Indian SMBs — restaurants, salons, clinics, real estate brokers, neighborhood D2C, local service businesses — lose 30–50% of inbound WhatsApp inquiries because no one is on the other end after 8 PM, on Sundays, or during peak service hours. Auto-reply on WhatsApp solves the simplest version of this in 30 minutes: a greeting message, an away message, an FAQ list, and basic agent handoff. This guide is the 2026 setup playbook for Indian SMBs — what to send when, how to keep it on the WhatsApp Business App for free, when to graduate to the API, and the seven copy-paste auto-reply templates that work across categories.
Two Paths: Business App (Free) vs API (Paid)
| Need | WhatsApp Business App | WhatsApp Business API |
|---|---|---|
| Greeting message | Yes | Yes (template) |
| Away message | Yes | Yes (template) |
| Quick replies (4 saved) | Yes | Yes (template list) |
| FAQ chatbot | No | Yes |
| Agent handoff | No | Yes |
| Multiple agents on one number | No (single device) | Yes (shared inbox) |
| Bulk messaging | 256 contacts | 10,000+ via campaigns |
| Cost | Free | ₹0.115 to ₹0.8631 per message |
| Setup time | 5 minutes | 1–2 days via BSP |
Indian SMBs sending under 50 messages per day and operating with one team member should start on the Business App. Once you cross 50 daily messages, two team members, or want a chatbot — graduate to the API.
Setting Up Auto-Reply on WhatsApp Business App (5 Minutes)
Greeting Message
Settings → Business tools → Greeting message → toggle ON → write your text. Example: "Hi! Thanks for reaching {Brand Name}. Tell us how we can help. We respond within 30 minutes during business hours (9 AM – 9 PM)." Sent automatically to first-time customers and customers inactive 14+ days.
Away Message
Settings → Business tools → Away message → toggle ON → set schedule (e.g., 9 PM – 9 AM weekdays, all day Sunday). Example: "We're away right now. Reply with your query and we will respond by {next business day morning}. For urgent issues, call +91 XXXXX XXXXX."
Quick Replies (4 Saved)
Settings → Business tools → Quick replies → add up to 50 keyword shortcuts. Example: keyword "/menu" → sends pre-saved menu. Keyword "/hours" → sends business hours. Keyword "/location" → sends Google Maps link.
Setting Up Auto-Reply on WhatsApp Business API (30 Minutes via BSP)
- Create greeting template. Submit a Utility template with body "Hi! Thanks for reaching {Brand}, {{1}}. How can we help today?" Get Meta approval.
- Create away message template. Submit a Utility template with body "Thanks for messaging, {{1}}. We're away right now. We will respond at {{2}}."
- Build chatbot flow with the BSP visual builder. Trigger: any inbound message. First node: send greeting template with first-name variable. Second node: list of FAQ buttons (Order status, Pricing, Location, Talk to agent). Third node: branch to canned responses or escalate to live agent.
- Set business hours rule. Inside the flow builder, add a time-of-day condition. If outside business hours, send away template instead of greeting.
- Test end-to-end. Message your own number from a non-customer phone, verify auto-reply lands, verify FAQ buttons fire correct responses.
Seven Copy-Paste Auto-Reply Templates by Category
1. Restaurant / Food Delivery
Greeting:
Hi {{1}}! Welcome to {Restaurant}.
Reply MENU for our latest menu, ORDER to place an order, or BOOKING to reserve a table.
Away:
We close at 11 PM. Place orders by 10:30 PM. We will reply tomorrow at 11 AM.2. Salon / Spa / Wellness
Greeting:
Welcome to {Salon}, {{1}}.
Reply BOOK to schedule an appointment, SERVICES for our menu, or PRICES for a quote.
Away:
We are closed Sundays. We will respond Monday 10 AM. For urgent rebookings, call {phone}.3. Clinic / Healthcare
Greeting:
Hi {{1}}, this is {Clinic}.
Reply APPT to book an appointment, REPORTS to check test reports, or EMERGENCY for urgent help.
Away:
After-hours messaging. For non-emergencies, we will respond 9 AM tomorrow. Emergencies: dial {emergency number}.4. Real Estate Broker
Greeting:
Welcome, {{1}}. Looking for property in {city}?
Reply RENT, BUY, COMMERCIAL, or INVESTMENT to get matching listings.
Away:
Site visits scheduled 10 AM – 7 PM. Will share property details next morning.5. Local D2C / Boutique
Greeting:
Hi {{1}}, welcome to {Brand}!
Reply CATALOG to see our latest collection, ORDER to place an order, or VISIT to see our store address.
Away:
We are closed Mondays. Will respond Tuesday morning. Online orders processed daily.6. Coaching / Tuition
Greeting:
Hi {{1}}, this is {Coaching Center}.
Reply DEMO for a free trial class, FEES for course pricing, or TIMETABLE for batch schedules.
Away:
Classes 5 PM – 9 PM weekdays. Will reply during morning hours tomorrow.7. Local Service (Plumber / Electrician / AC Tech)
Greeting:
Welcome to {Service}, {{1}}.
Reply BOOK to schedule a visit, RATES for service charges, or EMERGENCY for same-day call-out.
Away:
We will respond by 9 AM tomorrow. Emergency same-day visits cost ₹500 extra outside business hours.Five Common Mistakes Indian SMBs Make on Auto-Reply
- Generic "We will get back to you" message. Says nothing useful. Replace with specific time commitment ("by 9 AM tomorrow") and emergency fallback (phone number).
- No business hours boundary. Customer messages at 11 PM, gets no greeting because away message not configured. Greeting fires for new customers; away fires when set hours kick in. Configure both.
- Forgetting to update for festivals. Diwali, Holi, Eid disrupt regular business hours. Update away message in advance for major holidays.
- One auto-reply for everything. A restaurant has different intent than a clinic. Customise the greeting to your category — generic responses convert worse than specific ones.
- No escalation path. Auto-reply must include a way to reach a human (phone number, callback request, scheduled live chat hours). Pure-bot setups frustrate users with complex queries.
When to Graduate from App to API
Move to the WhatsApp Business API when at least one of these is true:
- You receive 50+ inbound messages per day.
- You need 2+ team members handling chats from the same number.
- You want to send broadcasts to more than 256 contacts (your customer list).
- You run paid ads driving traffic to WhatsApp.
- You need a chatbot beyond simple greeting + away.
- You want CRM or e-commerce integration (Shopify, Zoho, etc.).
- You need the green tick verification.
Outgrowing the App? Move to RichAutomate API.
Zero subscription floor on Client Pay — pay only when you message. Visual chatbot builder, shared inbox for your team, business-hours routing, and the seven copy-paste templates pre-loaded.