July 27, 2023

15+ Best Canned Responses For Live Chat Interactions

Nothing trumps a customer faster than slow responses when they’re anxious for answers, especially on live chat. 

Support teams usually handle multiple requests and interactions on a daily basis and in order to maintain coherency and accuracy about their replies, recommendations, or offers, they utilize pre-saved or ready-made messages also known as canned responses.

Canned responses cut out the time spent typing – time that can be redirected to other productive tasks, live chat interactions, or customer service activities. These responses cover frequently asked questions and common issues, allowing agents to respond promptly without the need to type out each reply from scratch. 

Benefits of Utilizing Canned Responses

Canned responses save support agents from repetitive tasks. When well-crafted, can resolve customer queries in a single interaction. Here are some benefits of utilizing canned responses.

Managing response times 

Canned responses drastically reduce response times as agents can quickly select and send pre-written messages. This efficiency is crucial during peak support hours when rapid responses are essential for customer satisfaction.

Adding a touch of personalization

Contrary to popular belief, canned responses can be personalized to suit individual customers. Agents can modify responses to add a personal touch, ensuring customers feel valued and appreciated as opposed to robotic responses that can leave a bad impression in the minds of customers.

Reducing human errors

Often, manually typing responses can lead to typographical errors and inconsistencies. This can happen during peak periods or simply when an agent makes a human error.  Slow writing speeds can also delay response times. Canned responses minimize the risk of human errors, presenting customers with professional and error-free communication.

Consistent & Uniform Brand Messages

With canned responses, businesses can ensure that all customer interactions convey a consistent brand voice and messaging. This brand consistency builds trust and reinforces the company’s image in the minds of customers.

Multilingual Support 

For businesses catering to a diverse customer base, canned responses offer the advantage of providing support in multiple languages. Translating and saving responses in various languages ensures efficient and accurate communication with customers worldwide.

Handling High-Volume Traffic

During peak periods or marketing campaigns, businesses often experience a surge in customer inquiries. Canned responses enable support teams to manage high-volume traffic efficiently without compromising on the quality of responses.

Quick Escalation and Collaboration 

Canned responses facilitate swift escalation of complex issues to senior support members or other departments. The ability to collaborate using pre-approved responses ensures that customers receive prompt and accurate resolutions.

Quick Tips For Using Canned Responses

• Keep it conversational: Avoid using overly formal language in canned responses. Opt for a conversational tone that makes customers feel comfortable and engaged.

• Use empathy and understanding: Show empathy in your canned responses to convey genuine concern for the customer’s issue or question. This humanizes the interaction and builds rapport.
  
• Address different customer emotions: Tailor canned responses to address various customer emotions, such as frustration, confusion, or gratitude. Acknowledging their feelings helps create a positive experience.
  
• Include clear instructions: If a customer needs to perform a specific action, provide clear and step-by-step instructions in your canned responses. This minimizes confusion and enhances the customer’s experience.
  
• Offer additional assistance: Always leave room for further assistance in your canned responses. Invite customers to reach out again if they have more questions or concerns.
  
• Avoid jargon and acronyms: Ensure that your canned responses are easily understandable by avoiding technical jargon and abbreviations that might confuse customers.

• Highlight benefits and solutions: When addressing a problem, emphasize the benefits and solutions that your product or service offers. Focus on how it resolves the customer’s pain points.

• Use positive language: Frame canned responses in a positive manner, even when addressing complaints or issues. Positivity can turn a negative experience into a positive one.
  
• Personalize based on customer history: If you have access to the customer’s history or previous interactions, use that information to tailor your canned responses accordingly.
  
• Be honest about limitations: If there are limitations to what your product or service can do, be honest and transparent about it in your canned responses. Customers appreciate honesty.
  
• Categorize canned responses: Organize canned responses into categories based on the type of query or issue they address. This makes it easier for agents to find the most relevant response quickly.

15+ Best Canned Responses for Live Chat Interactions

Greetings and Welcoming Messages

Greetings are more than just cordial words; they are the building blocks of a genuine connection with customers. A simple “Hello” or “How are you doing?” can go a long way in fostering human connection.

