WhatsApp after-hours auto-reply templates that do not lose the customer, and the step beyond them
"Thanks for your message, we will reply during business hours" is better than silence. It is also where the customer messages your competitor. A good after-hours message tells the customer what happens next and gives them something to do. Here are templates that do that, and the step after templates.
Quick answer
A good after-hours auto-reply states when you reopen, gives one useful thing the customer can do now (a link, a FAQ answer, a booking option), and sets an honest expectation. Use the templates below in WhatsApp Business's away message. When the after-hours volume matters, an AI agent like ReplyKit answers the actual question and books the appointment instead of promising to reply tomorrow.
What makes an after-hours message work
- Reopen time, not "soon". "We open at 9am" lets the customer decide to wait.
- One useful thing. A price list link, opening hours, a booking option, an emergency number.
- Short. Two or three lines. Nobody reads a paragraph at midnight.
- Honest. If it is a bot or an auto-reply, do not pretend a person is typing.
- An emergency path where it matters: clinics, plumbers, hotels.
Ten templates to paste
1. General: Thanks for messaging [Business]. We are closed now and open again at 9am. Leave your question here and we will answer first thing. Prices and hours: [link] 2. Clinic: Thanks for contacting [Clinic]. We are closed until 8:30am. For emergencies call [number]. To book, tell us the service and a preferred day and we will confirm in the morning. 3. Salon: Hi! [Salon] is closed for the day. Reply with the service you want and a day that suits you, and we will lock in a slot when we open at 10am. Price list: [link] 4. Restaurant: Thanks for reaching [Restaurant]. The kitchen is closed. For a reservation, send the date, time and number of people and we will confirm by 11am. Menu: [link] 5. Property: Thanks for your interest in [Listing]. I am at viewings and will reply within the hour. Meanwhile: [price], [size], [availability]. Want a viewing this weekend? 6. Home services: Thanks for contacting [Business]. We are off duty until 8am. For a burst pipe or no power call [emergency number] now. Otherwise send a photo and your area and we will quote in the morning. 7. Tuition: Thanks for messaging [Centre]. We are closed. Tell us your child's level and the subject, and we will send the timetable and fees when we open at 10am. 8. E-commerce: Thanks for messaging [Shop]. We reply within 12 hours. For stock and sizes see [link]; orders placed on the site tonight ship tomorrow. 9. Hotel: Welcome to [Hotel]. Reception reopens at 7am. WiFi: [network/password]. For urgent help call [number]. Check-out is 12pm. 10. Weekend: Thanks for your message. We are closed for the weekend and back Monday 9am. Leave your question and we will answer it first.
Where a template stops working
An auto-reply cannot answer "do you have Saturday 3pm?", "is the rendang halal?" or "how much for a Myvi battery?". It can only promise. Research on lead response, including the HBR study, shows the value of an enquiry decays fast, and a promise to reply tomorrow does not stop that decay; only an answer does. WhatsApp Business also allows one away message, so every customer gets the same text regardless of what they asked.
The step beyond: answer the question
An AI agent replaces the holding message with the actual answer, from your own price list and hours, and books the slot the customer asked about. It hands over to a person for anything it cannot answer, with a holding message that names your reopen time. ReplyKit does this on your number for $29 a month; the after-hours volume is usually where it pays for itself first, because those are the enquiries you were losing entirely. Our WhatsApp Business app versus AI agent guide compares the two honestly.
Frequently asked questions
How do I set an away message on WhatsApp Business?
In the WhatsApp Business app, open Business tools, Away message, turn it on, write the text and set a schedule such as outside business hours.
Can an away message answer questions?
No. It sends the same text to everyone. Answering the actual question needs an AI agent or a person.
Should I say it is an automatic reply?
Yes. Honesty keeps trust, and WhatsApp's policies expect businesses not to mislead customers.
How fast should I reply after hours?
Ideally within minutes; enquiry value decays quickly. If a person cannot, an AI agent can answer from your content and book.
Can I have different away messages for different questions?
Not with the built-in feature. An AI agent answers each question on its own terms.
Answer instead of apologising
Put an agent on the after-hours enquiries and see how many book. 7-day free trial.
Sources and further reading
- Harvard Business Review, The Short Life of Online Sales Leads (Oldroyd, McElheran, Elkington, 2011) · firms that responded within an hour were about seven times more likely to qualify the lead
- Lead Response Management Study (2007) · the five-minute window for contacting a new lead
- WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy · opt-in, opt-out and prohibited-use rules every business must follow
ReplyKit is an independent product and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Meta or WhatsApp. This article is general guidance for running a small business, not legal, financial or regulatory advice.