Out of hours auto reply templates: exactly what to say when you are closed
A good out of hours reply does three things: it thanks them, it says when a real person will answer, and it gives one thing they can do next. Keep it to three lines, use your own voice, and never promise a time you cannot keep. Below are templates for texts, missed calls, emails, DMs and weekends that you can copy and change in a couple of minutes.
What a good out of hours message actually does
Most enquiries arrive when you are not working. Evenings, lunchtimes, Sundays. The person sending them is deciding right then who to go with. Silence reads as "they are not bothered", even though you were having your dinner.
An honest automatic reply removes that. It does not win the job on its own. It buys you until the morning, which is all you need, because almost nobody expects a plumber to answer at 9pm. They just want to know they have been heard.
Text message and missed call templates
Missed call, out of hours: "Sorry we missed your call, we are closed now. Reply here with your name and what you need and we will call you back before 10am tomorrow."
Evening enquiry: "Thanks for getting in touch. We are done for today, but you are on the list for the morning. Anything urgent, reply URGENT and we will pick it up first."
Weekend: "Thanks for your message. We are back Monday at 8am and will reply then. If it is an emergency, call {your emergency number}."
Email templates
Standard: "Thanks for your email. Our office is closed and reopens at 8:30am tomorrow. Your enquiry is in the queue and we will reply first thing. If it is urgent, call {number} and leave a message."
Holiday cover: "Thanks for your email. We are closed until {date}. {Name} is covering urgent work on {email or number}. Everything else will be answered on {date}, in the order it arrived."
Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp templates
Evening DM: "Thanks for messaging. We have shut for the day. Send your name and postcode and we will come back to you before lunch tomorrow."
Booking question: "Thanks for asking. The diary is on the office computer so I cannot check tonight, but I will confirm in the morning. What day were you hoping for?"
Three mistakes that make these backfire
- Promising "within 24 hours" and then taking three days
- Writing it so formally that it sounds like a different company answered
- Sending a reply that gives no next step, so the person just waits
One real time and one clear next step is the whole trick. The free guide has the full set of messages, in order, for every stage of an enquiry.
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Send me the free BlueprintSetting them up so they actually send
Templates only help if something sends them at 9pm without you. That means a business number that can text back automatically when a call is missed, and the same instant reply on your email and social messages. That is the setup behind missed call text back and after-hours enquiries.
GoHighLevel does this across calls, texts, email and social from one place, so the same honest line goes out whichever way somebody contacts you. Then in the morning every overnight enquiry is sitting in one list, waiting for a proper reply.
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GoHighLevel is the tool we use for all of this in our own business. You can try everything on the 14-day free trial and judge it on results.
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Common questions
Will people be annoyed by an automatic reply?
Not if it is honest. People are annoyed by silence. A short note that says when you will answer is far better than nothing, as long as you keep the time you promised.
Should the auto reply say it is automatic?
It does not have to say the word automatic, but it must never pretend to be a live person typing. Saying "we are closed and will reply at 8am" is honest and reads perfectly naturally.
How long should an out of hours message be?
Three lines. Thank them, say when a human replies, give one next step. Anything longer gets skimmed and the important part gets missed.
What about genuine emergencies?
Give one clear route for urgent work, such as a reply keyword or an emergency number, and make sure that route reaches somebody. Otherwise the message creates an expectation you cannot meet.