Why it matters
The WhatsApp Business away message tells people you're closed, and they carry on looking. An agent can have the same conversation you would: give a price range, answer questions and suggest a slot for the first available day. You decide how far it goes out of hours: it can just inform and collect details, without confirming bookings, so nothing is promised until someone on your team checks it.
It's the same agent that works during the day, with the same rules, so there's no separate "night bot" to maintain. For the difference between fixed away messages and real replies, see WhatsApp auto reply; if you want it to act as your front desk all day, see the AI receptionist.
Frequently asked questions
Can I limit what it does at night?
Yes. You can tell it that outside your hours it should only inform and collect details, without confirming appointments or prices that depend on a person.
Will customers know it's an AI?
If they ask, the agent doesn't deny it. We recommend being upfront about it in a natural way.
What about urgent messages?
You define what counts as urgent (a leak, a breakdown, a complaint). Those are flagged straight away and you get an alert on your phone.
Does it replace my away message?
You can keep both, but usually the away message becomes unnecessary once someone is actually replying.