Live chat canned responses for the questions that stop a sale
21 live chat canned responses for the questions people ask before they buy: price, billing, refunds, setup, security, switching tools and talking to a person. Each has a shortcut, when to use it, what never to promise and its approved source, with a Word template and an Excel library.
Made by Anatolii Ulitovskyi 
Fact-checked by RH Fardin Updated 1. Pricing replies: plans, total cost, discounts and trials
Start hereThese live chat canned responses answer the first buying question: what will it cost me? Quote the pricing page and give one link.
1.1/price-plans: Which plan fits
When to useThey ask what it costs or which plan fits.
Approved sourcePricing page
Never promiseA price or feature that is not on the pricing page.
ReplyHi first name, for their team size, the plan plan fits best: price a month billed yearly, or monthly price month to month. It includes what they asked about. All plans: link to pricing page. Shall I compare it with how you work today?
1.2/price-total: Extra costs and the full total
When to useThey ask about setup fees, taxes or add-ons.
Approved sourcePricing page and terms
Never promise"No other costs" unless the pricing page says so.
ReplyPlan costs price and includes users and limits. On top of that: setup fee or none, add-ons and their prices and tax rule, for example sales tax added at checkout. You see the full total before you pay: link to pricing page.
1.3/price-discount: Discount or a lower price
When to useThey ask for a discount or a cheaper option.
Approved sourcePricing page and approved offers
Never promiseA custom discount, or an offer that "ends today".
ReplyI understand, first name. Our prices are the same for every customer: link to pricing page. The simplest way to pay less is approved option, for example yearly billing. For special cases, owner decides and replies by time.
1.4/price-trial: Free trial or free plan
When to useThey want to try first, or ask if a card is needed.
Approved sourceTrial terms
Never promiseA longer trial than your terms allow.
ReplyYes, you can try product free for trial length, with or without a card. When the trial ends, what happens, for example you choose a plan. Start here: link to sign-up page.
TipWrite prices exactly as the pricing page shows them, with the billing period and the currency.
2. Billing replies: monthly or yearly, canceling and refunds
Owner approvalBilling questions come right before the purchase. Quote your terms, link them and send exceptions to the person who decides.
2.1/billing-yearly: Monthly or yearly
When to useThey compare monthly and yearly billing.
Approved sourcePricing page
Never promiseA saving you have not checked.
ReplyMonthly billing is monthly price a month. Yearly billing is yearly price a month, paid as yearly total once a year, so you save saving. Switching rule, for example you can move to yearly at any time. Both options: link to pricing page.
2.2/billing-cancel: How to cancel
When to useThey ask how to cancel, or about a contract.
Approved sourceTerms of service, cancellation
Never promise"No contract" when there is one.
ReplyYou can cancel at any time in where to cancel. Contract rule, for example there is no minimum term. Your plan stays active until the end of the paid period, and you are not charged again. You can export your data for number days. Full terms: link to cancellation terms.
2.3/billing-refund: Refunds
When to useThey ask if they can get their money back.
Approved sourceRefund policy
Never promiseA refund outside the written policy.
ReplyHere is how refunds work, first name: refund rule, for example full refund within 30 days of payment. After that, what happens. Full policy: link to refund policy. If your case is different, owner decides on exceptions.
TipCopy refund and cancellation rules word for word from your terms.
3. Setup replies: how long it takes and who helps
Buyers who like the price still stop if setup sounds like a project. Give the usual range, the steps and the guide.
3.1/setup-time: How long setup takes
When to useThey ask how long it takes or how much work it is.
Approved sourceGetting-started guide
Never promise"Five minutes", or a go-live date.
ReplyMost customer type are up and running in usual range. The steps are step 1, step 2 and step 3. It takes longer if main factor, for example you have many users. Guide: link to getting-started guide.
3.2/setup-help: Who helps with setup
When to useThey ask if you set it up or train the team.
Approved sourcePricing page and onboarding page
Never promiseSetup help or training that their plan does not include.
ReplyOn the plan plan you get help included, for example email support and one setup call. Extra help and its price. Our team replies within support reply time on working days. What would you like help with first?
4. Security and privacy replies backed by your own documents
Owner approvalAnswer only with what your security page, privacy policy and contracts say. Pass the rest to whoever signs them.
4.1/security-data: Where data is stored
When to useThey ask where data is stored or who sees it.
Approved sourceSecurity page
Never promiseA certification or data location you cannot show in writing, such as SOC 2.
ReplyGood question, first name. Your data is stored where, as your security page says and protected by measures you can document. Only who has access can see it. Details: link to security page.
