Help Center › Automation & Chatbots
Set business hours and automatic away messages
Let customers know when you will reply, even outside working hours.
Steps
- Go to WhatsApp → Business Hours.
- Set your working days and hours.
- Write the away message customers receive when they message outside those hours.
- Save.
Combine with automation
- Use a chatbot flow to answer common questions instantly at any hour
- Collect the customer’s request so an agent can follow up first thing in the morning
- Use Quick Replies (sidebar → Quick Replies) so agents answer frequent questions faster
Common questions
- Does the away message count as a paid message? No — it is a reply inside the 24-hour customer service window, which is free.
- Will customers get the away message every time they write? Keep the message short and friendly; it is meant to set expectations, not to replace a reply.
- What about public holidays? Update your hours before the holiday so customers know when you will be back.