25 WhatsApp auto-reply templates for small businesses (copy and paste)

A good auto-reply does three jobs in two sentences: it tells the customer they reached the right place, it sets an honest expectation about when a human will answer, and it asks for the one detail that saves a round of back-and-forth later. A bad one does none of those, "Thanks for your message!" tells the customer nothing they did not already know.

Every template below follows that three-job rule. Copy the ones that fit, swap the brackets for your details, and cut anything that does not sound like you. Shorter is better on WhatsApp; two or three sentences is plenty.

Greeting messages (first-time enquiries)

1. "Hi, thanks for messaging [Business]! You have reached the right place. Tell us what you need and roughly when, and we will get back to you within [time]."

2. "Welcome to [Business]. To speed things up, could you share what service you are after and your postcode? We reply fastest [days/hours]."

3. "Hi! You have reached [Business]. Prices and availability are at [link], or just describe the job and we will quote you directly."

4. "Thanks for getting in touch with [Business]. We answer every message personally, usually within [time]. What can we help with?"

After-hours messages

5. "Thanks for messaging [Business]! We are closed right now (open [hours]), but your message is safe with us and we will reply first thing."

6. "You have caught us after closing time. Leave the details of what you need and we will come back to you by [time] tomorrow."

7. "We are done for the day, but do not let that stop you: send the details now and you will be first in the queue in the morning."

8. "Out of hours right now. If this is urgent, call [number]. Otherwise we will reply when we open at [time]."

Busy or on-a-job messages

9. "We are with customers at the moment. Send what you need (photos help!) and we will reply properly within [time]."

10. "Mid-job right now, but your message matters: share the details and we will get you a quote as soon as our hands are free."

11. "Thanks for your patience, it is a busy day at [Business]. You are in the queue and we answer every message in order."

12. "Quick heads-up: we are flat out today. For bookings, [link] is fastest. For anything else, we will reply by [time]."

Holiday and closure messages

13. "[Business] is closed for [holiday] until [date]. Your message is saved and we will reply the day we are back. Thanks for your patience!"

14. "We are away until [date]. If you need help before then, [alternative]. Otherwise we will pick this up as soon as we return."

15. "Happy [holiday]! We are taking a short break until [date]. Leave your details and you will hear from us first when we reopen."

Qualifying messages (get the details up front)

16. "Happy to help! Could you tell us: what you need, where you are based, and when you would like it done? That is everything we need to quote."

17. "Great to hear from you. To give you an accurate price, could you send a photo of [the item/the job] and your postcode?"

18. "Thanks! Which service are you interested in, and do you have a preferred day or time? We will check availability and confirm."

19. "We can definitely look at that. What is your budget range and timeline? We will tell you straight away if we are a good fit."

Industry-specific examples

20. Salon: "Thanks for messaging [Salon]! For bookings, tell us the service, your preferred day and stylist (if any). Full price list: [link]."

21. Trades: "Thanks for reaching out. For a fast quote, send your postcode, a photo of the problem, and whether it is urgent. Emergency call-out: [number]."

22. Clinic: "Hello, you have reached [Clinic]. For appointments, share your preferred days and whether you are a new or returning patient. We confirm within [time]."

23. Food and catering: "Hi! For orders, tell us the date, number of people and any dietary needs. We confirm availability the same day."

Re-engagement messages

24. "Just checking you saw our last message. No rush, but if you still need [service], we have availability this week."

25. "We prepared that quote you asked about. Want us to hold the slot, or is the timing not right? Either answer is fine!"

Where templates stop helping

A template buys you politeness, not an answer. The customer who asks "how much is a full head of highlights?" still waits for a human, and on WhatsApp the business that answers the actual question first usually wins the job.

That is the gap an AI front desk covers: instead of acknowledging the question, it answers from your real price list, captures the booking details, and only hands over to you when judgement is needed. If you find yourself sending template 9 fifty times a week, that is the signal you have outgrown static replies. See our honest comparison of auto-replies, menu bots and AI front desks for what the upgrade actually changes.