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Glossary
Operations

Macros

— Definition —

Macros (also called Canned Responses, Saved Replies, or Templates) are pre-written response blocks that agents can insert into replies with a single action. They reduce handle time on common, repeatable issues and ensure consistent messaging. A well-managed macro library is one of the highest-leverage investments in support efficiency — the same information delivered faster and more consistently across the team.

— Formula —

Macro Usage Rate = (Replies that included a macro ÷ Total agent replies sent) × 100

Macro usage rate measures adoption. Track it alongside CSAT and reopen rate for those conversations — high macro usage with normal CSAT means macros are working; high usage with declining CSAT suggests macros are being used where personalization was needed.

— Benchmark ranges —

B2B SaaS support teams with active macro programs

Excellent adoption40%+ of replies use a macro
Good adoption25–40%
Low adoption10–25%
Review libraryBelow 10%
— Calculator —

Calculate your macro usage rate

Macro usage rate38.8%
— Common mistakes —
  • 1Using macros for issues that require personalization — sending a generic "thanks for reaching out" macro to a churning enterprise customer having a critical outage damages the relationship.
  • 2Not auditing the macro library quarterly — outdated macros with wrong product names, deprecated features, or old pricing create more problems than they solve.
  • 3Tracking macro usage rate without tracking macro CSAT — a macro that drives low satisfaction should be rewritten or retired, not just tracked for adoption.
  • 4Letting every agent create their own macros — without governance, macro libraries grow into hundreds of overlapping, inconsistent templates that are harder to use than writing from scratch.

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