With time-specific auto-responders, you can send a quick message after-hours letting the customer know when you'll be back and when to expect a reply.
Take a look at some of the guidelines for setting up after-hour auto-responders for eBay, Amazon and your company website.
Remember! Auto-responders are meant to enhance customer communication, not replace it. When used improperly, auto-responders can actually hurt your feedback and credibility.
General Guidelines
- The auto-response is only sent to NEW emails, not on follow-ups.
- To ensure your auto-response does not interfere with other rules, be sure that your auto-responders are the only rules set to a ranking of either 1 or 2.
- ReplyManager reads TIME as hh:mm:ss AM or PM
- DATES are read as yyyy-mm-dd
- Be sure to apply the Rule to the applicable account
- Always add a From email address NOT used in the Folder the email is sorted to. This will create loops.
Click on each screenshot below for a larger view
eBay After-Hours (M-F)
Go to Maintenance > Rules, Add New Rule.
Designate a "from" email address. Because ReplyManager is connected directly to eBay's API, this email address will not be shown to your customers (but it is still required in order to send a message).
Amazon After-Hours (M-F)
Go to Maintenance > Rules, Add New Rule.
Enter a From email address that is registered with your Amazon account, but that's different than that of your Amazon Customer Inquiries Folder. Specifying a different email address is important to avoid mail loops, which could fill up your quota, causing the system to stop reading your messages. If you're unsure or would like to register a new email, go to your seller central account and update your contact notification settings.
Website After-Hours (M-F)
Go to Maintenance > Rules, Add New Rule.
To Configure an Auto-Response for your Company Website:
Designate a From email address. If your company has a noreply@ email address, we suggest using it here.
Related Blog: Setting Up Weekend Auto-Responders
Customer Care