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Active Hours

Active hours let you define exactly when the bot is allowed to respond to clients. Outside of those hours, you control what happens with messages that arrive.

Why Use Active Hours?​

Sending automated responses at 3 AM can feel impersonal or even annoying to some clients. Active hours let you align the bot's behavior with your business's natural rhythms — responding promptly during working hours while setting appropriate expectations overnight or on weekends.

Setting Business Hours​

In the Configuration section, enable the Business Hours feature and define:

  • Start time — when the bot begins responding each day
  • End time — when the bot stops responding each day
  • Days of the week — choose which days the bot is active

For example, you might set the bot to respond from Monday to Saturday, 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM in your local timezone.

What Happens Outside Business Hours​

When a message arrives outside your defined hours, there are two options:

  1. Queue silently — the bot receives the message but does not respond until business hours resume. The client's message is saved and the bot will answer it at the next available time.

  2. Out-of-hours auto-reply — the bot immediately sends an automated message informing the client of your business hours and letting them know their message will be answered shortly.

tip

The out-of-hours auto-reply is recommended — it sets clear expectations and makes your business feel attentive even when it's closed.

Per-Client Overrides​

You can set different active hours for specific clients. For example, if a VIP client prefers to be contacted on weekends when your bot would normally be off, you can enable extended hours just for them.

See Client Settings for details.

Timezone​

All active hours are based on the timezone configured in the Configuration section. Make sure this is set correctly for your location to avoid sending messages at the wrong times.

Combining With Follow-Up Messages​

The follow-up message system also respects your active hours when configured to do so. This ensures automated re-engagement messages are never sent to clients outside your business hours.