Feature request response email
The trap in feature request replies is soft-committing to things that never ship — "great idea, we'll pass it along" ages badly. Be honest about likelihood, dig for the problem underneath the requested solution, and point to anything that solves it today.
Subject: Re: your idea for [feature]
Hi [first name], Thanks for taking the time to suggest this — requests like yours genuinely shape what we build next. So I log it properly: it sounds like the underlying need is [restate the problem behind the request, e.g. "seeing at a glance which conversations have gone unanswered for more than a day"] — is that right? Knowing the problem helps more than the specific feature shape. Where this stands honestly: [pick the true one] - "This is on our near-term list, though I can't commit to a date." - "This isn't planned right now — [brief reason, e.g. 'it cuts against keeping the product simple for small teams'] — but I've logged your request, and enough voices do change our minds." In the meantime, [existing partial solution if any, e.g. "sorting the queue by oldest-unanswered gets you most of the way there — here's how: [one line]"]. Thanks again — and if the problem changes shape for you, tell us. That context is gold. [your name]
Replace every [bracketed] placeholder before sending — the brackets are there so an unfilled field is impossible to miss.
How to use this template well
- Ask about the problem behind the request. Half of feature requests are solved by something that already exists, aimed at the real need.
- Never say "I'll pass it to the team" as a complete answer — it's read (correctly) as a polite trash can.
- If the answer is no, give the actual reason. Customers handle "it doesn't fit our direction" far better than eternal "maybe".
- Only promise a ship-date notification if your team has a system for keeping that promise.
Related templates
Bug report acknowledgment emailConfirm it's reproduced (or being reproduced), give a workaround, and promise the fix notification.Customer feedback request emailAsk one specific question at the right moment, and say what the last round of feedback changed.Refund denial emailSay no clearly, cite the specific reason, and offer whatever you can actually do.
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