Replying to Messages

Respond to customer SMS and email conversations directly from the inbox — choose your channel, use quick reply templates or AI-suggested replies, and track delivery status for every message you send.

Where to find it — Web: Sidebar → Engage → Inbox → open a conversation → reply composer at the bottom. Mobile: Messages tab → open a conversation → reply composer at the bottom.

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Overview

Replying to messages lets you:

• Reply to SMS conversations (up to 320 characters) or email conversations (up to 10,000 characters)
• Use quick reply templates to insert pre-written responses with one click
• Get AI-suggested replies that analyse the conversation and generate 2–3 short options
• Draft replies with the AI Concierge for more detailed, context-aware responses (PRO)
• Track delivery status for every message you send
• Use keyboard shortcuts for faster workflows (Ctrl+Enter or ⌘+Enter to send)

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Composing a reply

Step 1: Open a conversation

1. Go to Engage → Inbox on web, or the Messages tab on mobile.
2. Tap or click a conversation to open the thread.
3. The reply composer appears at the bottom of the conversation detail.

The composer automatically detects the conversation channel and adjusts accordingly:

Channel	Placeholder text	Character limit
SMS	"Type your reply… or / for quick replies"	320 characters
Email	"Type your email reply…"	10,000 characters

Step 2: Write your message

Type your message in the text field. A label below the composer confirms "Sending as [venue name]" so you know which identity the customer will see.

Step 3: Send

Click the Send button (arrow icon) or use the keyboard shortcut:

• Windows/Linux: Ctrl+Enter
• Mac: ⌘+Enter

The send button disables while the message is being delivered, then re-enables. A keyboard hint below the composer reminds you of the shortcut.

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SMS character counter

For SMS replies, a character counter appears on the right side of the composer:

Count	Display	Meaning
0–279	"{count}/320"	Within normal range
280–319	"{count}/320" + amber "near limit"	Approaching the limit
320+	"{count}/320" + red "over limit"	Over the limit — send button disabled

If the message exceeds 160 characters (a single SMS segment), a segment counter appears: "{N} SMS credits". Each additional segment consumes one more SMS from your allocation.

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Using quick replies

Quick replies are pre-saved message templates your team can insert with one click.

On web

1. Click "Quick replies" (file icon) in the composer toolbar, or type / when the text field is empty.
2. A popover opens with a search field and your template list.
3. Type to search by name or body text.
4. Click a template to insert its body into the composer.

On mobile

1. Tap the quick replies icon (file icon) in the reply toolbar.
2. A sheet opens with a search field and your templates.
3. Search or scroll to find the template.
4. Tap a template to insert the body into the composer.

Selecting a template replaces the current message text. You can edit the inserted text before sending.

Click "Manage quick replies" at the bottom of the popover (web) to create, edit, or delete templates. Template management is only available on web.

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AI-suggested replies

The AI can analyse the conversation and suggest short reply options.

1. Click "Suggest reply" (sparkles icon) in the composer footer.
2. The AI reads the last 6 messages in the conversation.
3. Two to three suggested replies appear as pills above the text field.
4. Click a pill to insert the suggested text into the composer.
5. Edit the text if needed, then send.

Click the X button on the suggestion bar to dismiss the suggestions.

Suggestions are generated fresh each time — they are not cached between sessions.

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Concierge draft (PRO)

For more detailed or nuanced replies, use the AI Concierge:

1. Click "Draft with Concierge" (message icon) in the composer footer.
2. The Concierge opens with the conversation context pre-loaded.
3. The AI drafts a context-aware reply based on the full conversation history.
4. Review and edit the draft, then copy it back to the reply composer.

The "Draft with Concierge" button appears only for PRO venues.

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Delivery status

After sending a reply, the message appears in the conversation thread with a timestamp. Delivery status indicators show whether the message was received:

Status	Indicator	Meaning
Sent	Timestamp only	Message sent to delivery provider
Delivered	No error indicator	Message delivered successfully
Failed	Red alert triangle + "Failed to deliver"	Message could not be delivered

Failed messages show the error details below the message bubble (e.g. invalid phone number, network error). The Twilio error message is displayed when available.

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What happens when you reply

When you send a manual reply to a conversation:

• The message is delivered via your venue's dedicated SMS number (for SMS) or venue email (for email)
• The message appears in the customer's conversation thread with a "You" sender label and indigo background
• AI handling pauses for that conversation — the AI will not auto-respond while you are actively replying
• The reply counts against your transactional SMS or email allocation

For email replies:

• The subject line is "Re: [original subject]" (or "Re: Your message" if no original subject)
• Proper email threading headers (In-Reply-To, References) are included so the reply appears in the same thread in the customer's email client
• The from address shows your venue name, with a reply-to address for continued correspondence

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Role access

Action	Owner	Manager	Stylist
View inbox conversations	Yes	Yes	No
Reply to SMS conversations	Yes	Yes	No
Reply to email conversations	Yes	Yes	No
Use quick replies	Yes	Yes	No
Use AI-suggested replies	Yes	Yes	No
Draft with Concierge	Yes	Yes	No
Send one-off quick SMS	Yes	Yes	Yes

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Platform differences

Feature	Web	Mobile
Quick replies access	"Quick replies" button + / keyboard shortcut	Quick replies icon in reply toolbar
AI suggested replies	"Suggest reply" button in composer footer	Same
Concierge draft	"Draft with Concierge" in footer	Same
Send shortcut	Ctrl+Enter (Windows) / ⌘+Enter (Mac)	Not available
Character counter (SMS)	Right side of composer	Right side of composer
Compose new message	Not available (reply-only)	Customer picker modal for new SMS

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Troubleshooting

Issue	Solution
Send button is greyed out	For SMS, check the character counter — the send button disables when the message exceeds 320 characters. For both channels, the button disables while a message is being sent. Clear the "over limit" text or wait for the current send to complete.
Cannot reply via SMS	SMS replies require a dedicated phone number via the Engage add-on. Check Settings → Engage to verify your number status. NZ venues cannot send SMS — email replies are available instead.
Quick replies popover is empty	No quick reply templates have been created yet. Click "Manage quick replies" at the bottom of the popover to create your first template, or ask the venue Owner to set them up on web.
AI suggested replies not appearing	Click "Suggest reply" in the composer footer — suggestions are not generated automatically. The AI needs at least one inbound message in the conversation to generate suggestions.
"/" shortcut not opening quick replies	The / shortcut only works when the composer text field is empty. If there is text in the field, clear it first or use the "Quick replies" button instead.
Reply sent but customer did not receive it	Check the delivery status indicator on your sent message. If it shows "Failed to deliver", the customer's phone number or email address may be invalid. SMS failures can also occur if the customer's carrier is blocking messages.
Email reply not threading correctly	Email replies include proper threading headers (In-Reply-To, References). If the customer's email client is not grouping replies, the issue is with their email provider's threading logic, not OpenChair.

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Related Articles

• Using the Inbox
• Quick Replies
• Sending Quick Messages
• SMS & Email Allocation and Limits

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Last updated: March 2026