A patient messages at 8:15 PM asking for the next appointment with Dr Meera and whether evening slots exist. If nobody replies, they message the next business on the list.
An after-hours reply does not have to close the sale. It has to show a person will answer, and it has to collect the facts your team needs.
What the night reply should ask
- Patient name
- Doctor
- Preferred day
Same facts, every time, so the morning shift is not starting from a blank chat.
A reply you can copy
Hi! Thanks for messaging the clinic. Please reply with the patient's name, the doctor you want to see, and a preferred day. We'll confirm the slot in the morning. For an emergency, please go to the nearest hospital.
More on this: WhatsApp for clinics and hospitals.
Team chat and campaigns on WaBot start at ₹840/month + GST. Meta’s message fees are separate, and WaBot does not add a markup. See plans.
Put an after-hours reply on your business number.
Frequently asked questions
Should clinics reply at night?
Yes, with a short auto-reply that collects the details and says when a person will confirm. Silence sends the customer to someone else.
Does an auto-reply cost money?
The customer’s own message is free. Your first 1,000 replies each month, per number, are free in India. After that, replies are ₹0.115 each plus GST.
Can the whole team see that night message?
On a shared inbox, yes. The chat is on the business number, not on one person’s phone.
Final thoughts
The night message clinics can send so a late enquiry is still there, with the details, in the morning.