4.2/security-gdpr: GDPR and data agreements
When to useThey ask about GDPR, a data agreement or deleting data.
Approved sourcePrivacy policy and data processing agreement
Never promise"Fully compliant" as a blanket claim.
ReplyWe process personal data as described here: link to privacy policy. How to get your data processing agreement. You can export or delete your data how. If your legal team has more questions, owner replies within time.
4.3/security-cards: Card and payment safety
When to useThey ask if paying is safe or if you store cards.
Approved sourceCheckout page and security page
Never promiseA payment security standard you do not hold.
ReplyPayments are processed by payment provider, so card numbers are or are not stored on our servers. You enter your card on where. Please do not share card details in this chat. More: link to security page.
TipNo security page yet? Write a short one with what you can prove, then link it here.
5. Migration replies for buyers switching from another tool
Buyers who use another tool fear losing data and time. Say what moves over, what does not and how long it takes.
5.1/migrate-import: Moving data from another tool
When to useThey ask if they can bring their data.
Approved sourceImport guide
Never promiseThat everything moves over.
ReplyYes, first name. You can bring what can be imported from their current tool. Export a file type, for example CSV and import it in where. What does not move over. Guide: link to import guide.
5.2/migrate-switch: How the switch works
When to useThey worry about double work while they switch.
Approved sourceMigration guide
Never promiseA fixed switch date, or "no downtime".
ReplyMost teams switch in usual range: step 1, for example import your data, step 2, for example test with two people, then step 3. You can keep their current tool until you are ready. Guide: link to migration guide.
5.3/migrate-help: Help moving the data
When to useThey want you to do the import for them.
Approved sourcePricing page and import guide
Never promiseImport help that their plan does not include.
ReplyOn the plan plan, we help with import help included. For large imports, rule, for example we quote a fixed fee first. Tell me how many records you have, and owner will confirm the next step by time.
6. Escalation replies: hand the chat to a person
Never refuseNever argue with a request for a person. Say who takes over, that they see the chat and when they reply.
6.1/person-now: Hand over to a person
When to useThey ask for a human, a call or a demo.
Approved sourceHandover rules and team schedule
Never promiseA reply time your team cannot keep.
ReplyOf course. I am passing this chat to name, who handles topic. Name can see our conversation, so you will not need to repeat anything. Expected reply: within minutes.
6.2/person-later: Nobody available right now
When to useThey ask for a person after hours.
Approved sourceContact page and booking page
Never promiseA call back today when nobody is working.
ReplyOur team is back at time, day and time zone. I have saved your question, and name will reply by time. If you prefer a call, pick a time here: link to booking page.
6.3/person-decision: Needs an owner's decision
When to useThey ask for an exception or custom terms.
Approved sourceYour approval rules
Never promiseThe outcome. Say who decides and by when.
ReplyThat needs approval from owner, so I will not guess. I have sent them your request with the details from this chat. You will get an answer by date. Is email or phone the best way to reach you?
TipName a backup for every owner, so a handover never lands in an empty inbox.
7. Opening, hold and closing lines for sales chats
Open with what you can help with, say how long a check takes and close with one next step.
7.1/open-pricing: Opening on the pricing page
When to useA visitor starts a chat from pricing or checkout.
Approved sourcePricing page
Never promiseHelp right away when nobody is online.
ReplyHi first name, thanks for reaching out. I can help you pick a plan or answer questions about billing, setup or your data. What would you like to know?
7.2/hold-check: Hold while you check
When to useYou need more than a minute to check.
Approved sourceYour reply-time targets
Never promiseAn answer you have not found yet.
ReplyGood question, first name. I want to give you the exact answer, so I am checking source or teammate. I will be back here within minutes.
7.3/close-next-step: Close with one next step
When to useTheir questions are answered and they seem ready.
Approved sourceSign-up page or booking page
Never promiseExtra discounts or free months to close.
ReplyGlad that helped, first name. The next step is one step, for example start your trial: link. If more questions come up, reply here or email email address. Anything else before you go?
For small sales and support teams
Save these replies once and insert them with a slash.
In CRMsoftware.pro, saved replies live in Settings > Saved Replies. Type the shortcut in the chat reply box, adjust the details and send. The AI agent gives the same answers from your knowledge base when nobody is online.
- Shortcut, title and reply body, shared with your team
- Auto-translation of visitor messages and your replies in the inbox
- Saved replies on Growth, $49 a month billed yearly for 20 users
Free plan: 3 users, AI chat, no credit card.
