Viber Auto Reply: How to Set Auto Reply in Viber [July 2023]

Want to learn how to set up Viber auto reply for your business? We’ve got you. In this article, we’ll explain what a Viber auto reply is, the benefits of using auto reply and finally, how to set up auto reply for Viber bot.

What is Viber Auto Reply

Viber auto reply allows you to send automated messages to your customers even when you are not available to respond to their queries. This useful feature enables you to be there for your customers 24/7.

This is an image that describes the two common types of viber auto reply bot messages and they are greeting messages and away messages — Two common types of auto reply Viber

There are two common types of auto reply messages:

Greeting messages: Welcome messages that businesses send when customers initiate a conversation
Away messages: Messages that automatically respond to customers outside of business hours

In the next section, we’ll share how auto replies benefit your business.

Why Use Auto Reply Viber

Unlike traditional channels like email, customers expect immediate responses when they contact you via an instant messaging app like Viber. However, that’s not always possible because most businesses don’t operate around the clock.

One easy solution is to set up away messages to assure customers that you’ll attend to them when you return. You include your operation hours and expected response time in your message.

Not only does this help manage customers’ expectations, but the drop in response time also elevates customers’ satisfaction as it reassures them that their messages have been received.

This is an image that describes the benefits of using auto reply in Viber. Automating messages helps to manage customers' expectations, create a strong first impression and you can also add a pre-chat survey to collect customers' information. — Benefits of using auto reply in Viber

You can also automate welcome messages to greet customers the first time they message you on Viber. These welcome messages help make a positive first impression by providing a timely and friendly response.

To bring your auto reply message to the next level, you can even include a pre-chat survey in the message. This helps collect customers’ information and inquiry details to give agents some context before they reply.

Now that you understand what an auto reply is, let’s take a look at how to set up Viber auto reply next.

How to Set Up Viber Auto Reply

Unlike WhatsApp and Instagram, you can’t set up auto-reply messages natively on the Viber app. Instead, you need to use a Viber bot. As Viber bots do not have a messaging interface, connect yours to a messaging inbox like respond.io to send and receive messages.

Then, set up your auto replies on respond.io. Let’s head over to the next section to find out how.

Setting Up Viber Auto Reply on respond.io

All automation on respond.io is set up on the platform’s flagship automation builder, the Workflows Module. Once you have connected your Viber bot to respond.io, follow the instructions below to set up welcome and away messages for your business.

1. Select Workflows on the side navigation menu and click on Add Workflow.

This is a screenshot that shows the first step of setting up Viber auto reply on respond.io — Click *Add Workflow* to get started

2. Set the Workflow Trigger to Conversation Opened.

This is a screenshot of the second step of how to set auto reply in viber. Set workflow trigger to conversation open. — Set Workflow Trigger to Conversation Opened

3. Add the Date & Time Step to set your business hours.

This is a screenshot of the third step of setting auto reply in viber. Here, you need to add your business hours to the workflow. — Add your business hours

Now, you can set up greeting messages in the Success Branch and away messages in the Failure Branch.

4. Click on the + node under the Success and Failure Branches to add a Send A Message Step. Make sure you select Viber as your channel.

This is a screenshot that shows the fourth step of how to set auto reply in viber. First, click on the + button and click Send a Message. Make sure to select Viber as your channel. — Add a Send a Message under the Success and Failure Branches

5. Draft your greeting message in the text field for the Success Branch and your away message in the text field for the Failure Branch.

This is a screenshot that describes the fifth step of setting viber auto reply bot. Now, it's time to draft your messages for both welcome message and away message. — Craft your welcome and away messages

6. Add the Ask a Question Step beneath your away message to request customers’ information so you can contact them when you’re back online.

This is a screenshot that describes the final step of how to set auto reply in viber. Add the ask a question step to collect customers' information and attend to them when you're back online. — Collect customers’ information by adding a *Ask A Question Step*

The responses can be saved as Variables, Contact Fields or Tags to be used in other parts of the Workflow. Once you’re done, save and publish it.

