Reply faster to "Where's my order?" & more

If you run a small business, you probably answer the same handful of emails every week. Where is my order? Do you do custom work? What are your hours? Each one only takes a few minutes, but those minutes add up. Here's how I'd set things up so a first draft is waiting for you in seconds, and you only have to read it, tweak it, and hit send.

What you'll need

• A list of the five questions customers ask you most
• A free ChatGPT account
• Your usual email

Steps

1. Look through your last month of emails and write down the five questions that keep coming back.
2. Under each question, jot a few words about how you usually answer it. Keep it rough. Bullet points are fine.
3. Copy the prompt below into ChatGPT and fill in the parts in brackets.
4. Paste in a real customer email and ask for a reply.
5. Read the draft out loud. Change anything that doesn't sound like you, then send it.
6. Save the prompt somewhere handy, like a note on your phone, so it's ready next time.

You are helping me answer customer emails for my small business, [business name].
I sell [what you sell] to [who your customers are].
Here are the questions I get most, with how I usually answer:
[question 1]: [your answer notes]
[question 2]: [your answer notes]
[question 3]: [your answer notes]
Write a short, warm reply in a friendly, personal voice. Use my notes for the facts.
If the email asks something my notes don't cover, say so instead of guessing.
Here is the email: [paste the customer's email]

A few tips

• You're still the one sending it. Always read the draft before it goes out. AI is quick, but it doesn't know your customer the way you do.
• Give it your facts. The more your notes say, the less the AI has to guess.
• Keep private details out. Leave out card numbers, passwords and anything a customer shared in confidence.

Once this is set up, the emails you dread start taking about a minute each. That's time back for the work you actually love.