The best customer service responses name the customer's situation, answer the actual question, and state the next step — in that order. The 13 examples below are written for Intercom (chat, email, or Messenger), not phone scripts. Swap the bracketed details; do not send them unchanged if the thread already contains a different fact.
For recovery after a miss, use the apology and service recovery guide. For negative ratings, use respond to negative CSAT.
Templates only stay useful if you can see which replies actually land. Supportman's AI Evaluation scores closed conversations on tone, technical knowledge, resolution, and communication, so coaching is tied to real threads instead of a doc nobody opens.
How to use these examples
- Keep the structure: situation → answer → next step.
- Replace every bracket. A leftover “[plan name]” is worse than a slower typed reply.
- If the customer already told you the plan, workspace, or error, do not ask for it again.
- Save the ones you actually send as Intercom macros; retire macros that invite a follow-up question you could have answered in the first reply. That follow-up is an FCR miss.
The 13 replies
1. Pricing confusion
When they cannot tell which plan includes a feature, or they are comparing public pricing to an invoice.
You are on the [plan] plan, which includes [feature]. The [higher plan] adds [difference]. Your current invoice is $[amount] because [reason: seats / annual / add-on]. If you want to switch, I can show the prorated amount before you change anything.
2. Feature not available
When they asked for something you do not ship.
[Product] does not do [feature] today. Closest workaround: [steps]. I have added your request to the product thread and I can email you if that ships. If the job you need is [restated job], we can do that now with [workaround].
3. Refund or credit
When they want money back. Follow your approval path; do not promise a refund you cannot issue. See the approval process.
I can [refund X / credit Y / not refund Z because …]. If I issue this, you will see it on [statement timing]. Tell me if you want me to proceed, or if you would rather keep access and take [alternative].
4. Delayed first response
When they waited past your usual first-response time.
You wrote in [time] ago and that wait is on us. [Answer the question in the next sentence.] I am staying on this thread until [next step] is done.
5. Outage or degraded service
When status is already known internally.
We are seeing [symptom] for [who is affected]. It started around [time]. Workaround if you need it now: [workaround]. I will update this conversation when it is restored rather than asking you to check status yourself.
6. Bug they can reproduce
When you have enough to file or confirm.
I reproduced this on [browser / plan / workspace size]: [what happens]. That is a bug, not a setting you missed. I have attached this thread to the incident. Next update from me by [time]. If you need a workaround before then: [steps].
7. Cannot reproduce
When you need one more fact, not a fishing list.
I tried the same path on a [plan] workspace and did not hit the error. One screenshot or the exact URL where it fails will let me match your view. If it is easier, a 30-second Loom of the click path is enough.
8. Billing change they did not expect
When seats, usage, or renewal surprise.
The charge on [date] is [line items]. The increase is from [seats added on date / usage / plan change], not a price change. I can [remove unused seats / set a cap / schedule a downgrade] if that matches how you want to run this.
9. Cancellation
When they asked to cancel. Do not hide the path.
You can cancel from [path], or I can schedule cancellation for [date] so you keep access through the term you paid for. Exports live under [path] — take those before the workspace closes. If the reason is [price / missing feature / support], say so and I will be direct about whether we can fix that before you cancel.
10. Handoff to another team
When you are not the owner. Name the owner.
This needs [billing / engineering / success], not the inbox. I have assigned it to [name or queue] with the context from this thread so you do not have to re-explain. They will reply here. If you have not heard by [time], ping this conversation and I will chase it.
11. Fin (or a bot) missed the question
When the customer is now talking to a human after a bad bot turn.
Fin answered a different question than the one you asked. You wanted [restated job]. Here is the actual answer: [answer]. I am taking it from here; you do not need to re-type the history.
12. DSAT follow-up
When a Terrible (or your routed Bad) rating landed and a reply will help. Structure from the apology guide.
You rated this conversation Terrible after we [miss]. That is on us. I have [fix already done / fix in progress by time]. If that does not cover it, tell me what still blocked and I will stay on this thread.
13. Positive rating with a useful comment
When Amazing/Great plus a remark you can learn from. Do not spam every 5-emoji.
Thanks for the rating — the note about [specific praise or leftover friction] is useful. I passed [friction] to [team] so it is not only a nice comment sitting on the conversation.
When not to use a template
- Legal, safety, or harassment threads — write with a lead, not a macro.
- The customer already rejected this exact wording earlier in the thread.
- You do not know the answer yet. “I will reply by 3pm with the log check” is better than a confident wrong macro.
- Off-policy requests that need an approval. Ask first; see handle off-policy requests.
Skills underneath these replies: essential customer service skills. Coaching from real threads: customer service coaching.
Frequently asked questions
Should agents use scripts in Intercom?
Use macros for facts that do not change (plan names, paths, refund rules). Rewrite the first sentence so it matches what the customer actually asked. A script that ignores the last message costs more time in follow-ups than it saves.
How long should a support reply be?
Long enough to answer and name the next step, short enough to scan on a phone. If you need a second paragraph, put the action in the first.
What do you say when you cannot help?
Say no, say why, and say the closest thing you can do. Do not apologize for a policy and then repeat the same no three times.
How do you respond to negative feedback?
Read the full thread, name the miss, fix what you can, and only then apologize. Use the DSAT playbook rather than a generic “sorry you feel that way.”