guide and for messages where the wording must be exact, like refund or legal policy.

50 Canned Responses Examples for Customer Support

50 copy-ready canned responses examples for chat and email: greetings, billing, refunds, bugs, outages, angry customers, closing, and when not to use them.

TL;DR. A canned response is a saved reply your team pastes into a chat or email, then edits for the person in front of them. Below are 50 canned responses examples, grouped by situation (greetings, waiting, billing, refunds, bugs, feature requests, outages, angry customers, closing), with separate live chat and email versions where the tone differs. Copy them, swap the [brackets] for real details, and read the section on when not to use a template before you send one to an upset customer.

We make Feedbot, an AI chatbot with built-in reply templates, so we mention it near the end. Every template here works in any help desk, inbox or text expander.

What makes a good canned response?

The best canned replies read like a person wrote them for this customer, because a person finished them. A template gives you the structure and the exact wording for anything sensitive (refund terms, timelines, policy). You add the part that proves you read the message.

A good template:

Answers first. The fix or the next step goes in the first two lines.
Has placeholders in obvious brackets, like [order number], so nobody sends “Hi [name]” by accident.
Is short. Chat replies under 40 words, emails under 120.
Ends with one clear next step, not three.
Doesn’t promise what it can’t control, like a ship date for a feature or a refund the policy doesn’t allow.

The placeholders below use {name} for the customer’s first name (many tools fill this in automatically) and [brackets] for anything you type yourself.

Greeting canned responses

1. Live chat greeting

Hi {name}, thanks for reaching out! I'm [agent name]. What can I help you with today?

2. Greeting when you already know the question

Hi {name}, I see you're asking about [topic]. Let me check that for you, one moment.

3. Greeting a returning customer

Welcome back, {name}! Is this about [previous issue], or something new?

4. Email acknowledgment (auto-reply)

Hi {name},

Thanks for writing in. We got your message and a real person will reply within [response time, e.g. 4 business hours].

While you wait, these pages answer the most common questions:
- [Help article 1]
- [Help article 2]

Your reference number is [ticket ID].

[Company] Support

5. Outside business hours

Hi {name}, our team is offline right now. We're back at [time and time zone]. Leave your question and email here and we'll reply first thing.

Canned responses for waiting and holds

Silence is what makes people leave a chat. These keep the conversation alive while you work.

6. Asking for a moment

Thanks, {name}. I'm looking into this now. It should take about [2 minutes].

7. Still working on it

Still on it! I'm checking with [team or system] to make sure I give you the right answer. Thanks for your patience.

8. Need to escalate (live chat)

This needs someone from our [billing / engineering] team. I've passed it on with all the details, so you won't need to repeat anything. You'll hear back by [time] at [email].

9. Need to escalate (email)

Hi {name},

Thanks for the details. I've passed your request to our [team], who can [what they can do that you can't]. They have the full history of this conversation.

You can expect an update by [day/time]. If anything changes before then, just reply to this email.

[Agent name]

10. Transferring a chat

I'm connecting you with [name], who handles [topic]. I've shared our conversation so far, so they'll pick up right where we left off.

11. Asking for information you need

To look into this, could you send me [the email on your account / your order number / a screenshot of the error]? That'll let me find it right away.

Billing and payment canned responses

12. Explaining a charge

Hi {name}, the charge of [amount] on [date] is for [plan / item], billed [monthly / yearly]. You can see every invoice under [Settings → Billing]. Does that match what you expected?

13. Double charge

I'm sorry about that, {name}. I can see two charges of [amount] on [date]. I've refunded the duplicate. It usually shows on your statement within [5–10 business days], depending on your bank.

14. Failed payment

Hi {name}, your last payment for [plan] didn't go through, usually because a card expired or the bank blocked it. You can update your card under [Settings → Billing]. Your account stays active until [date].

15. Invoice or receipt request

Here's the invoice for [month]: [link]. If you need your company name or VAT number on it, add them under [Settings → Billing] and the next invoices will include them.

16. Plan change or upgrade

Done! You're now on [plan]. The new limits apply right away, and you'll be charged [prorated amount / the new price] on [date]. Anything else I can set up for you?

17. Discount request you can’t grant

I understand, {name}. We don't have a discount for [situation] right now, but [yearly billing saves X / the Starter plan covers what you described]. Want me to switch you over?

Refund and cancellation canned responses

Refund wording is where templates matter most: it needs to match your policy word for word, every time.

18. Refund approved

Hi {name}, I've issued a full refund of [amount] to your [card ending 1234]. It usually arrives within [5–10 business days]. Your reference is [refund ID].

19. Refund outside the policy

Hi {name},

Thanks for explaining what happened. Our refund window is [14 days] from purchase, and your order was on [date], so I can't issue a refund this time.

