When a customer sends a message to your company on WhatsApp, you have a specific timeframe defined by Meta to respond freely, without content or format restrictions.

This period is called the customer service window (or messaging window). It exists because WhatsApp only allows free-form messages in response to recent customer contact. Outside of this timeframe, conversations can only continue by sending an approved template (a pre-validated message model approved by Meta).

This rule is part of Meta's policy to prevent spam and protect the customer experience — ensuring companies only send free-form messages while the customer is actively engaged in the conversation.

24-Hour Window

• The countdown begins from the last message sent by the customer, not by your company.
• Each new message from the customer resets the timer for another 24 hours.
• Messages sent by your company during the window do not change the deadline; only a customer's reply resets the countdown.

Example: A customer writes at 10:00 AM. Your team has until 10:00 AM the following day to respond freely. If the customer replies again at 8:00 PM, the deadline resets and extends until 8:00 PM the next day.

What Happens When the Window Closes?

After 24 hours without any message from the customer, the free-form conversation closes. From that point on, contact can only be resumed using a Meta-approved template — which changes two things:

• Less flexibility: The template's content is pre-defined and approved, so you cannot customize the message on the spot.
• Cost: Sending a template incurs a per-message fee, unlike responses within the window.

🔗 Don't know what a template is? Read this article.

72-Hour Window

In addition to the standard 24-hour window, Meta offers an extended 72-hour window for conversations initiated through official paid acquisition channels or Facebook Pages. This exception was created to give your sales team more time to convert leads coming directly from ad campaigns.

• The window begins when the customer sends their first message by clicking a Click-to-WhatsApp Ad (on Facebook or Instagram) or the call-to-action button on your Facebook Page.
• You have up to 72 continuous hours (starting from the customer's message) to interact freely with this contact.
• Throughout this 3-day period, your team can send free-text messages, voice notes, and files without needing approved templates.
• Meta Fee Exemption: Conversations started via these ads do not incur Meta conversation fees during the 72 hours (a feature known as Free Entry Point).

⚠️ Attention: If the customer contacts you through any other channel (direct link, QR code on a counter, website, or typing the number manually), the standard 24-hour window rule applies.

How Is Billing Handled in Poli?

Billing within Poli operates independently of Meta's charges, so Meta's exemptions do not apply in the same way. In Poli, whether inside or outside the 24-hour or 72-hour windows, billing rates remain unchanged:

• 1 credit per 100 messages
• 1 credit per 400 words sent by the bot
• 1 credit per active contact-day (resets at midnight / 00:00)
• 1 credit per receptive contact-day (resets at midnight / 00:00)

Official source: Meta documentation on service messages