Setting Up Auto-Responders

Auto-responders handle customer messages automatically, ensuring fast responses 24/7. Learn how to set up effective automated responses.

Understanding Auto-Responders

What They Do

Auto-responders can:

• Reply instantly to messages
• Answer common questions
• Collect customer information
• Route to human agents
• Send follow-up messages

When They Trigger

Auto-responders activate on:

• New conversations
• Specific keywords
• After hours messages
• Unanswered messages

Creating an Auto-Responder

Access Auto-Responders

1. Go to Messenger > Auto-Responder
2. Click Create New

Basic Setup

Configure essential settings:

• Name - Descriptive title
• Page - Which page to use
• Status - Active or inactive

Response Types

Welcome Message

Greet new conversations:

• First message they receive
• Set expectations
• Provide options

Example:

"Hi! Thanks for reaching out to [Business]. How can we help you today? Reply with: 1) Product info 2) Support 3) Pricing"

Keyword Responses

Trigger on specific words:

• Define keywords
• Set matching response
• Multiple keywords per response

Example:

• Keywords: "hours", "open", "schedule"
• Response: "We're open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm!"

Away Messages

When unavailable:

• Outside business hours
• Holiday messages
• Expected response time

Follow-Up Messages

After conversation pause:

• Check if still need help
• Request feedback
• Promote offers

AI-Powered Responses

Enable AI Persona

Use AI to craft responses:

1. Select an AI Persona
2. AI reads messages
3. Generates contextual replies
4. Sends automatically

AI Capabilities

AI can:

• Understand intent
• Answer FAQs
• Collect information
• Escalate complex issues

Configuring Rules

Trigger Conditions

Set when auto-responder activates:

• All messages - Every incoming message
• First message - New conversations only
• Keyword match - Specific triggers
• Time-based - During certain hours

Response Delay

Add natural delay:

• Instant (0 seconds)
• Short (1-3 seconds)
• Natural (3-5 seconds)

Testing Auto-Responders

Test Mode

Before going live:

1. Enable test mode
2. Send test messages
3. Verify responses
4. Adjust as needed

Preview Messages

1. Click Preview
2. See how message displays
3. Check formatting
4. Verify links work

Managing Auto-Responders

Enable/Disable

Toggle auto-responders:

• Click status toggle
• Active = responding
• Inactive = paused

Clone Responders

Copy existing setup:

1. Click Clone
2. New responder created
3. Edit as needed

Priority Order

When multiple could trigger:

• Set priority order
• Higher priority wins
• Drag to reorder

Advanced Settings

Business Hours

Define operating hours:

• Set daily schedules
• Different hours per day
• Holiday schedules

Lead Extraction

Automatically capture:

• Customer name
• Email address
• Phone number
• Save to leads

Handoff Rules

When to involve humans:

• Complex questions
• Negative sentiment
• Specific keywords
• Customer request

Best Practices

1. Be transparent - Let customers know it's automated
2. Provide options - Give clear choices
3. Easy escalation - Quick path to humans
4. Update regularly - Keep responses current
5. Monitor performance - Check what's working