What I can do is [offer: credit, plan downgrade, pause]. Would that help?

[Agent name]

20. Partial refund

I've refunded [amount] for [the unused months / the missing item]. The rest covers [what was used]. You'll see it on your statement within [timeframe].

21. Return instructions

Here's how to return your order:
1. Print the label: [link]
2. Pack the item in its original packaging if you still have it.
3. Drop it off at any [carrier] location by [date].

We'll refund you within [3 days] of receiving it.

22. Cancellation confirmed

Your subscription is canceled, {name}. You'll keep access until [date], and you won't be charged again. If you have a minute, what made you cancel? It helps us improve.

23. Cancellation with a save offer

Before I cancel: if the issue is [price / not using it enough], I can [pause your account for up to 3 months / move you to a cheaper plan]. If you'd still rather cancel, just say so and it's done.

Use #23 once, gently. If they say no, cancel without a second pitch.

Bug report canned responses

24. Bug acknowledged, need details

Thanks for reporting this, {name}. To reproduce it, could you tell me:
1. What were you trying to do?
2. What happened instead (exact error text if there was one)?
3. Which browser or device are you on?
A screenshot helps a lot if you can grab one.

For a fuller version, see our bug report template.

25. Bug confirmed

You're right, {name}, this is a bug on our side. I've reproduced it and passed it to our engineers with your details. I'll email you at [email] as soon as it's fixed.

26. Known bug with a workaround

We know about this one and we're working on a fix. Until then, you can [workaround]. Sorry for the hassle, and I'll let you know when it's fixed.

27. Bug fixed (follow-up email)

Hi {name},

Good news: the issue you reported on [date] with [feature] is fixed. You may need to refresh the page or [clear cache / update the app] to see the change.

Thanks for reporting it. Reports like yours are how we find these.

[Agent name]

28. Can’t reproduce

I tried this on [browser / device] and couldn't make it happen. Could you try [incognito window / another browser] and tell me if it still happens? If it does, a short screen recording would help us track it down.

Feature request canned responses

29. Request logged

Thanks for the idea, {name}! I've added it to our feature request list with your use case. I can't promise if or when we'll build it, but I'll let you know if we do.

30. Feature already exists

Good news, we have that! Go to [menu path] and [action]. Here's a short guide: [link].

31. Not planned

Thanks for suggesting this. Honestly, it's not on our roadmap, because [short reason: we're focused on X / it conflicts with Y]. Some customers get the same result with [workaround or integration].

32. Feature shipped

Hi {name}, you asked for [feature] back in [month]. It's live now: [link to announcement or guide]. Thanks for the suggestion!

Outage and incident canned responses

33. Outage acknowledged

Hi {name}, we're having an outage affecting [feature]. Our team is working on it now. You can follow updates at [status page link]. Sorry for the disruption.

34. Outage update

Update: we've found the cause of the [feature] issue and are rolling out a fix. We expect service back by [time]. Your data is safe.

Only write “your data is safe” if your engineers have confirmed it.

35. Outage resolved (email)

Hi {name},

The issue affecting [feature] between [start] and [end] [time zone] is resolved. Everything is working normally again.

What happened: [one-sentence plain explanation].
What we're doing so it doesn't happen again: [one sentence].

If anything still looks wrong on your side, reply to this email.

[Company] Support

36. Scheduled maintenance

Heads up: [product] will be unavailable on [date] from [time] to [time] [time zone] for maintenance. No action is needed on your side.

Canned responses for angry customers

Treat these as starting points only. An angry message deserves a rewritten reply that quotes their specific complaint.

37. Acknowledge and own it

{name}, I'm sorry. You [specific thing that went wrong], and that shouldn't have happened. Here's what I'm doing right now: [action].

38. Customer has contacted you several times

I can see you've had to reach out [3 times] about this, and I'm sorry we haven't fixed it yet. I'm taking ownership of this now and won't close it until it's solved. Next update by [time].

39. Customer asks for a manager

Of course. I've asked [manager's name or role] to join. While they read the history, is there anything you'd like me to add to the summary for them?

40. Abusive language

I want to help you sort this out, and I can do that best if we keep things respectful. Here's where things stand: [summary]. What would you like to do next?

Closing canned responses

41. Checking before closing

Is there anything else I can help you with today, {name}?

42. Closing a chat

Glad we got that sorted, {name}! If anything else comes up, just open the chat again. Have a great [day / evening].

43. Closing after no reply (chat)

I haven't heard back in a while, so I'll close this chat for now. If you still need help, reply here or start a new chat and we'll pick up where we left off.

44. Closing after no reply (email)

Hi {name},

I'm following up on [issue]. I haven't heard back, so I'll mark this as resolved. If you still need help, just reply to this email and it will reopen.

