5 Quick Replies every small business should set up this week

Quick Replies are saved message templates you can send with a shortcut instead of typing from scratch. WhatsApp Business has had them for years, but most small business owners either do not know they exist or have not taken the 20 minutes to set them up.

Here is what they actually do: instead of typing "Our haircut prices start at ₹300 for a basic trim and go up to ₹800 for a full style with blowdry..." every single time someone asks about pricing, you type /price and the full message appears instantly. You send it in two taps.

If you answer the same question ten times a day, that is ten minutes of typing you are doing for free. These five Quick Replies will save most small businesses an hour of typing every week.

1. Pricing (/price)

The most common question any business gets. Write out a clear price list and save it. If your prices change regularly, save a version that links to your website or Instagram highlights instead.

Example: "Hi! Here are our current prices: ✂️ Basic trim – ₹300 💇 Full haircut + blowdry – ₹600 🎨 Balayage – from ₹2,500 💍 Bridal package – from ₹8,000 Prices include GST. DM us to check availability or book!"

2. Opening hours and location (/hours)

"What are your timings?" is the second most common question. Combine your hours and your location in one reply so the client does not have to send a follow-up message.

Example: "We are open: Mon – Sat: 10am – 7:30pm Sunday: 11am – 5pm We are at [Address]. Here's a Google Maps link: [link] Walk-ins welcome on weekdays. Weekends get busy — we recommend booking in advance!"

3. Booking confirmation (/confirm)

Every confirmed booking should get a written confirmation with the date, time, service, and your cancellation policy. Sending this consistently reduces no-shows and eliminates the "I forgot what time we said" messages.

Example: "Your appointment is confirmed! 📅 Date: [Day], [Date] ⏰ Time: [Time] 💇 Service: [Service] Please arrive 5 minutes early. Cancellations less than 24 hours before the appointment may incur a ₹200 rescheduling fee. See you soon! 🙏"

4. Service menu (/menu or /services)

For businesses like restaurants, clinics, or gyms, a full service or menu list is one of the most requested things. Make it easy to read — use emojis or bullet points to break it up so it does not look like a wall of text in a chat window.

5. Referral or review request (/review)

The best time to ask for a review or referral is right after a good experience — when the client is happy and the interaction is fresh. Set up a Quick Reply you can send after every appointment.

Example: "Thank you for visiting us today! 🙏 If you enjoyed your experience, we would love it if you could leave us a quick Google review — it genuinely helps small businesses like ours grow. [Google Review Link] See you next time! 💇"

How to set up Quick Replies in WhatsApp Business

1. 1Open WhatsApp Business and go to Settings.
2. 2Tap Business Tools → Quick Replies.
3. 3Tap the + button to add a new reply.
4. 4Enter the shortcut (e.g. "price") and the full message you want to send.
5. 5Save. Next time you type /price in any conversation, the reply will appear.

The whole setup takes about 20 minutes and saves you hours every week. If you also manage Instagram DMs, keep a copy of your most common Quick Replies saved in your notes app so you can paste them quickly there too.