Quick Replies | SmartWeb

What Are Quick Replies?

Quick Replies are ephemeral, selectable buttons or chips that appear in chat interfaces, providing users with pre-defined options and sending a specific value or message when tapped. Once selected, they vanish from the interface, preventing clutter and maintaining a focused conversational flow. This ephemeral nature distinguishes them from persistent buttons, making them ideal for transient, guided user input in conversational AI systems.

Quick Replies appear under different names across platforms: Suggestion Chips (Google Assistant, Dialogflow), Suggested Actions (Microsoft Bot Framework), Keyboard Buttons (Telegram), HeroCard (Skype), Slack Interactive Buttons (Slack), and Quick Reply (Facebook Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp, Viber). Despite naming variations, they share core characteristics of being temporary, selectable, and conversation-focused.

These interface elements are typically limited to 3–13 options per message (platform dependent), with each quick reply carrying up to 20–25 characters of text. They can be static text or dynamically populated with user data, and disappear after the user taps one, preventing repeated or conflicting choices.

How Quick Replies Work

User Experience Flow

Display: The chatbot surfaces quick replies below or above the keyboard/input area as a row of chips or bubbles

Selection: Tapping a quick reply sends that option’s payload to the chatbot instantly, often accompanied by a visible message in the chat window

Disappearance: Once a reply is chosen, all quick replies for that prompt vanish, keeping the UI tidy

Fallback: The user can ignore the options and type a custom response if they wish

Platform Implementation

Placement: Always directly adjacent to the prompting message, above or below the chat input field

Ephemerality: Disappearing after use reduces user confusion and interface overload

Accessibility: Designed for one-tap activation on mobile and desktop chat, with character and option count limits to fit small screens

Dynamic Use: Some platforms allow insertion of dynamic variables, such as names or context-specific data

Platform-Specific Limits

Facebook Messenger/Telegram: Up to 13 quick replies
WhatsApp: Maximum 3 per message (excess triggers a list picker UI)
SendPulse: Up to 10, 20 characters each
Apple Messages for Business: Up to 5, more triggers a list picker
LivePerson Conversational Cloud: 1–24 chips per message, 25 characters per chip

Key Benefits

Efficiency

Quick Replies minimize typing, lower friction, and allow users to quickly select a next step or provide structured input.

Example: “Would you like to confirm your appointment?” [Yes] [No]

Consistency

They guarantee uniform input, streamline data collection, and reduce the risk of user misunderstanding.

Example: “How can I help you today?” [Order Status] [Product Info] [Connect to Agent]

Time-Saving

By presenting pre-defined actions, Quick Replies dramatically reduce the time required to complete common tasks.

Example: “What would you like to do next?” [Track Order] [Return Item] [Cancel Order]

Enhanced Customer Experience

A responsive, intuitive chat interface with Quick Replies improves user satisfaction and lowers drop-offs.

Example: “Choose a topic for help:” [Billing] [Technical Support] [Account Management]

Personalization

Quick Replies can be dynamically personalized with user context.

Example: “Good morning, Alex! Ready to check your recent orders?” [View Orders] [Contact Support]

Routing & Intent Capture

Quick Replies help bots accurately identify user intent, enabling precise routing to appropriate flows or human agents.

Common Use Cases

Order Tracking

“Track your order status:” [Order #123] [Order #456]

Appointment Confirmation

“Confirm your appointment for 2 PM tomorrow?” [Yes] [Reschedule] [Cancel]

Surveys

“How satisfied were you with our service?” [Very Satisfied] [Satisfied] [Neutral] [Dissatisfied] [Very Dissatisfied]

“Choose a department:” [Sales] [Support] [Billing]

Contact Collection

“Would you like to share your email address?” [Use My Email] [Skip]

Quick Replies vs Buttons

Feature	Quick Replies	Buttons
Persistence	Disappear after selection	Remain visible until manually removed
Max Options	Up to 13 (Messenger/Telegram), 3 (WhatsApp)	Typically 3–5 (varies by platform)
Best for	Simple, one-off responses, user input collection	Navigation, triggering actions, links, payments
Text Length	Usually up to 20–25 characters	Up to 20–25 characters
Supports Dynamic Values	Yes (on some platforms)	Mostly static text
UI Location	Above/below input field (ephemeral chips/bubbles)	Below message or as persistent menu items
User Experience	Lightweight, uncluttered, focused conversation	Multi-step navigation, persistent options

Recommendation: Use Quick Replies for guided, quick user input; use Buttons for navigation or persistent menus.

