AI reply handling classifies inbound responses (interested, not now, wrong person, unsubscribe, out of office) and drafts or routes the next action automatically.
What good looks like#
- Done: Define reply categories and the action for each (book meeting, pause 60 days, remove, forward).
- Done: Route replies through a classifier before any automated response.
- Done: Draft responses for review; auto-send only low-risk categories like out-of-office acknowledgments.
- Done: Log every classification for audit and model tuning.
What bad looks like#
- Seen in audits: Auto-replying to a 'please remove me' with another pitch.
- Seen in audits: Missing opt-outs phrased informally ('not interested, thanks').
How to move from bad to good#
Work through the good list in order and re-verify after each change. Most teams find one or two items from the bad list already present; fixing those usually produces the largest improvement.
Frequently asked questions#
Can AI reply to prospects automatically?
Technically yes. Practically, keep a human approving anything that commits your company to a meeting or claim.