# How to Use Working Hours action The **Working Hours Component** in **DoubleTick Bot Studio** is designed to help businesses automate conversations intelligently based on **time, business availability, and holidays**.\ Instead of sending the same response to every customer at all times, this component enables your bot to behave **contextually**, just like a human team would. *** ### What Is the Working Hours Component?
The Working Hours component is a **time-based condition block** available inside DoubleTick’s Bot Studio. It checks **when a customer sends a message** and automatically routes them to the correct bot flow based on your predefined business schedule. The component evaluates: * Current day * Current time * Whether the day is marked as a holiday Based on this evaluation, the customer is routed to one of the following paths: * **During Working Hours** * **Outside Working Hours** * **On Holidays** This ensures that your bot always responds in a way that matches your real-world business availability. *** ### Why the Working Hours Component Is Important Customers reach out on WhatsApp at all hours — late nights, early mornings, weekends, and public holidays. If your bot does not understand time context, it can: * Promise agent support when no one is available * Confuse customers with incorrect expectations * Create a poor support or sales experience The Working Hours component solves this by: * Clearly setting response expectations * Automatically managing availability communication * Reducing unnecessary follow-ups and frustration * Keeping customer interactions professional and accurate *** ### How the Working Hours Component Works
#### Step 1: Navigate to Bot Studio * Log in to your DoubleTick dashboard * Open **Bot Studio** * Create a new bot or edit an existing bot flow *** #### Step 2: Add the Working Hours Component * Drag and drop the **Working Hours** component into your bot flow * Place it at the point where you want the bot to decide how to respond based on time This is usually done after a menu option like “Chat with Support” or “Talk to Sales”. *** #### Step 3: Check Working Hours Configuration Once the component is added, DoubleTick automatically checks whether working hours are already configured. * **If working hours are already set**\ You will immediately see three routing paths: * During Working Hours * Outside Working Hours * On Holidays * **If working hours are not set**\ You will be redirected to **Settings** to define them first This ensures the component always works with accurate business timings. *** #### Step 4: Configure Your Working Hours in Settings In the **Settings** section, define: * Business working days (for example, Monday to Friday) * Daily working hours (start time and end time) * Holiday dates when your business is closed Once saved, these timings become globally available for your bot flows. *** #### Step 5: Build Flows for Each Time Scenario After configuration, you can design customized bot behavior for each condition. **During Working Hours** Use this path when your team is actively available. Common use cases include: * Assigning chats to live agents * Sales or lead qualification conversations * Appointment booking workflows * Real-time customer support This ensures customers get immediate help when your business is open. *** **Outside Working Hours** Use this path when your team is unavailable. Typical actions include: * Sending a polite auto-reply acknowledging the message * Informing customers of your next working time * Collecting queries, names, or contact details * Assuring customers that their request is recorded This prevents customers from feeling ignored while setting the right expectations. *** **On Holidays** Use this path for days marked as holidays in your settings. You can: * Display holiday-specific messages * Share festive greetings * Inform customers about delayed responses * Mention the next available working day This adds a thoughtful and professional touch to your communication. *** #### Step 6: Enable Automation Once all paths are configured and saved: * The bot automatically checks the time for every incoming message * Customers are routed to the correct flow instantly * No manual monitoring or switching is required Your automation runs smoothly 24/7. *** ### How This Is Different From the Older Setup Previously, handling working hours required: * Multiple bot flows * Manual logic workarounds * No clear holiday handling * Limited flexibility #### The new Working Hours Component offers: * A single centralized time-based logic block * Built-in holiday support * Cleaner and more readable bot flows * Easier maintenance and scalability This makes bot design simpler and significantly more reliable. *** ### Real-World Example: Smart Customer Support Flow **Scenario:**\ A customer clicks “Chat with Support” on WhatsApp. **Bot behavior using Working Hours component:** 1. Bot checks current time and date 2. Routing happens automatically: * During Working Hours → Chat is assigned to a live agent * Outside Working Hours → Auto-reply confirms receipt and shares support timings * On Holidays → Holiday message or festive greeting is sent This creates a seamless and trustworthy support experience. *** ### Key Benefits of Using the Working Hours Component * Improves customer experience with time-aware responses * Reduces agent workload outside business hours * Prevents false promises of availability * Handles weekends and holidays automatically * Makes bots feel more human and professional * Helps businesses scale without increasing support pressure *** ### Why You Should Use the Working Hours Component You should use this component if: * Your business operates on fixed timings * You offer live support or sales assistance * You receive customer messages after working hours * You want automation that reflects real availability By using the Working Hours component, your bot works intelligently while your team stays stress-free. *** ### Final Thoughts The Working Hours Component in DoubleTick Bot Studio is a powerful upgrade that transforms basic automation into **context-aware customer engagement**.\ It ensures your customers always receive the right message at the right time — whether it’s a live response, a polite acknowledgment, or a holiday greeting. Setting it up once can significantly improve customer satisfaction, operational efficiency, and brand trust.