A customer asks, “Do you have appointments next week?” You want to reply quickly, but you also want to sound like yourself and avoid promising a time you haven’t checked. ChatGPT can help draft a reusable response that you review and personalise before sending.
Today’s five-minute project: make one reliable customer-enquiry reply template. It’s useful for sole traders, market stallholders, tutors, home-service businesses and anyone answering the same kind of message repeatedly.
What you will need
A common customer question, your preferred tone and your own verified business details. You do not need to upload any customer messages or personal information.
Five simple steps
- Pick one question you hear often, such as “How do I book?” or “Do you offer weekend appointments?”
- Write down only the facts you can confirm, such as your general service area and how people can contact you.
- Copy the blue-box prompt below into ChatGPT. Replace [TYPE] and [GENERAL QUESTION] with your own words.
- Read the draft carefully. Fill in every placeholder using your real current details. Remove anything that sounds unlike you.
- Save your approved template in a notes app. Personalise it for each enquiry, then send it yourself.
Copy-and-paste ChatGPT prompt
Act as a friendly Australian small-business admin assistant. Help me create a reusable reply template for customer enquiries, not a message to send automatically. My business type is [TYPE]. The common enquiry is [GENERAL QUESTION]. Ask me for any missing business facts before drafting. Write a warm reply of 80–120 words in plain Australian English. Include placeholders in square brackets for any unknown price, availability, turnaround time or booking link. Never invent promises, prices, policies or dates. End with one clear next step. Then give me a five-point checklist to review before sending.
A practical example
Example business: a fictional local picture-framing service. Customer question: “Can I get a quote for framing a print?”
Example draft: “Hi! Thanks for getting in touch. I’d be happy to help with your framing enquiry. To prepare a quote, could you tell me the print’s approximate size and whether you have a frame style in mind? You can send those details through [YOUR CONTACT METHOD]. I’ll confirm the options and current pricing once I’ve reviewed them. Thanks again!”
Notice what the example doesn’t do: invent a price, guarantee a deadline or claim a particular service is available. The business owner still checks the details.
Privacy and accuracy: a quick check
- Don’t paste customers’ names, phone numbers, addresses, emails, payment information or private messages into an AI tool without an appropriate basis and permission.
- Use a made-up example or describe the question in general terms instead.
- Check every price, opening hour, policy, delivery claim and availability against your own current records before sending.
- Don’t let ChatGPT send replies automatically without a separate, carefully reviewed process.
- If an enquiry involves a complaint, refund rights, safety or legal obligations, review it personally and consult the relevant official guidance where needed.
Make it even more useful
Once you’re happy with the first template, try asking: “Make this shorter and friendlier, while keeping all facts and placeholders unchanged.” Save two versions: a quick reply and a more detailed one.
Want more practical ideas? Explore our Free AI Resources library for beginner-friendly prompts you can copy and try.
Leave a Reply