How to use Zendesk messaging quick replies: A complete guide

Quick replies are one of those features that seem simple on the surface but can transform how your support team handles customer conversations. Instead of typing out the same responses repeatedly, agents can send pre-written messages with a single click. Customers get faster answers. Your team saves hours every week.

But there's more to quick replies than just saving keystrokes. When you combine them with automation in Zendesk messaging, you can guide customers through entire workflows - routing them to the right department, collecting information upfront, and resolving common issues before they ever reach a human agent.

Let's walk through exactly how to set up and use Zendesk messaging quick replies, whether you're building automated bot flows or empowering your agents to respond faster.

What You'll Need to Get Started

Before you start creating quick replies, make sure you have the right setup:

Important distinction: Zendesk has two separate products for chat. Zendesk Chat is the legacy live chat product with session-based conversations. Zendesk Messaging is the current platform with persistent conversations that work across devices. Quick replies in this guide refer to messaging features, not legacy Chat structured messages.

Source: Zendesk Messaging Setup Guide

Setting Up Quick Replies in Answer Bot

The most powerful way to use quick replies is through Zendesk AI agents (formerly Answer Bot). These automated responders can present customers with predefined options that branch the conversation in different directions. For teams looking for more flexible automation, an AI agent that learns from your existing tickets and documentation can complement these scripted flows.

Here's how to create quick replies in your AI agent flows:

Step 1: Access Flow Builder Navigate to Admin Center > AI > AI agents. If you haven't created an AI agent yet, click "Create AI agent" to start.

Step 2: Create or Edit an Answer AI agents work through "answers" - scripted conversation flows for specific scenarios. You can either edit the default greeting answer or create new answers for specific use cases.

Step 3: Add a "Present Options" Step This is the step type that creates quick replies. When you add it to your flow, you'll see a configuration panel where you can:

• Write a message to display above the quick reply buttons
• Add up to 10 quick reply options (though 6 or fewer works best for user experience)
• Configure what happens when each option is selected

Step 4: Configure Branching Logic Each quick reply option can lead to a different path. For example:

• "I want to track my order" → Show help center articles about order tracking
• "I need a refund" → Collect order details, then transfer to agent
• "Talk to a human" → Transfer to agent immediately

Step 5: Test Before Publishing Zendesk provides a test panel where you can preview how your quick replies will appear to customers. Test every branch to make sure the flow works as expected.

Step 6: Publish to Your Channel Once everything looks good, publish your AI agent to your messaging channel. The quick replies will now appear to customers when they start a conversation.

Source: Understanding Step Types for AI Agents

Quick Reply Limits to Keep in Mind

Source: Flow Builder Documentation

Using Quick Replies as an Agent

Not every conversation needs automation. Sometimes your agents just need to respond faster to common questions. Agent quick replies work well for these situations.

Creating Agent Quick Replies

In the Agent Workspace, agents can access quick replies through the composer:

1. Personal quick replies: Each agent can create their own set of reusable responses
2. Shared quick replies: Admins can create quick replies available to all agents
3. Macro integration: Quick replies work alongside your existing macros

Using the Quick Reply Shortcut

Agents can insert quick replies by:

• Typing "/" in the composer to bring up the quick reply menu
• Browsing categories to find the right response
• Selecting a quick reply to insert it into the conversation

Best Practices for Agent Quick Replies

• Keep them brief: Quick replies work best for short, common responses like greetings, status updates, and closing messages
• Use placeholders: Include variables like {{ticket.requester.name}} to personalize responses automatically
• Organize by category: Group quick replies by topic (Greetings, Troubleshooting, Escalations, Closings) so agents can find them quickly
• Update regularly: Review and refresh quick replies based on what agents actually use

Quick Reply Best Practices and Use Cases

The difference between quick replies that help and quick replies that frustrate often comes down to how you design them. Here are patterns that work:

Common Quick Reply Scenarios

Designing Effective Conversation Flows

When using quick replies in automated flows:

• Start broad, then narrow: Begin with general categories (Sales, Support, Billing) before drilling into specifics
• Offer an escape hatch: Always include "Talk to a human" or "Something else" as an option
• Match your customer's language: Use terms your customers actually use, not internal jargon
• Test on mobile: Quick replies render differently on phones than desktop - make sure they're readable

When NOT to Use Quick Replies

Quick replies aren't right for every situation. Avoid them when:

• The issue requires empathy or personalized handling (complaints, sensitive topics)
• The customer has already tried several solutions and is frustrated
• The conversation needs free-form explanation that doesn't fit button options
• You're asking for information that varies widely (order numbers, specific error messages)

Limitations and Considerations

Before you build your entire support strategy around quick replies, understand where they fall short:

Platform Differences

Quick replies don't look or work exactly the same across channels:

• Web Widget: Full support for all rich message types
• WhatsApp: Quick replies appear as numbered options
• Mobile SDKs: May have different character limits and rendering
• Social channels: Some Flow Builder steps (like "Ask for details") aren't supported on social messaging

Technical Constraints

The Legacy Chat Confusion

If you've been using Zendesk for a while, you might remember structured messages in legacy Chat. Those don't work on mobile SDKs and require Enterprise/Premium plans. Zendesk Messaging quick replies are the current standard and work across all channels with Suite Team and above.

Source: Using Structured Messages in Zendesk Chat

Going Beyond Static Quick Replies With eesel AI

Traditional quick replies have a limitation: they're static. You write them once, and they stay the same regardless of context. That works fine for "Hi, how can I help?" but falls short when customers need specific, nuanced answers.

An AI teammate approaches this differently.

With eesel AI, you're not limited to predefined buttons. Instead, you get an AI agent that actually understands your business. Connect it to your Zendesk account, and it learns from your past tickets, help center articles, and macros. When customers ask questions, it generates contextual responses instead of forcing them to pick from a limited menu.

Quick replies offer multiple-choice support. eesel AI provides open-ended support that still maintains accuracy because it's grounded in your actual documentation.

How It Works With Zendesk

1. Connect in minutes: eesel integrates directly with your Zendesk help desk
2. Learn from your data: It reads your past tickets, help center, and macros to understand your voice and policies
3. Start with guidance: Like any new hire, eesel begins by drafting responses for your agents to review
4. Level up over time: As eesel proves itself, expand its scope to handle more conversations autonomously, or deploy an AI chatbot for customer-facing support

When to Use Each Approach

The two actually work well together. Use quick replies for initial routing ("What can we help you with today?"), then let eesel AI handle the detailed conversation once you know the topic.

See how eesel works with Zendesk or try it free to see how an AI teammate handles the conversations that don't fit neatly into quick reply buttons.