And that’s how you set up Viber auto reply for your business. In the next section, we’ll go through a list of auto reply message examples businesses can use for different scenarios.

Viber Auto Reply Message Samples

There are several ways you can use Viber auto reply messages to engage with customers. These messages should provide them with suitable solutions or answers to their queries.

This is an image that describes the types of auto reply messages in Viber. There are general greetings, away messages, holiday greetings, business updates and lead capture messages. — The different types of Viber auto reply bot messages

We have identified five types of Viber auto reply messages to help businesses engage with customers and drive their desired actions. Check out some of these ready-to-use Viber auto reply message samples for your business.

General Welcome

Making a strong first impression will help you develop a meaningful relationship with potential customers. Welcome messages are a great way to ease customers into your brand, build brand loyalty and win trust.

Below we share some welcome message templates and samples to help you craft your message effectively.

This is an screenshot of a greeting message on Viber. — An example of a greeting message on Viber

1. “Hi, welcome to [business name]. How may we assist you today?”

2. “Hello! We’re so excited to hear from you. We’ll be in touch with you shortly.”

3. “Hello there! Thank you for your message, we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. In the meantime, you can check out our upcoming promos here: [link] 😊”

Away Messages

One of the most common auto reply messages is away messages. Here’s a list of away messages you can use to inform customers that you’re unavailable.

This is a screenshot that shows an example of an away message on Viber. — Viber auto reply bot: An example of an away message

1. “Hi 👋 thanks for your message. We'd love to help, but this is outside of our business hours. We'll get back to you within 24 hours.”

2. “Dear customer, we’re closed from [date] to [date]. There’ll be a delay in replies and we appreciate your understanding 🙏🏻 Cheers, [business name]”

3. “Thank you for contacting [business name]. We’re currently closed, but will get back to you as soon as possible. In the meantime, check out our website for more information: [link].”

Holiday Greetings

Whether you are open or closed during the holidays, customers will send you messages all the same. Here are some Viber holiday greeting messages for your reference.

This is a screenshot of a holiday greeting message on Viber app. — Viber auto reply: An example of a holiday greeting message

1. “Merry Christmas🎄 Thank you for reaching out. We’re busy helping Santa deliver presents, but we’ll get back to you on Dec 27.”

2. “Wishing you a very prosperous New Year 🎊 How can we help you today?”

3. “Happy Easter! Thank you for your message. We’ll get back to you within [number] hours. Kind regards, [business name].”

Business Updates

Your Viber greeting message can also be used to inform customers of unusual events or developments, such as service interruptions or delayed responses during peak periods. Below are some examples that you can use.

1. “Hi there. Thank you for getting in touch. Please be aware that our responses might be slower than usual. Thank you for your patience 🙏”

2. “Hello from [business name]. We’ve received your message. We’re experiencing a high volume of messages at the moment and are doing our best to respond promptly. We’ll get back to you within 24 hours.”

3. Hello! Thank you for getting in touch. We apologize for the service interruption on [business name]. Our team is working hard to resolve this as quickly as possible. In the meantime, please let us know how can we help you 🙏”

Lead Capture

While sending a generic welcome message to customers is fine, you can elevate it by requesting their contact details. This is a great opportunity for you to turn prospective customers into contacts. Here are some examples you can use for your business.

This is an example of an automated reply on Viber with follow-up questions to collect customers' information. — An example of a Viber auto reply bot message with follow-up questions to collect customers’ information

1. “Hi! Sorry, we are currently unavailable. Please leave your name and email address, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.”

2. “Thank you for your message. We are currently out of the office. Please share your full name and email address below, and our representative will be with you soon.”

3. “Hello, thank you for your message! Can we get your email address before we proceed?”

Now you know the benefits of using Viber auto reply to level up your business communications and the steps to set it up, it’s time to connect your Viber account to respond.io to get started.