Write and configure automated messages that make every new contact feel acknowledged — and keep enquiries alive when you're offline.
Why Your Automated Messages Directly Affect Lead Conversion
When a customer sends you their first WhatsApp message, they are at peak buying intent. If they receive no response for 2 hours because your team is busy or offline, 40–60% will move to a competitor or simply forget about you. An automated greeting message that arrives within seconds tells them their message was received and sets a clear expectation for when they will hear from a human.
The average Indian business customer gives you 3–4 hours before they either contact another business or lose interest in pursuing the enquiry. Your automated message buys you that full window.
How to Set Up Your Greeting Message
Open WhatsApp Business → three dots → Business Tools → Greeting Message. Enable the toggle. The greeting message sends automatically when: someone messages your business for the first time ever, or when someone messages after 14+ days of no contact.
Tap the edit icon to customise the message. The default placeholder 'Hello! Thank you for contacting us. How can we help?' is better than nothing but not optimal. Write a greeting that does three things: acknowledges receipt, sets response time expectations, and tells them what information to include.
Example for a service business: 'Hello! Thank you for reaching out to [Business Name]. Your message is received. A team member will respond within 2 hours during business hours (Mon–Sat, 9 AM–7 PM IST). To help us respond faster, please share: your name, what service you need, and your preferred timeline. Looking forward to speaking with you!'
How to Set Up Your Away Message Correctly
Away messages send to contacts who message you outside your set business hours. To configure: go to Business Tools → Away Message, enable it, set the schedule to 'Outside business hours', then set your business hours in Business Tools → Business Hours.
Your away message should never leave a customer guessing. Include: acknowledgement of their message, your exact business hours, when specifically they can expect a reply, and an alternative for urgent matters (email address).
Example: 'Hi! We're currently closed. Our business hours are Monday to Saturday, 9 AM to 7 PM IST. We'll reply to your message first thing when we open — typically within 30 minutes of our start time. If it's urgent, please email [email]. Thank you for your patience!'
Making Automated Messages Feel Personal and Professional
Use the customer's first name personalisation tag {firstName} in your greeting message — WhatsApp pulls this from the contact's name if they've saved your number, or leaves it blank if they haven't (which is fine). 'Hello {firstName}! Thank you for contacting us...' reads more warmly than 'Hello!'.
Avoid template language that sounds robotic. Phrases like 'Your query has been received and will be attended to by our executives within the stipulated timeframe' are corporate speak that creates distance. Write the way you would speak to a customer in person.
Match the tone of your greeting to your brand personality. A children's clothing brand might use a warmer, playful tone. A legal consultant's account should be professional but approachable. A luxury product brand should be elegant. Your automated message is often the very first impression of your brand.
How to Test Your Automated Messages Before Going Live
- Have a colleague or friend who does not have your business number message you from their personal phone — check that the greeting triggers correctly
- Ask them to message you outside your business hours — verify the away message sends
- Check that the message content is exactly what you intended (no formatting errors, no missing punctuation)
- On Android, check under Business Tools → Message Statistics to see delivery rates after the first week
- Review and update your messages quarterly — business hours, response times, and contact information change
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I set different greeting messages for different types of contacts on WhatsApp Business?
The free WhatsApp Business App has one greeting message for all contacts. You cannot segment by contact label or enquiry type. If you need different greeting messages for different customer segments (e.g., new leads vs existing customers vs VIP clients), you would need the WhatsApp Business Platform (API) with a chatbot that detects the conversation context and sends relevant responses.
Will my greeting message send to existing customers who message me again?
WhatsApp Business only sends the greeting message when someone contacts you for the first time or after a gap of 14 days of no contact. Regular customers who message you frequently will not receive the greeting — it is only triggered for new interactions. This is by design so repeat customers aren't greeted as if they're new every time they contact you.
What should I include in my WhatsApp Business greeting message if I run a home-based business?
For home-based businesses, your greeting message should include your business name (even if it's your personal name used professionally), the service or product you offer, your response time, and if relevant, that you are a home-based operation (which sets correct expectations about premises and walk-in customers). Example: 'Hi! Thank you for contacting [Name] Home Bakery. We specialise in custom cakes and baked goods for orders of 12+ pieces. We'll reply to confirm availability within 3 hours. Please share your event date, number of guests, and any dietary requirements!'