Automated text message responses: 15+ examples and best practices (2025)

Most consumers say they’d rather message a business than call.

This isn’t surprising, because when reaching out to businesses and organizations, we all expect fast, convenient, and consistent communication without the wait.

But how do you stay responsive at all hours, answer every new inquiry, and keep leads moving—without burning out your team?

That’s where automated SMS replies come in.

In this guide, you’ll get:

• A clear explanation of what automated text responses are and why every business needs them
• 15+ plug-and-play auto-reply templates ready to copy and use today
• A step-by-step walkthrough to set up smart replies using Infobip’s platform
• Advanced best practices to keep automation personal, human, and compliant with texting regulations

What are automated text message responses, and why are they so effective?

An automated text response is a pre-written message sent when a customer takes a specific action—like filling out a form or texting after hours.

Automated text messages are effective because they reach people where they’re most attentive—right on their phones.

With SMS open rates topping 98% and most texts read within three minutes, sending automated replies via SMS ensure your messages get seen and acted on, faster than any other channel.

Some of the main reasons why you should consider using them:

• Faster replies – Let you respond instantly without manual input
• Consistency – Help you deliver the same, clear message every time
• Availability – Enable you to stay responsive 24/7, even outside office hours
• Efficiency – They free up your team for more complex conversations
• Lead capture – Engage prospects the moment they reach out

Examples and use cases for automatic text message responses

Here are some of the common use cases for automated text message replies, with examples:

1. Improving response times and customer satisfaction

Customers expect near-instant replies. Automated responses meet that demand and show you’re available, outside business hours.

Example – A customer texts a support question at midnight and receives:

2. Reducing manual workload and saving time

Automated response message can handle routine questions, confirmations, and greetings, allowing your team to focus on complex tasks.

Example – Instead of manually confirming every appointment, you can set up a template response:

3. Capturing and converting interest instantly

When someone texts your business, you can set up a reply to deliver relevant info, offers, or next steps in seconds. No waiting, no forms.

Example:

4. Engaging through a consistent brand voice

Pre-written templates help ensure every message matches your brand’s tone and values.

Example – A friendly retail brand might auto-reply:

15 automated text message response templates

Here are ready-to-use templates, grouped by specific use cases:

Customer service and FAQ auto-replies

1. “Hi! Thanks for your message. A member of our team will get back to you within [response time]. In the meantime, check out our Help Center: [Help Center link].”
2. “Got your question! You can track your order status anytime here: [Order Tracking link].”
3. “We’re on it! Most returns are processed in [number] business days. More info: [Returns Policy link].”

Purpose: Set expectations right away while offering helpful next steps.

Related:

After-hours and unavailable responses

1. Hey there, our team is currently offline, but we’ll respond as soon as we’re back ([operating hours], [timezone], [days]).
2. Thanks for reaching out! Our team is currently offline, but we’ll reply by [time]. For urgent issues, reply with “URGENT” and we’ll prioritize your message.
3. Appreciate your message! While you wait, you might find what you need here: [FAQ link].

Purpose: Let people know when you’ll reply and provide self-service options.

Appointment confirmations and reminders

1. “Your [service] at [location] is confirmed for [day, date] at [time]. Need to reschedule? Reply CHANGE.”
2. “Reminder: Your [appointment type] is tomorrow at [time]. Please arrive at least 5 minutes before.”
3. “We’re expecting you in [time]! Bring a valid ID for check-in. Questions? Reply HELP.”

Purpose: Reduce no-shows and keep things on schedule with instant confirmations and timely reminders.

Re-engagement & Follow-ups

1. “Hi [First Name], here’s [offer details] for your next visit. Book by [deadline] to claim: [offer link]”
2. Gentle nudge: “You left something behind! Your cart’s still waiting—checkout now: [cart link]”
3. Winback campaign: “We haven’t seen you in a while! Come back [timeframe] and get [offer] with any order.”

Purpose: Stay top-of-mind with warm leads, returning customers, or inactive subscribers.

Internal handoff and escalation messages

1. We’re transferring your request to our [team name] team now. You’ll get a reply shortly.
2. Your request needs more attention. A member of our [team name] team will contact you within [response time].
3. Thanks for the info! An agent is reviewing your case and will follow up soon. You don’t need to do anything further.

Purpose: Smoothly transfer conversations between bots, agents, or departments to avoid customer frustration.

How to set up an automated text response flow with Infobip

Setting up automated SMS replies with Infobip is simple, scalable, and built for teams that value both personalization and performance. 

Here’s how to create smart workflows that respond instantly and adapt over time.

Step 1: Build automated flows with Moments

Use Moments, our no-code campaign builder, to create trigger-based workflows that respond to real customer actions.

For example, you can set up instant replies when someone places an order, books an appointment, or requests a status update—ensuring your customer always feels informed and valued.

Step 2: Personalize messages with People CDP

Integrate your audience data using People, our customer data platform, to personalize messages at scale. Pull in fields like first name, company, location, or previous purchases to create relevant and human-sounding replies.

Example – Confirming an order for a customer:

Moments and People CDP are synced, so every message feels tailored to the customer’s profile and activity.

Step 3: Monitor, analyze, and optimize

Infobip provides real-time analytics within Moments so you can track the performance of every automated response. 

Monitor key metrics like:

• Delivery rate
• Response time
• Link click-through rate
• Opt-outs and message failures

You can also A/B test different reply formats, CTAs, or send times to continuously improve results.

Best practices for using auto-replies

Automated replies save time, but only when done right. These best practices ensure your auto-replies feel helpful, not robotic, and support better customer relationships.

1. Keep your tone human and on-brand

Your automated messages should reflect your brand’s voice, whether that’s friendly, professional, or playful.

Tips:

• Write like a person, not a machine
• Match your tone to the customer’s stage or inquiry

Example:

2. Always include opt-out instructions

Give people control over whether they hear from you, as this is respectful and required by law in many regions.

• Include a clear opt-out message in any promotional or recurring message.
• Use easy-to-understand language (e.g., “Reply STOP”).

3. Don’t over-automate the conversation

Auto-replies shouldn’t be a wall. Know when to route to a real person for better support or sales outcomes.

• Add triggers to pass the conversation to an agent when needed
• Avoid chaining too many replies before a human handoff

See tutorial: Assign a customer inquiry from a chatbot to a live agent

4. Update templates regularly

What worked last quarter might not work now. Keep your auto-responses fresh and relevant.

• Review your message templates every month or quarter
• Update links, offers, hours, or language based on feedback and metrics

Example: If you’ve changed business hours or return policies, reflect that in your auto-replies ASAP.

FAQs about automated text message response

If we haven’t answered all of your questions above, here are some additional tips that might be useful for your automated text campaign.