Auto-Close Conversations (Bot & Agent)
The Auto-Close Conversations feature helps businesses efficiently manage inactive chats across multiple channels, including WhatsApp, Telegram, Business Messenger, LINE, WeChat, Facebook Messenger, and Instagram.
Why Auto-Close Conversations?
Business Needs
Customer Benefits
Business Needs
- Businesses handling large volumes of customer conversations need efficient chat management.
- Prevents inactive conversations from occupying agent queues.
- Helps agents focus on active customers.
- Reduces unnecessary agent workload and operational costs.
- Ensures response time guidelines are followed.
- Helps track completed interactions and unresponsive customers.
Customer Benefits
- Customers receive notifications before chat closure.
- Customers can restart a conversation anytime.
- Customers know when their chat is inactive.
- WhatsApp, Telegram, LINE, WeChat, Facebook Messenger, and Instagram follow the same chat management rules.
How Auto-Close works for agent conversations
A conversation is auto-closed if:
- No messages are exchanged within a defined inactivity period.
- The conversation is in Waiting for Customer or Pending status.
To set the auto-close timer:
- Go to Setup (
) in the top bar.
- Select the Instant Messaging channel.
- Navigate to the Preferences section.
- Click the Conversation Rules sub-tab.
- Under the Auto-close Conversations accordion, select the Channel for which the timer should be set.
- Set Timer for:
- Agent: Auto-close abandoned agent conversations
- Bot: Auto-close abandoned bot conversations
- Select how long the bot/agent should wait before auto-closing the conversation.
- Set the timer.
Configurable Auto-Close settings
Businesses can define custom timeframes (e.g., 5 min, 1 hour, 24 hours) or set it to None (disable auto-close).
If a customer replies after closure:
- The chat automatically reopens and notifies all the agents.
- The chat moves to the queue for a new agent assignment.
- Auto-closed chats move to the closed folder but remain accessible.
How Auto-Close works for bot conversations
- Auto-close applies if a customer stops responding to a bot conversation.
- Bot interactions have a shorter auto-close timeframe than agent chats.
Configurable Auto-Close settings for bots
- Shorter Auto-Close Time: 5 min, 10 min, or None (disable auto-close).
- Handoff to Agents: If a bot cannot resolve an issue, the conversation can:
- Auto-close if inactive
- If a customer returns after auto-closure, the chat will Restart the bot flow.
- Auto-closed bot conversations move to the closed folder.
- Escalate to an agent for further assistance.
Sample Auto-Close flow table
Flow
Flow
| Event | Agent Chat Flow | Bot Chat Flow | Next Action |
| Customer starts a conversation | Chat assigned to agent | Bot sends a welcome message | Chat remains open |
| Customer sends a message | Agent responds, waits for customer reply | Bot processes message | Chat remains open |
| No customer response | Auto-close timer starts (e.g., 30 min) | Auto-close timer starts (e.g., 10 min) | Countdown to auto-close begins |
| Customer replies | Timer resets; chat remains open | Timer resets, bot continues flow | Chat stays active |
| No response after warning | Chat auto-closes | Chat auto-closes | Moved to closed folder |
| Customer sends message after closure | Chat reopens & reassigned to agent | Chat reopens & bot flow restarts | Conversation resumes |
| Business is closed | Auto-close postponed until next business day | Auto-close postponed until next business day | Chat remains open until next shift |
How Auto-Close behaves in special scenarios
Scenarios
Scenarios
Scenario 1: If the business operates on specific hours, auto-close behavior depends on configuration:
Auto-close will be paused outside business hours to ensure customers don’t lose their conversation.
Conversations remain open until the next business day, then follow auto-close rules.
Scenario 2: If agents are offline and a conversation is still active:
Auto-close will be paused to ensure customers don’t lose their conversation.
The system will send an offline message.
Scenario 3: If an agent has not responded to a customer message:
Auto-close does NOT apply.
Auto-close only triggers if the customer also becomes inactive for a set duration.
Platform-specific limitations
Different messaging platforms have unique restrictions that impact auto-close behavior:
WhatsApp
Telegram
LINE
WeChat
Facebook & Instagram
WhatsApp
WhatsApp requires businesses to respond within 24 hours, after which a new session is needed.
Auto-close must occur within 24 hours if a response isn’t received.
Telegram
No strict session window, but messages beyond 48 hours may have delivery issues.
Auto-close timing should align with Telegram’s best practices.
LINE
Messaging API limits may prevent reopening a conversation after auto-close.
Businesses may need to send a new outbound message to restart conversations.
WeChat
Conversations are session-based and may automatically close if inactive beyond a 48-hour window.
Auto-close settings should match WeChat’s message session expiration rules.
Facebook & Instagram
Customer re-engagement is limited after 7 days unless a business sends a sponsored message.
Auto-close should be configured to align with Facebook’s re-engagement rules.
Troubleshooting common issues
Chat auto-closed too soon
Adjust inactivity duration in settings.
Customer responded, but chat still closed because of a system delay in detecting the message.
Check system logs and ensure settings allow quick re-opening.
Chat did not auto-close when expected
Enable auto-close in settings.
Customer cannot reopen a closed chat because the channel has been deleted or disabled.
Re-enable the channel or manually assign the conversation.
FAQs
Can customers reopen a conversation after it auto-closes?
Yes. If a customer sends a new message, the chat can automatically reopen or be assigned to an agent.
What happens if an agent is offline?
The system follows auto-close rules but can be configured to pause closures outside business hours.
Can auto-close be disabled?
Yes. Auto-close can be set to None per channel or conversation type.
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