Best Practices

Implementation Guidelines

Identify key conversation junctures that benefit from guided user choices

Limit the number of options to 3–5 per message for clarity and usability

Use concise, action-oriented labels, ideally under 20 characters

Personalize using dynamic variables (e.g., {{user_name}}) where supported

Always allow fallback to free text entry for unexpected needs or accessibility

Test for accessibility on various devices and screen sizes

Track analytics (option usage, drop-off rates) to optimize your flows

Iterate and update options based on feedback and behavioral data

Implementation Checklist

No more than 5 Quick Replies per message (unless platform supports more and context demands it)
Each reply is unique, actionable, and contextually relevant
Free-text fallback enabled
Avoid duplicating persistent menu functionality with Quick Replies

Common Pitfalls

Overloading with options: Too many choices cause decision fatigue

Vague/long text: Reduces clarity and increases error risk

Unmapped replies: Every reply should trigger a clear conversational branch

Ignoring platform constraints: Exceeding limits may break the UI or trigger fallback behaviors

Developer Implementation

LivePerson

Build quick replies bundles using a structured JSON payload, defining 1–24 chips, each with title, action, and optional styling/metadata.

SendPulse

Add quick replies via the Message editing panel, up to 10 per message, supporting static and dynamic content.

Platform-Specific Notes

Platform	Max Quick Replies	Character Limit	Special Behaviors
Facebook Messenger	13	20	Disappear after tap; custom data can be attached
Telegram	13	20	Keyboard buttons; supports dynamic variables
WhatsApp	3	20	>3 converts to list picker; multiple selection possible
Apple Messages	5	N/A	>5 triggers list picker
Google Assistant/Dialogflow	8–10+	~25	Suggestion Chips; supports context switching
SendPulse	10	20	Emoji and dynamic variables supported
LivePerson Conversational Cloud	24	25	Up to 24 chips per message with rich branding

Usage Examples

“How can I assist you today?”
[Track Order] [Contact Support] [Product Info]

“Would you like to confirm your booking for 3 PM?”
[Yes, Confirm] [Reschedule] [Cancel]

“Choose a payment method:”
[Credit Card] [PayPal] [Bank Transfer]

“Please select a topic:”
[Billing] [Technical Support] [Sales Inquiry]

“Are you satisfied with our service?”
[Very Satisfied] [Satisfied] [Neutral] [Dissatisfied] [Very Dissatisfied]

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I create my own Quick Reply templates?
Yes. Most chatbot platforms let you define and customize Quick Replies with your own text, actions, and even dynamic data.

How can I measure the effectiveness of Quick Replies?
Track response rates, analytics, and user feedback to see which Quick Replies are used most and optimize flows accordingly.

Are Quick Replies suitable for all industries?
Yes. They are used in e-commerce, healthcare, banking, customer support, and surveys for structured, rapid user input.

What happens if I exceed the Quick Reply limit on a platform?
Excess options may be ignored, hidden, or transformed into a list picker (e.g., WhatsApp). Always test on your target platform.

Can users skip Quick Replies and type their own response?
Most implementations allow users to ignore Quick Replies and enter a custom message, ensuring flexibility.

Technical Considerations

JSON Implementation Example (LivePerson)

Quick replies are defined using structured JSON payloads with properties for title, action, metadata, and styling. Each chip can trigger specific conversational flows or data collection actions.

Dynamic Content

Many platforms support variable insertion for personalization:

{{user_name}} for personalized greetings
{{order_number}} for order-specific actions
{{product_category}} for contextual recommendations

Analytics Integration

Track key metrics:

Quick Reply usage rates
Completion rates by option
Drop-off points in conversational flows
A/B testing results for different Quick Reply configurations

Integration with Conversational Flows

Quick Replies integrate seamlessly with broader conversational AI architectures, serving as critical decision points in dialogue trees, intent classification mechanisms, and user input validation layers. They work in concert with natural language understanding (NLU) systems to provide structured alternatives when free-form input might be ambiguous or error-prone.