Auto-close Chat with Reminder
Auto-close with Reminder is a chat workflow template that sends an inactivity prompt (for example, “Are you still there?”) and automatically closes the conversation when the customer does not respond within the configured time.
Prerequisites
- Role/Permission: Admin access to Admin → Chat → Chat Automation → Workflows.
- Inactivity tracking: The template requires customer inactivity timing (typically the Customer Inactivity workflow trigger).
Workflow Purpose and Scope
When the customer stops responding:
- The workflow detects Customer Inactivity for the configured duration.
- The workflow sends a reminder message to the customer.
- If the customer still does not respond within the follow-up time configured in the workflow, the workflow closes the conversation.
How customer inactivity timing works
- The inactivity timer starts after meaningful customer/agent activity.
- New messages cancel pending inactivity actions and recalculate the next deadline.
How to Access the Chat Workflow
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Go to Admin → Chat → Chat Automation → Workflows.
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Select the trigger Customer Inactivity.
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Click Add Workflow → Create from template.
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Select Auto-close with Reminder.
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Enter:
- Workflow Name
- Brand
- Source (channel)
- Then click Next.
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Edit the workflow as needed per your use case
- Configure the Send Message block (reminder prompt):
- Review the message text (and channel-specific options, if shown).
- Keep the message clear and action-oriented (for example, request a reply to keep the conversation open).
- Configure the Wait block (if present in the template):
- Set how long to wait after the reminder before closing.
- Configure the Close action:
- If the template uses Set Conversation Field, set Status = Closed (or the configured closed status in your account).
- Configure the Send Message block (reminder prompt):
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Click Publish & Activate.
Supported channels
- Live Chat
- WhatsApp (Meta Cloud)
- Facebook Messenger
- Facebook Comments
- Instagram Direct Messages
- Instagram Comments
- Telegram
- WhatsApp (Gupshup)
- WhatsApp (Twilio)
- LINE
Use case
Reminder then close
- Customer stops responding.
- After 10 minutes (configured), the workflow sends a reminder message.
- If there is no reply within 3 minutes (configured wait), the workflow closes the conversation.
Customer replies after reminder
- Reminder is sent after the inactivity threshold.
- Customer replies within the wait period.
- The workflow does not close the conversation.
Troubleshooting Common Errors
Reminder is not sent
- Confirm the workflow is Published & Activated.
- Verify Brand and Source match the conversation channel.
- Confirm the conversation is not Closed or On Hold during the inactivity period.
- Check whether Auto Close is taking precedence.
Conversation did not close after the reminder
- Verify the workflow includes a closing step (for example, Set Conversation Field → Status = Closed).
- Confirm the Wait duration is configured as expected.
- Check whether a customer reply occurred (any reply cancels the close action).
Conversations close too quickly
- Increase the Customer has been Unresponsive duration and/or the Wait duration after the reminder.
- Review any additional conditions that restrict when the workflow runs.
Frequently Asked Questions
1) What trigger does “Auto-close with Reminder” use?
It typically uses the Customer Inactivity trigger to detect when the customer has not replied for a configured time.
2) What happens if the customer replies after the reminder message is sent?
If the customer replies before the close step executes, the pending close action is cancelled and the conversation stays open.
3) Does this template work in all channels?
Yes. It supports Live Chat, WhatsApp (Meta Cloud), Facebook Messenger, Facebook Comments, Instagram Direct Messages, Instagram Comments, Telegram, WhatsApp (Gupshup), WhatsApp (Twilio), and LINE. Configuration may vary by channel.
4) Why isn’t the workflow running even though the customer is inactive?
Most commonly the workflow isn’t active, Brand/Source doesn’t match, the conversation is closed/on hold, or Auto Close is enabled and taking precedence.
5) Should I use Auto Close or a Customer Inactivity workflow to close idle conversations?
Use Auto Close when you want a dedicated, account-level idle closure rule. Use a Customer Inactivity workflow when you need a reminder message and conditional logic before closing.
