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Many times in the workplace, you will receive an email where the sender asks a question that you have no answer to.
This should come as no surprise considering that individual office workers in the United States receive, on average, around 120 emails per day. With that number, it’s highly improbable that you will be able to answer each one immediately, without having to perform any research or call for backup from a manager.
When these situations come up, it’s perfectly okay to reply to the sender, “I will get back to you.” You’re not Google and you don’t have all the answers. Even if you have the answer but you’re not sure of yourself, it’s always best to step back and check with a manager before sending a definite response.
In this guide, we’ll highlight some common situations where you may need to compose an “I will get back to you” email, tips for how to write it, and unique templates to get you started.
Having an “I will get back to you” response handy helps you communicate effectively with several different types of people. You may find yourself using this phrase (or a variation of it) when you respond to emails from customers, coworkers, your boss, or professionals from other companies.
Below are 4 common situations in which emailing the phrase “I will get back to you” is appropriate.
You may need to use the phrase, “I will get back to you” when responding to customer support issues. These issues include the customer not receiving their order on time or inquiring if a specific product is available. If the customer asks a question that you can’t answer right away, you can simply reply, “I will get back to you.” This lets them know that you received their query and that you are working hard to find the answer.
When a customer or client emails you and asks for a price quote, you may need to respond, “I will get back to you” to give you time to generate the quote. In this situation, you may not be authorized to quote prices, which means you need to talk to someone who is, such as a supervisor or your boss. Contacting them and waiting on their answer may take longer than just a few minutes or even a few hours.
A quick “I will get back to you” email will buy you some time to navigate this potentially long process.
You may receive emails from customers or other professionals in your industry asking about your company’s schedule availability. In this scenario, you may need to cross-check your schedule with those of some of your coworkers, such as service agents or technicians.
Replying to the query with, “I will get back to you” gives you time to confirm the next available slot in your company’s schedule with everyone on your team.
Oftentimes, you will receive emails from clients or supervisors inquiring about the status of a project the company has been working on. It may take you some time to track down the project manager and get a status update. In this case, it’s perfectly professional to reply to the sender, “I will get back to you.”
There’s more to writing an “I will get back to you” email than just typing up the phrase and sending it. To appear professional and organized, follow these three tips.
After you assure the sender that you will get back to them, put a date on when exactly that will be. Will you get back to them by the end of the day? The end of the week? Try to be as specific as possible, as well as realistic. In other words, don’t tell them you’ll have an answer by the next day if that’s not a realistic expectation.
Replying to the sender when you will be able to get back to them will reassure them that their issue or question is being investigated, and that a resolution is (hopefully) not far off.
When you reply to someone asking a question that you don’t know the answer to, don’t come right out and say, “I don’t know.” That statement (even if it’s true) paints you in an unflattering light. It may make you appear ignorant or even lazy in the eyes of the email recipient. Saying, “I will get back to you” projects a more positive image of you that is knowledgeable, confident, and professional.
No one likes to be told that they have to wait for an answer to their question. But sometimes it can’t be helped.
Whenever you find yourself having to send an “I will get back to you” email, it may soothe the ruffled feathers of the recipient to thank them for their patience. This simple expression of gratitude shows them that you realize they are waiting on you and that you appreciate the extra time they’re giving you. It’s a polite gesture that can go a long way to smoothing out communications.
The phrase “I will get back to you” is not an excuse to push the sender of the email off, as if they aren’t worthy of your time. Rather, it is a polite way of saying that you need time to address the sender’s unique concerns.
To not appear rude, never imply that you’re too busy to answer the sender’s question. Use the other two tips in our list to stay engaged with the person you’re communicating with and leave them with a satisfied impression of your company.
Below are 15 examples of “I will get back to you” phrases you can copy and paste into your emails and chat messages.
To give you an idea of what your “I will get back to you” emails should look like, here are 10 templates to help you start.
Price Quote Request TemplateOut Of Office TemplateHello {{first_name}},
I will get back to you on this. I should have a price quote ready for you by this afternoon. Thank you for your interest in our products!
Sincerely,
{{employee_name}}
Requires Research TemplateHello {{first_name}},
I will get back to you on this. My manager is out of town, and I’m required to get their approval to proceed with your request. They should be back in the office by {{date}}, so please expect an email from me by that time. Thank you for your patience.
Sincerely,
{{employee_name}}
Project Status TemplateHello {{first_name}},
I will get back to you. Your request requires some research, but I should have an update for you within 1-2 business days. Thank you for your patience.
Sincerely,
{{employee_name}}
Customer Support Order Status TemplateHello {{first_name}},
I will get back to you. I need to consult our team members who are working on this project to determine the project’s status. I will email you an update by the end of the week. Thank you for waiting patiently.
Sincerely,
{{employee_name}}
Consult With Manager TemplateHello {{first_name}},
I will get back to you. I will research your order and update you on the shipping status within 1-2 business days. Thank you for waiting patiently.
Sincerely,
{{employee_name}}
Product Availability TemplateHello {{first_name}},
Let me get back to you on this soon. This is an important issue and I want to consult my manager. I will reply with an answer by {{date}}. Thank you for your patience.
Sincerely,
{{employee_name}}
Next Available Slot TemplateHello {{first_name}},
I will get back to you. I will look up the product and see if any of our locations have it available. You will receive an update from me by the end of this business day.
Thank you for your patience.
Sincerely,
{{employee_name}}
Service Availability TemplateHello {{first_name}},
I will get back to you after I check with our team and see when our next available slot is. Thank you for your interest and your patience in this matter. I will reply with the next available dates ASAP.
Sincerely,
{{employee_name}}
Final Adjustments TemplateHello {{first_name}},
Let me get back to you. Your experience with our service is important to us, so I will check on the earliest date that one of our team members can come out and help you. Thank you for your patience.
Sincerely,
{{employee_name}}
Hello {{first_name}},
I will get back to you. I am making some final adjustments to the presentation and will have it ready for you by the end of the week. Thank you for your patience.
Sincerely,
{{employee_name}}