[Agent name]

45. Asking for a review or rating

Thanks for your patience today, {name}. If you have 30 seconds, could you rate this conversation? [link] It helps us know what's working.

Live chat vs email: same message, different shape

Live chat replies should be short and arrive in pieces. Email replies should be complete, because the customer may read them hours later with no context.

	Live chat	Email
Length	1–3 sentences per message	3–6 short paragraphs maximum
Greeting	“Hi {name}”	“Hi {name},” on its own line
Structure	One question or step at a time	Everything they need in one message, numbered steps
Sign-off	None, or your first name once	Name, team, and how to reply
Links	One at a time	Several, with a line explaining each

Here’s one situation, a password reset, written both ways.

46. Password reset (live chat)

No problem! Click "Forgot password" on the login page and enter [email]. The link arrives within a minute. Check spam if you don't see it.

47. Password reset (email)

Hi {name},

To reset your password:
1. Go to [login URL] and click "Forgot password".
2. Enter the email on your account: [email].
3. Open the link we send you (it's valid for [1 hour]) and choose a new password.

If the email doesn't arrive within a few minutes, check your spam folder or reply here and I'll send a link manually.

[Agent name]

48. Shipping status (live chat)

Your order [number] shipped on [date] with [carrier]. Tracking: [link]. It's expected on [date].

49. Shipping delay (email)

Hi {name},

Your order [number] is running late. It was due on [date], and the carrier now estimates [new date].

I'm sorry for the wait. If it hasn't arrived by [date + 3 days], reply here and I'll [send a replacement / refund the shipping].

Tracking: [link]

[Agent name]

50. Handoff from a bot to a person

Hi {name}, I'm [agent name] from the team. I've read your conversation with our assistant, so no need to repeat yourself. Let's get [issue] fixed.

For longer, email-first versions of many of these, see our customer service email templates.

How to personalize a canned response in 20 seconds

A template plus three small edits reads as a personal reply:

Use their words in the first line. If they wrote “the export button does nothing”, say “the export button not doing anything”, not “the issue you reported”.
Fill every placeholder with a real detail: their order number, their plan, the date it happened.
Cut what doesn’t apply. If they already tried clearing the cache, delete that step.
Match their tone. A two-word question gets a two-line answer. A long, careful email gets a careful reply.
Reread the first and last line before sending. That’s where “Hi [name]” and wrong product names hide.

When NOT to use a canned response

Some messages should always get a reply written from scratch, even if you borrow a sentence or two:

The customer is angry or upset. A template feels like being processed. Quote their complaint and answer it directly.
They’ve already received a canned reply and wrote back saying it didn’t help.
The question doesn’t quite fit. A template that answers a neighboring question is worse than a slower, correct answer.
Legal, medical, safety or security issues. Account takeovers, data deletion requests, injuries, threats: escalate and write carefully.
Bereavement, illness or hardship. If someone mentions a death or a crisis, write to them as a person.
VIP or high-value accounts in a sensitive moment, such as a renewal or a public complaint.

A simple rule: if you’d be embarrassed for the customer to see that 200 other people got the same message today, rewrite it.

How to organize and maintain your canned responses

Name templates by situation, not content: “Refund: approved”, “Refund: outside policy”, “Bug: need details”. Prefixes make them easy to find by typing.
One owner per category. Billing templates belong to whoever owns the refund policy, so they change when the policy does.
Review every quarter. Delete templates nobody used. Rewrite any that customers keep replying to with “that didn’t answer my question”.
Track which templates lead to follow-ups. A template that keeps the conversation going for three more messages isn’t answering the question.
Keep a style note at the top of your template library: how you greet, whether you use first names, words you avoid.

Reply templates and AI drafts in Feedbot

Feedbot is an AI chatbot for websites. The bot answers routine questions from your knowledge base on its own, so many of the templates above (password resets, invoice requests, “do you have this feature?”) never reach your team at all. When a conversation does need a person, it hands off to your team in Telegram or the inbox.

For the replies your team writes, Feedbot has reply templates. You manage them in Settings → Reply templates, each with a title, the text and the bot it belongs to. {name} is replaced with the visitor’s first name, or removed when the name is unknown. In the inbox and when you close a ticket with Resolve & reply, you pick one from Templates to insert it.

There’s also Suggest, which drafts the next reply with AI instead of inserting a fixed template. The draft uses the last 30 messages, your business profile and instructions, the most relevant knowledge base passages, and your reply templates as examples of your tone. It puts [placeholders] where it doesn’t know a fact, and it doesn’t promise refunds or deadlines. You edit and send it. In practice, templates set the voice, and the draft fits it to the conversation.

If you’re deciding how much of your support to automate, our guide to customer service automation covers what to hand to a bot and what to keep human.