❓ Context: Meta's 24-hour restriction
To prevent SPAM and maintain a high quality user experience, Meta (WhatsApp) automatically closes the free service window when 24 hours have passed since the last message sent by the customer.
When this happens, the conversation in Atom will appear as "Expired" and you will no longer be able to send normal text messages. The only official solution to resume communication is by sending a previously approved Message Template.
💡 The solution in Atom: WhatsApp Templates
Atom offers you an effective tool to resume communication quickly. You can use predefined responses, templates created from scratch, or even options generated with Atom's Artificial Intelligence, always ensuring personalized treatment.
⚠️ GOLDEN RULE: Simply sending the template does not activate the conversation immediately. For the 24-hour window to open again and you to be able to write free text, it is mandatory to receive a response from the user you contacted.
⚙️ Step by step: How to send your template
Before proceeding with sending, it is vital to meet a system technical requirement:
Mandatory assignment: The conversation must be assigned to a group or human agent. If the conversation is currently on the bot side, the templates option will not appear. Also, the group to which the customer belongs must have templates enabled in its configuration.
If you meet these requirements, follow these steps:
Log in to Atom and go to the Conversations module (in the left side menu).
Select the conversation of your interest. In the lower part, where you usually write, you will see an indicator that says "Conversation Expired".
Click on that indicator. This will open the template search tool with the templates that are loaded and authorized for your group.
Choose the most appropriate template for the context of the conversation, fill in the variables (if applicable), send it, and you're done!
🔗 Extra tip: If you wish to perform this recontact action with multiple customers at once, we recommend visiting our article on [Sending messages in bulk].
Let no conversation be forgotten! 🚀
Mastering template sending allows you to respect Meta's policies while effectively reactivating contact and generating new closing opportunities. ✅