Canned responses, also called macros, are pre-written reply templates an agent can insert into a conversation instead of typing the same answer from scratch every time, usually with a few fields left open to personalize, like a name or order number.

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‍Why it matters

A large share of support volume is the same handful of questions repeated constantly, a shipping delay, a password reset, a refund policy question. Typing a fresh, well-worded answer to each one wastes time that could go toward the genuinely unique problems needing an agent's full attention. The risk runs the other way too, a macro used carelessly reads as obviously copy-pasted, which can make a customer feel unheard, especially if it doesn't quite match what they asked.

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‍How to keep them useful

Well-run macro libraries get reviewed and updated on a schedule, the same way knowledge base articles do, since an outdated macro about a since-changed policy is worse than a fresh answer typed from scratch. Strong implementations also nudge agents to personalize the opening or closing line, so the reply doesn't read as robotic even though the core content is templated.