Welcome Message Delay

Add a short delay before the welcome message is sent. Useful when an instant reply feels obviously automated and you’d rather it land a minute or two later, like a human picking up the phone.

This option is available in both Predefined Messages mode and AI Assistant mode.

Getting here

In Auto-Respond, go to Sources → select a source → Messaging Settings → Conversation Setup tab. The delay controls sit below the mode toggle.

Options

Delay sending the welcome message

• Label: “Delay sending the welcome message” (checkbox)
• Default: off
• When on: the welcome is held for the number of minutes you specify, then sent.
• When off: the welcome is sent as soon as the lead’s inquiry is received.
• Use this when: you want the reply to feel like a person just noticed the message rather than a bot firing off instantly.

Delay length

• Label: delay-length input (appears when the checkbox above is on)
• Range: 1–30 minutes (whole numbers only)
• Default: (not applicable — only shown when delay is enabled)
• Use this when: 1–2 minutes usually hits the sweet spot for “felt like a real reply” without losing the speed-to-lead advantage. Longer delays (5+ minutes) fit higher-end services where a thoughtful reply is expected.

How it behaves

• The delay only affects the welcome message. It does not push back the follow-up sequence — follow-ups still count from when the welcome is sent.
• If AI Assistant mode is on and the AI is having a back-and-forth with the lead, separate Delay conversation messages setting applies to the follow-up AI replies (see the AI Assistant page).
• The delay is in clock minutes — it doesn’t skip over off-hours. If you need to hold messages to business hours, use the Timing tab for follow-ups. (The welcome itself will still send during the delay window regardless of business hours.)

Troubleshooting

• I set the delay but the welcome sends instantly: confirm the “Delay sending the welcome message” checkbox is actually on, and that the delay length shows 1 or more. Also check that the source isn’t inheriting from a parent with the delay off — if so, turn Override Default Settings on at this level.
• Delay is longer than I expected: the delay value is in minutes, not seconds. Valid range is 1–30.

Questions? Email support@auto-respond.com.