Quick Replies: How to Send Repeated Messages with One Click

Summary

In this article you’ll learn how to set up quick replies, when to use them, and how to build a library that saves your team hours. Quick replies are a library of saved texts that agents can send with a single click or from the keyboard.

What quick replies are

Quick replies are pre-written messages that agents can easily send inside the chat. Unlike WhatsApp message templates (which are approved by Meta), quick replies are for the agent’s internal use only, within the 24-hour window. They don’t require Meta approval, and there’s no limit on how many you can have.

A quick comparison:

For information on templates, see Message Templates, the complete guide.

Where you use quick replies

Inside the chat with a customer, in the message composer, there are a few options:

• An icon that opens the quick replies library.
• A keyboard shortcut that lets you quickly search for a reply by name.

An agent types “/” and a list appears. They choose a reply, it appears in the text box, they can edit it before sending, and send.

How to set up quick replies

On the Agents > Quick Replies page, you can create, edit, and delete replies. Each reply includes:

• Name (title). The shortcut the agent will see. For example: “Welcome”, “Thanks for reaching out”, “Attaching shipping details”.
• Message content. The text that will be sent. It can include dynamic variables like {{first_name}}.
• Usage permission. Who on the team can see and use the reply (optional).

Using dynamic variables

Instead of writing a generic “Hello!”, you can include variables that fill in automatically with the customer’s name:

Instead of: "Hello, how can I help?"

Use: "Hello {{first_name}}, how can I help?"

When sent, the variable is replaced with the name of the customer you’re talking to. See the list of available variables in Dynamic Variables.

Categories for quick replies

If you have a lot of replies, organize them into categories by conversation stage or by topic:

Openers and greetings

• “Hello {{first_name}}, how can I help?”
• “Welcome! Did you receive the message?”
• “Hi, we saw that you reached out. We’re here.”

Common answers

• “Our hours are Sunday-Thursday 9:00-18:00, Friday 9:00-13:00.”
• “Our office address: [address]. Google Maps: [link].”
• “Our phone number is [phone]. You can also reach us by email at [email].”

Conversation closers

• “Thank you! Have a great day.”
• “Glad we could help. We’re here if you need anything else.”
• “We’re available through other channels too, feel free to reach out anytime.”

Tense situations

• “We apologize for the delay, we’re looking into it and will get back to you with an answer right away.”
• “We understand the frustration. We’ll pass this straight to the team manager.”
• “We need a moment to check. Can you hold on?”

Sending materials

• “Here’s a link to sign up: [link]”
• “Here’s the list of products we talked about: [list]”
• “Attaching a file with the full details.”

Best practices

• Give names agents will remember. “Welcome” is better than “Quick Reply 1”. An agent who has to think about the right name won’t use the reply.
• Keep a consistent tone. Every reply should preserve your brand’s character. If the brand is friendly, the language should be too. If the brand is formal, the same.
• Don’t write replies that are too long. 2-3 sentences maximum per reply. Long messages don’t get read in full.
• Use variables wherever you can. The customer’s name, business type, or other details. A message with the customer’s name gets read more.
• Review once a month. Delete replies that aren’t used. Add replies the team needs but doesn’t have. A relevant library beats a large one.
• Don’t turn replies into a substitute for conversation. Quick replies suit routine answers. A real conversation with a customer should be personal, not a string of canned replies.
• Document the replies. Create an internal document explaining which reply to use in each situation. A new agent can start working within an hour if they have the document.

When not to use a quick reply

• A reply that’s very specific to the customer. If the customer asked a unique question that needs a tailored answer, type it out.
• Replies that require specific details. If you need to include an order number, status, or a specific price, type it out.
• In sensitive conversations. A complaint, a complex problem, or an emotionally sensitive conversation needs a personal response.

Combining with other features

Quick replies versus AI tools

The chat also has an AI message editor and improve message that use AI to help with writing. They complement quick replies:

• Quick replies = standard messages, the same text every time.
• AI improve = a message you type, and the AI improves it.
• AI complete = the AI suggests how to continue a sentence you started.

See AI tools in the chat.

Quick replies versus Dolores AI

Dolores AI can answer automatically on the agent’s behalf. Quick replies are an aid for a human agent. Two different kinds of automation:

• Quick replies = the agent decides when to send and what to send.
• Dolores AI = the agent isn’t involved, AI runs the conversation.

Both can run in parallel. Dolores handles the overnight hours, agents with quick replies handle the working hours.

Common issues

I added a quick reply but it doesn’t show up in the chat

Check:

• You saved after creating the reply.
• You refreshed the chat.
• There’s no permission restriction (if it was set to only part of the team).

The variable in the message isn’t replaced with the customer’s name

Check how the variable is written. It needs to be exactly {{first_name}}, including the double braces on both sides and with no spaces. Also check that the customer has a first name saved on their card.

The team isn’t using quick replies

Common causes:

• The names aren’t clear. Agents don’t know which reply is used for what.
• The library is too large. The more options there are, the harder it is to find the right one.
• There’s no training. New agents don’t know about the feature.

The solution: a short training for the team, an internal document with the list, and names that are easy to remember.

I want to split replies into categories

If the feature supports categories on the settings page, use it. If not, use a prefix in the name: “Opener: Welcome”, “Closer: Thanks”. This will sort the replies alphabetically into groups.

I want a reply for sending a link or a file

A quick reply can include a URL in the text. The customer will see the link and be able to click it. For a file, you need to upload the file at the time of sending. There’s no option to save a file as part of a reply.

Related articles

• The Mumble chat, the complete guide
• AI tools in the chat
• Message Templates, the complete guide
• Dynamic Variables
• Dolores AI, the getting-started guide
• Managing agents and teams

Bottom line

Quick replies are the simple tool that makes the difference in team efficiency. An agent who has to type these messages dozens of times a day wastes hours. An agent with an organized library saves that time for handling complex cases personally. Invest one hour in building an initial library, update it once a month, and let the system work for you.