The problem
A scratched wardrobe or a cracked mirror turns into an angry email the day after a move. Getting the reply right takes time: what your terms say, what the crew saw, what you're offering, what your insurer needs. Two claims a month at an hour and a half each to write is 3 hours a month, often written while still annoyed.
What the AI does
Paste the customer's email, your crew's notes and the relevant part of your terms into ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini and ask for a calm reply that thanks them, sets out what happens next and asks for what you need, such as photos and the item's age. Ask it to keep the tone neutral and to avoid admitting fault. You check every line against your terms and your insurer's process before sending.
A worked example
A removal company in Exeter gets about 2 damage claims a month. The office manager drafts each first reply with an AI assistant from the customer's email, the crew's notes and the claims section of the company's terms, then checks it and sends it the same day.
Before
2 replies a month at about 1.5 hours each, 3 hours
After
2 replies at about 30 minutes each including checking, 1 hour
What it's worth
About $80£60€71A$115C$113 a month in time saved, from 2 hours a month less writing at an assumed $40£30€36A$58C$56 an hour. The free plans are enough for this.
How to set it up
- Collect the customer's email, the crew's notes and photos, the inventory or job sheet, and the claims section of your terms.
- Paste the email, notes and terms into ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini, leaving out the customer's address, phone number and any payment details.
- Ask for a short, neutral reply that thanks them, explains the next steps and asks for photos, the item's age and a repair quote.
- Check every line against your terms and your goods-in-transit insurer's claims process, and take out anything that admits fault or promises money.
- Send it the same day and log the claim, so the follow-up doesn't slip.
What goes wrong
- Don't admit liability or offer payment before your insurer agrees, if they're handling the claim. The AI doesn't know their rules.
- An AI may invent terms you don't have, such as a claims deadline. Every condition you quote must be in your actual terms.
- Leave out personal details the draft doesn't need; a free consumer AI account isn't the place for a customer's address or bank details.
- A polished reply doesn't replace a phone call when a customer is very upset. Ring them first, then confirm in writing.