--- title: "Ask the AI to reply or send a follow-up during manual mode" description: "Let the AI answer one customer message, or write a follow-up guided by your note, while the conversation stays in your team’s hands." language: en canonical: https://mrailabs.com/docs/en/conversations-and-customers/ai-reply-and-follow-up-message/ published: 2026-11-04T10:59:03.864562 last_verified: 2026-11-04T10:59:03.864562 audience: "For customer operations teams" --- # Ask the AI to reply or send a follow-up during manual mode ## How do I let the AI answer a customer while my team has control of the conversation? Take control of the conversation. To answer a specific message, press Ask AI to reply under the customer's latest message. To contact the customer without answering a specific message, press Follow-up message and add a short note if you want. In both cases the customer stays in manual mode and nothing is sent until you press the button. [Open this task in Mr. AI](https://access.mrailabs.com/client/clients/chats) ![Two ways to bring in the AI during manual mode](https://mrailabs.com/api/docs/assets/dashboard-images/help-illustration-team-ai-20261102-v1.webp?v=0be9cf7d5171) *1. A customer message needs an answer: the AI replies to that message. 2. No message needs an answer: your note guides one follow-up. 3. The conversation stays with your team in both cases.* ## Which button should I use? - Ask AI to reply: the customer asked something and you want the AI to answer that exact message. - Follow-up message: the customer went quiet, or you want to restart a conversation without replying to an old message. ## How do I send a follow-up message? - Open the customer and press Take the conversation to reply below the conversation. - Press Follow-up message above the reply box. - Write what the follow-up should focus on, or leave it empty. - Press Send follow-up and wait for the confirmation. ![Follow-up message window with an optional note for the AI Employee](https://mrailabs.com/api/docs/assets/dashboard-images/help-20261102-followup-message-en.png?v=cdab1f41d189) *Follow-up message window with an optional note for the AI Employee* ## What should I write in the note? Write the goal, not the message. For example: ask if they are still interested in the offer we discussed. The AI uses your note as guidance with the conversation so far, and the customer never sees the note. It should not invent prices, offers or promises, so add those to your Knowledge Base first. ## Why might a follow-up be refused? - AI follow-up is not connected for your account yet. - Your AI messages are paused until points are renewed. - The customer is blocked. - On Messenger, more than 24 hours passed since the customer’s last message. - Another AI reply or an automatic follow-up is already on its way. If the AI takes too long, check the conversation before trying again, because the message may still arrive. [Automatic follow-up or your team: which should you use?](https://mrailabs.com/docs/en/conversations-and-customers/automatic-vs-manual-customer-follow-up/) ## Common questions ### Does this turn the AI back on for the customer? No. The AI sends that one message and the customer stays in manual mode until you press Finish and turn AI on. ### Does it use my balance? Yes. A delivered message counts like an AI reply. A failed follow-up is not charged. ### Who can use these buttons? Managers, and team members who have AI replies enabled, for customers they can reach. ## Check the result Send a follow-up with a short note to a test customer, then confirm the sent message follows your note. ## Related guides - [Mr. AI v2.13.0 — Your daily customer work on one page](https://mrailabs.com/docs/en/product-updates/release-2-13-0/): Conversations now open beside your customer list, your team can bring in the AI whenever it needs to, and every daily list shows each customer’s stage. - [Work by customer in the Operations Inbox](https://mrailabs.com/docs/en/conversations-and-customers/customer-operations-inbox/): Keep one customer context while managing separate tasks, conversations and follow-up work in Mr. AI. - [Export customers to Excel for calling and follow-up](https://mrailabs.com/docs/en/conversations-and-customers/export-customers/): Export the customers you filtered, choose the columns, keep one row per phone number and get a report sheet with the file. - [Customer Operations vs Client Actions: what is the difference?](https://mrailabs.com/docs/en/conversations-and-customers/customer-operations-vs-client-actions/): Use Customer Operations for conversations needing human attention and Client Actions for a task or outcome the team must track to completion.