Every unanswered WhatsApp message is a customer who might book with someone else. If you run a clinic, salon, spa, or any local business in Malaysia, you already know most enquiries now come through WhatsApp, often after hours or while you are busy with a customer in front of you.
The good news: WhatsApp Business has built-in auto-reply tools that answer instantly, for free, so no one is left on read. This guide walks through all three, step by step, exactly as they work in 2026.
The three auto-reply tools in WhatsApp Business
People say "auto-reply," but WhatsApp Business actually gives you three separate features. Knowing the difference is half the battle:
- Greeting message — sent automatically the first time a customer messages you (or after 14 days of no contact). Your digital "hello."
- Away message — sent automatically when you are closed or unavailable, on a schedule you set. Your "we're not here right now."
- Quick replies — saved responses you send manually with a / shortcut. Not automatic, but a huge time-saver for FAQs.
1. Set up a greeting message
The greeting message welcomes first-time customers the moment they reach out, so their very first impression is a fast, friendly reply.
- Open WhatsApp Business and tap the three-dot menu (Android) or Settings (iPhone).
- Go to Settings → Business tools → Greeting message.
- Turn on Send greeting message.
- Tap the message to edit it, and write your welcome text.
- Under Recipients, choose who receives it (everyone, everyone not in your contacts, and so on), then tap Save.
Keep it short and warm, and set expectations. For example: "Hi! Thanks for messaging Bright Smile Dental. We usually reply within a few minutes during clinic hours. How can we help?"
2. Set up an away message
The away message covers the gaps, after hours, on weekends, or public holidays, so customers who message at 11pm still get an instant reply instead of silence.
- Go to Settings → Business tools → Away message.
- Turn on Send away message and tap the pencil icon to edit the text.
- Set the Schedule: Always send, Custom schedule (you pick exact hours), or Outside of business hours (uses the opening hours in your business profile).
- Choose your Recipients, then Save.
A good away message tells people when you will be back and what to do next: "Thanks for your message! We're closed right now and will reply when we reopen at 10am. For bookings, leave your name, service, and preferred day and we'll confirm first thing."
3. Set up quick replies
Quick replies are saved answers to the questions you get over and over, price lists, location, opening hours, so you can respond in one tap instead of retyping.
- Go to Settings → Business tools → Quick replies.
- Tap the + button to create a new one.
- Write the message, then set a shortcut — a keyword after a /, such as /hours or /price.
- Save. In any chat, type the / shortcut and the full message auto-fills, ready to send.
You can create up to 50 quick replies, and each can include formatted text, images, and attachments, handy for sending a price list or a map to your location.
Tips for auto-replies that actually help
- Keep it short. One or two sentences. Nobody reads a paragraph from a business at midnight.
- Set expectations. Tell people when to expect a real reply, so they wait instead of messaging a competitor.
- Always offer a next step. Ask for the details you need to book them, name, service, preferred time.
- Match your language. Many Malaysian customers write in Bahasa Malaysia or Chinese, so consider replies in more than one language.
Need wording to start from? We put together 50+ WhatsApp auto-reply message samples for clinics, salons, and spas you can copy and paste.
The catch: auto-reply is one message, not a conversation
Here is the honest limitation. A greeting or away message sends the same canned line to everyone. It cannot read the customer's question, check your calendar, quote the right price, or actually book the appointment. So the customer still waits for a human, and if that human is asleep or with a client, the booking can still slip away.
That gap, between "we got your message" and "you're booked", is exactly where businesses lose customers. It is also the difference between a basic auto-reply and an AI receptionist.
Want replies that actually book the customer?
Hiiiilo is an AI receptionist that lives in your existing WhatsApp. It reads each message, answers in the customer's language, checks your calendar, and books the appointment, 24/7, no canned one-liners. See it in action →
Frequently asked questions
Is WhatsApp Business auto-reply free?
Yes. Greeting messages, away messages, and quick replies are all free in the WhatsApp Business app. Costs only arise if you move to the WhatsApp Business API for higher volumes and advanced automation.
Can I schedule auto-replies for after hours only?
Yes. In the away message settings, choose Outside of business hours (which uses the hours in your business profile) or set a Custom schedule with exact times.
Will auto-reply answer customer questions automatically?
No. Built-in auto-replies send a fixed message; they cannot understand questions or make bookings. For that you need an AI receptionist like Hiiiilo, which reads each message and books the appointment for you.