Responding to customer enquiries: templates and a simple routine

Every enquiry is a customer deciding whether to pick you. A clear, quick reply that answers the question and says what happens next does most of the work. Here are four reply templates you can adapt, a simple way to log enquiries so none get lost, and the UK data protection and email marketing rules to know before you follow up.

A simple routine for enquiries

1. Check for new enquiries at set times, for example first thing and after lunch. Our guide to inbox triage shows a routine that fits around the rest of your day.
2. Reply with the right template, changed to fit the person and the question.
3. Log it in a sheet or CRM with the date, name, what they asked and the next step.
4. Follow up on the date you said you would.

Four reply templates

Change the words in square brackets, and read each reply as the customer would before you send it.

1. Thanks, here's what happens next

Hi [Name], thanks for getting in touch about [what they asked]. [Answer, or the one thing you need from them]. I'll come back to you by [day]. If anything changes before then, just reply to this email. [Your name], [business name]

2. Asking for the details you need to quote

Hi [Name], thanks for asking about [service]. So I can give you an accurate price, could you send [two or three details, such as address, size, dates or photos]? Once I have those, I'll send your quote by [day]. [Your name]

3. Booking a visit, viewing or call-back

Hi [Name], thanks for your enquiry. I can [visit, show you round or call you] on [day and time] or [day and time]. Just reply with the one that suits you, or suggest another. [Your name]

4. When you can't help this time

Hi [Name], thanks for thinking of us. We're [fully booked until date, or not the right fit for this job], so I don't want to keep you waiting. [If you know one: You could try ...]. Thanks again, and do get in touch if you need us for [what you do] in future. [Your name]

Log every enquiry

A log shows which enquiries never got a reply and where your customers come from. Keep it simple: date, name, contact details, what they asked, your reply, the next step and the date for it. A weekly look at the log is enough to catch anything missed.

The rules to know

Tell people how you'll use their details. The ICO's guidance on the right to be informed says you must provide privacy information to individuals at the time you collect their personal data from them. That includes your purposes for using it, how long you'll keep it and who it will be shared with. A short line with a link to your privacy notice on your enquiry form, or wherever you first take their details, is a simple way to do it.

Replying isn't the same as marketing. Answering someone's enquiry is one thing. Adding them to your marketing emails is another. The ICO's guidance says you must not send marketing emails or texts to individuals without specific consent, with a limited exception for your own previous customers, often called the "soft opt-in". It applies where:

they are an existing customer who bought (or negotiated to buy) a similar product or service from you in the past, and you gave them a simple way to opt out both when you first collected their details and in every message you have sent.

The ICO also says the soft opt-in doesn't apply to prospective customers or new contacts, for example from bought-in lists. If you're not sure, ask for consent with a clear opt-in. The ICO notes that this guidance is under review after the Data (Use and Access) Act, so check the page before you rely on it.

Where an assistant fits

Logging enquiries and preparing replies from your templates follow the same steps every time, so an assistant can do them. Replies go out in your name, though, so set it up so each one waits for your approval before it's sent. The same routine works for chasing unpaid invoices. Weighing up the cost of help? See what a virtual assistant costs in the UK.

Questions

How quickly should a small business reply to an enquiry?

As soon as you reasonably can, and on the same day if possible. If you can't answer fully yet, send a short reply that says when you will.

Can I add someone who enquired to my mailing list?

Only if they've given specific consent, or the soft opt-in applies: they bought, or negotiated to buy, a similar product or service from you and you gave them a simple way to opt out when you collected their details and in every message. If you're unsure, ask for consent.

Can an assistant reply to enquiries for me?

It can prepare the replies. We set it up to ask for your approval before it sends, so nothing goes out in your name until you've approved it.

Want it set up for you?

Grok Bot setup by Your Evenings is our done-for-you service. Tell us the job by email. We set it up on Grok Bot, test it with dry runs and check it each month. We set it up to ask for your approval before it sends or pays. It's £750 a month and renews monthly until you cancel. There's no minimum term, and you can cancel any time by email. You need your own Grok Bot plan, in your own account; the £750 doesn't cover your Grok Bot plan. Read the terms before you subscribe. Get my admin handled

Your Evenings is an independent service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Grok Bot or its maker, SpaceX Super Intelligence LLC (SpaceXSI).

Sources

• ICO: The right to be informed (read 31 October 2026)
• ICO: Guide to PECR, electronic mail marketing (read 31 October 2026)
• Your Evenings Ltd, Grok Bot setup service page (read 31 October 2026), for what our service does.

Written with AI assistance by the Your Evenings team at Your Evenings Ltd. Last updated 31 October 2026.