Filled example
Four saved replies in one chat, ending in a trial
A salon owner asks a fictional booking app about price, refunds, moving 2,300 clients and card safety. The AI agent answers the price from the knowledge base. Maya then uses four canned responses in a row.
Saved replies Maya used
| Shortcut | Source | Personalized |
|---|---|---|
| /billing-refund | Refund policy | Name, yearly plan |
| /migrate-import | Import guide | 2,300 clients |
| /security-cards | Security page | Their current app |
| /close-next-step | Sign-up page | Call on Friday |
Library entry: /billing-refund
| Owner | Maya, sales |
| Last reviewed | 1 October 2026 |
| Next review | 31 October 2026 |
| Status | OK |
What lands in the CRM
| Lead | Lena Ortiz, owner, Studio Lumen |
| Deal | Studio plan, yearly, $948 |
| Blockers | Refunds, data import, card data |
| Next step | Import call, Friday 9 October, 10:00 |
| Outcome | Trial started 7 October |
Why it matters
Buyers check your chat answers against your website
In a Gartner survey of 632 B2B buyers, 69% reported inconsistencies between the information on a seller's website and what its sellers told them, and 61% prefer an overall buying experience without a sales rep1. A saved reply that quotes and links the approved page gives the same answer as your website.
The questions that stop a purchase are predictable. In Baymard Institute's 2026 survey of 1,083 US online shoppers, 40% had abandoned a purchase because extra costs were too high, 19% because they did not trust the site with their card and 13% because of the returns policy2.
Speed matters too. When SuperOffice tested live chat on 1,000 company websites for its 2020 study, 21% of chats started during support hours got no answer and the average wait was 2 minutes 40 seconds. The fastest companies often used pre-written templates3.
69%
of B2B buyers found that website and seller information did not match
40%
of online shoppers had abandoned a purchase over extra costs
21%
of live chats got no answer in a test of 1,000 websites
Rules
Rules that keep saved replies accurate
Agree on these four rules before anyone shares a reply with the team.
Who approves
One owner per category: prices and billing by whoever sets prices, security by whoever signs contracts, setup and migration by the onboarding lead. A reply is shared only after its owner approves it.
Review dates
Prices and billing every 30 days and on the day they change. Setup, security, migration and handover every 90 days. Opening and closing lines every 180 days. Fix or switch off overdue replies within a week.
Personalize in 5 seconds
Add their name, repeat one detail they gave you and delete any sentence that does not fit. Keep the facts and the link as approved.
ExampleHi Lena, for your 2,300 clients: export them as a CSV file.
When not to use one
Write your own words or hand over when the customer is upset, mentions legal action, asks for an exception or repeats a question. Never send a reply with a placeholder left in it.
Success measure: a saved reply used in a real conversation with a buyer. Log each use in the Excel usage log and check monthly which replies end in a trial, a call or a sale.
Never promise
What a canned reply must never promise
These promises sound helpful in chat and cost money or trust later.
| Topic | Do not say | Say instead | Who decides |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discounts | I can give you 20% off if you sign today. | Our prices are the same for every customer. I can pass special cases to the owner. | Founder or sales lead |
| Refunds | No problem, we will refund you. | Here is how refunds work, with a link to the full policy. | Billing owner |
| Compliance | We are fully GDPR compliant and SOC 2 certified. | Here is our privacy policy. I will pass your specific requirements to the owner. | Whoever signs contracts |
| Release dates | That feature is coming next month. | It is not available today. I can let you know if that changes. | Product owner |
| Uptime | We never go down. | Here is our status page with current and past uptime. Use it only if you have one. | Technical lead |
| Setup effort | It takes five minutes. | The usual range from real customers, and what makes it take longer. | Onboarding lead |
If a promise is not written on an approved page, it does not belong in a saved reply.
Excel library
What is in the Excel reply library
Three sheets: Reply library with all 21 replies, Usage log and Summary. Auto columns fill in by themselves. Opens in Excel, LibreOffice and Google Sheets.
| Column | What it holds |
|---|---|
| Shortcut, title, category | The slash shortcut, a short name and one of the 7 categories from a list. |
| When to use, reply body, never promise | When the reply fits, the approved wording and what it must not promise. |
| Approved source and link | The page the answer comes from and its exact link. |
| Owner, last reviewed, review every | Who keeps it correct, when they last checked and the days until the next check. |
| Next review Auto | Last reviewed plus the review interval. |
| Status Auto | Missing source while the link is empty, Review due when the date has passed or was never set, otherwise OK. |
| Times used Auto | How often the shortcut appears in the Usage log. |
All 21 replies start as Missing source until you add links to your own pages. The sample log has 8 uses in 4 conversations, including the Fernway chat: 7 of the 8 were in chats that ended in a trial or a booked call.
