Email Auto Reply
This node type allows an automatic response to be sent to the customer, acknowledging that the email has been received and will be dealt with.
When an email is received, it is placed in a queue to be passed to an agent to be handled. The customer who sent the email does not get an acknowledgement that their email has been received until the agent responds directly. As agent response times are usually longer for emails, customers may not get a response as quickly as they would with a call or chat. Auto-replies manage the customers’ expectations and confirm that their emails have been received.
The node type takes a standard text block and sends it back to an SMTP server for delivery to the customer.
Note: This node is placed ideally between an Email Arrived node and a Queue Email node.
The email flow could be configured to send different auto-reply messages at different times of the day.
The following parameters can be set:
| Parameter | How many? | Type | Description |
| SMTP Server | 1 | The SMTP server via which auto-replies are sent. The node type sends the auto-reply message to this SMTP server, which then delivers it to the customer. Note: The auto-reply is set per incoming email server (IMAP), not per email queue. However, the email flow could be configured to subsequently enable it on a per-queue basis. The SMTP servers that are available to use are defined by a company administrator in the Administrator Portal (Email > Email Servers). | |
| Email Template | 1 | The text block to use for the auto-reply message. The text blocks that are available to use are defined by a company administrator in the Administrator Portal (Agent Assets > Text Blocks). | |
| From Email Address | 0 or 1 | String | An optional “From” address to display in the email auto-reply header. If this is not specified, one of the following parameters (if configured by a company administrator in the Administrator Portal) is used: The From Email Address of the selected text block (Agent Assets > Text Blocks) The User address associated with the SMTP server account (Email > Email Servers). If necessary, multiple “From” addresses could be supported in the email flow, by placing multiple Email Auto Reply nodes, each using a different SMTP server (with a different From Email Address specified). Note: If required, this parameter for can be set to User-configurable so that it can accept a value specified by a company administrator using the Administrator Portal. For more information, see Adding user-configurable values. |
| Email Subject | 0 or 1 | String | An optional subject line to display in the email auto-reply header. If this is not specified, one of the following is used: The Subject parameter of the selected text block, if configured by a company administrator in the Administrator Portal (Agent Assets > Text Blocks) The default subject, which is Re: followed by the subject line in the received email. Note: If required, this parameter for can be set to User-configurable so that it can accept a value specified by a company administrator using the Administrator Portal. For more information, see Adding user-configurable values. |
The following branch can be taken:
| Branch | How many? | Description |
| Next | 1 | This branch is always taken. |