Greeting messages go beyond mere formalities; they are the virtual equivalent of a warm smile and a firm handshake, making customers feel valued and appreciated right from the outset.

If you’ve been considering adding a live chat button to your website, you can easily get started with Chatway and set up canned responses like these ones: 

1. Hi [Customer’s Name], thank you for reaching out to us! How may I assist you today?
   
2. Hi there! I’m [Agent’s Name]. How can I help?

Common Customer Queries

Everyday at a support agent’s desk might feel different but some questions and queries remain the same. 

Customers want answers, and you might find yourself responding to the same questions over a period of time with little tweaks, here and there. Canned responses will keep you accurate and similar across multiple channels that may be used for communication.

Depending on the information that the customer is looking for, it is crucial to provide direct, straightforward responses that provide value.

For instance, if a customer inquiries about their order status on your ecommerce website or related issues to shopping for products on your ecommerce store, you could use these responses:

3. Order status: I’ll be happy to help you with that. Could you please provide your order number, and I’ll check its status right away?
   
4. Hello [Customer’s Name], thank you for reaching out. I apologize for the delay. Let me quickly check the status of your order for you. Please hold on for a moment.
   
5. Warranty Inquiry: All our products come with a [number of months/years] warranty from the date of purchase. If you encounter any issues within the warranty period, please reach out to us, and we’ll be glad to assist you with the warranty claim process.

If they need help from your technical support team or have trouble accessing their account, you could use these responses :

6. Technical support: I apologize for the inconvenience. Let’s troubleshoot the issue together. First, try [Insert Step 1]. Let me know if that resolves the problem.
   
7. Password reset: If you’re having trouble accessing your account, please try resetting your password using the “Forgot Password” link on the login page.

8. To reset your password, visit our login page and click on ‘Forgot Password.’ You’ll receive an email with a link to create a new password. If you encounter any issues, please let us know, and we’ll assist you further.
   
9. Mobile app crash: We apologize for the inconvenience caused by the app crashes. To resolve this, try updating the app to the latest version from the app store. If the problem persists, clear the app’s cache and data. If the issue continues, please provide details about your device and the specific circumstances when the app crashes.

Apology and Resolution Messages

Handling frustrated customers requires patience, emotional intelligence and genuine concern in resolving issues. This is because one frustrated customer’s review or negative feedback has the potential to damage a brand’s reputation, influence negative brand recognition or fuel customer disloyalty.

Support teams often find themselves in a bind with unhappy customers. This is a regular part of a support agent’s daily routine, which is why customer service teams are often trained to have a myriad of skills that can calm an upset customer.

Here are some apology scenarios and responses to go with it:  

10. Delayed Response: I apologize for the delayed response. Our team is working diligently to address your query, and I’m here to assist you now. Thank you for your patience.

11. Product Defect: I’m deeply sorry to hear about the issue with your product. This is not the experience we want for our customers. We’ll immediately process a replacement or refund for you.

12. Order Error: We apologize for the mix-up in your order. Our team is investigating the issue, and we’ll reship the correct items as soon as possible. We appreciate your understanding.
    
13. Billing Error: I’m sorry for the billing discrepancy. We’ll rectify the issue and refund any overcharge promptly. Your satisfaction is our top priority.

14. Service Interruption: We regret the service interruption you experienced. Our technicians are already working on resolving the problem. We’ll keep you informed of the progress.
    
15. Miscommunication: I apologize for any confusion caused by our previous communication. Allow me to clarify the situation and provide accurate information.
    
16. Unsatisfactory Support: We’re sorry to hear about your experience. We’ll address the matter internally to prevent such occurrences in the future. Please accept our sincere apologies.

Wrapping Up

Customer service will always be a driver for business success. It is crucial that your live chat and other communication channels are delivering exceptionally high quality service at all times. Canned responses serve as a proponent for improving the productivity of your support agents and the delivery of excellent customer service.

Get Started with Chatway 

Now that you have your canned response ideas and samples ready to go, try out Chatway – our live chat app that lets you interact with customers seamlessly. Zero-fees applicable.