How to set up
Set up your saved replies in 5 steps
- 1
Collect the real questions
Read your last 50 chats and emails from people who had not bought yet. Note each question in their words.
- 2
Link every fact to a page
Pricing, terms, refund policy, security page, import guide. No page yet? Write it before the reply.
- 3
Get the owner's approval
The owner checks the wording and the never-promise line, then sets the review date.
- 4
Save them as shortcuts
Use one pattern, such as /price- and /billing-, so the team finds replies by the first letters.
- 5
Log use and review monthly
Rewrite replies nobody uses. Add a reply for any answer typed by hand three times.
Set it up in CRMsoftware.pro
- Open Settings > Saved Replies and click New reply.
- Enter the Shortcut (lowercase, no spaces, for example /price-plans), a Title and the Reply body.
- Turn on Share with team, then click Create reply.
- In a customer chat, type the shortcut in the reply box, pick the reply with the arrow keys and press Enter. Replace the brackets before you send.
- Add the same approved answers to your bot's Knowledge Base (My Bots, Basics tab), so the AI agent gives the same facts when nobody is online.
Saved replies and auto-translation in the inbox: Growth, $49 a month billed yearly for 20 users. Human handover and the unified inbox: Launch, $19 a month billed yearly. Free: AI chat with a basic knowledge base.
Monthly reply review, 20 minutes
- Prices, plan names and limits match the pricing page today.
- Every link opens the exact page, not the home page.
- Replies past their review date are checked and re-dated.
- Replies nobody used this month are rewritten or removed.
FAQ
Questions about live chat canned responses
What are live chat canned responses?
Pre-written replies your team inserts into a chat with a shortcut and adjusts before sending. Good ones answer one question with approved facts, link their source page and have an owner and a review date.
Which canned responses for customer service should every team have?
A greeting, a hold message, a closing line and a handover to a person. Before a sale, add replies for price, extra costs, monthly versus yearly billing, canceling, refunds, setup, security and switching tools.
How do I make chat canned messages sound less robotic?
Keep them short and plain, then personalize each one: add the person's name, repeat one detail they gave you and delete what does not apply. That takes about 5 seconds.
What should a canned response never promise?
Custom discounts, refunds outside your policy, compliance claims you cannot show in writing, release dates, uptime guarantees and exact setup times. If it is not on an approved page, leave it out.
How often should canned responses be reviewed?
Price and billing replies every 30 days and whenever prices change, most others every 90 days, greetings and closings every 180 days. The Excel library flags replies that are due.
When should you not use a canned response?
When the customer is upset, mentions legal action, asks for an exception or repeats a question. Write your own reply or hand the chat to the person who decides.
How fast should you reply in live chat?
Faster than most companies do. In SuperOffice's test of 1,000 company websites, the average wait was 2 minutes 40 seconds, 21% of chats got no answer, and the fastest companies often used pre-written templates3.
How do I add saved replies in CRMsoftware.pro?
Open Settings > Saved Replies, click New reply, enter a Shortcut, a Title and the Reply body, and turn on Share with team. Then type the shortcut in a chat reply box. Saved replies come with Growth, $49 a month billed yearly.
Can the AI agent give the same answers as my saved replies?
Yes, if you add the same approved answers to its knowledge base. In CRMsoftware.pro, paste them into Knowledge Base on your bot's Basics tab; the Free plan includes a basic knowledge base.
Related templates
Free tools
Sources
- Survey of 632 B2B buyers, August to September 2024, published 25 June 2025: Gartner Sales Survey Finds 61% of B2B Buyers Prefer a Rep-Free Buying Experience
- 2026 survey of 1,083 US adults who shopped online in the past 3 months: Baymard Institute, 50 Cart Abandonment Rate Statistics 2026
- Test of live chat on 1,000 company websites in the US and Europe, 2020 study: SuperOffice, New Research: 21% of Companies Fail to Respond to Live Chat Requests
- Plans and prices: CRMsoftware.pro pricing
Answer the last question before they buy.
Start free with 3 users, AI chat and a basic knowledge base. Launch, $19 a month billed yearly, adds human handover and the unified inbox. Growth, $49 a month billed yearly for 20 users, adds saved replies and auto-translation in the inbox.