WhatsApp Business Greeting Messages: Templates & Tips

How WhatsApp Business Greeting Message Works and 50+ Message Templates

Customer communication has shifted from emails and phone calls to instant messaging. Today, when customers reach out to a business on WhatsApp, they expect an immediate response. Even a short delay can lead to frustration, lost trust, or missed sales opportunities. This is where a WhatsApp Business Greeting Message plays a critical role.

For businesses that use WhatsApp as their primary communication channel, greeting messages are no longer optional. They are the foundation of fast response, professional engagement, and scalable customer conversations.

What Is a WhatsApp Business Greeting Message?

A WhatsApp Business Greeting Message is an automated message that is sent to customers when they message a business on WhatsApp for the first time or after a period of inactivity.

Its purpose is to instantly acknowledge the customer’s message, introduce the business, and set expectations for the next step in the conversation.

Greeting messages are commonly used to:

  • Confirm that a customer’s message has been received
  • Provide basic business information
  • Inform customers about response times
  • Guide them toward sales, support, or booking flows

This simple WhatsApp automation helps businesses stay responsive even when teams are busy or offline.

11 Types of 50+ WhatsApp Business Greeting Message Templates 

A well-written WhatsApp Business greeting message helps you respond instantly, build trust, and guide customers in the right direction. Below are 50+ ready-to-use WhatsApp chat templates for different business situations.

1. General Business Greeting Messages

  • Hello 👋 Thank you for contacting us on WhatsApp. We’ve received your message and will get back to you shortly.
  • Hi there! Welcome to our WhatsApp support. How can we help you today?
  • Thank you for reaching out to us. Our team will assist you as soon as possible.
  • Hello! Thanks for messaging us. Please share your query, and we’ll respond shortly.
  • Hi! We appreciate your message. One of our team members will connect with you soon.

2. First-Time Customer Greeting Messages

  • Welcome! Thank you for contacting us for the first time. How can we assist you today?
  • Hi and welcome 👋 We’re glad you reached out. Let us know how we can help you.
  • Hello! Thanks for contacting us on WhatsApp. Please tell us what you’re looking for.
  • Welcome to our WhatsApp channel. Our team will be with you shortly.
  • Hi! We’re happy to hear from you. Please share your requirement.

3. Customer Support Greeting Messages

  • Hello! Thanks for contacting customer support. Please describe your issue, and we’ll assist you shortly.
  • Hi! We’ve received your support request. Our team is reviewing it now.
  • Thank you for reaching our support team. We’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
  • Hello! Our support team will respond shortly. Thanks for your patience.
  • Hi! Please share your issue and, if available, your order or reference number.

4. Sales & Enquiry Greeting Messages

  • Hi! Thanks for your interest in our products or services. How can we help you today?
  • Hello 👋 Looking for more information? Our sales team will assist you shortly.
  • Thank you for contacting us. Please let us know which product or service you’re interested in.
  • Hi! We’ve received your enquiry. One of our sales experts will connect with you soon.
  • Hello! Tell us what you’re looking for, and we’ll guide you further.

5. After-Hours Greeting Messages

  • Hi! Thanks for messaging us. Our team is currently offline, but will respond during business hours.
  • Hello 👋 We’ve received your message outside working hours. We’ll get back to you soon.
  • Thank you for contacting us. Our business hours are [time]. We’ll reply once we’re back.
  • Hi! We’re currently unavailable, but your message is important to us.
  • Hello! Please leave your message, and we’ll respond on the next working day.

6. Appointment & Booking Greeting Messages

  • Hi! Thanks for contacting us. Are you looking to book an appointment?
  • Hello 👋 Please share your preferred date and time, and we’ll assist you with booking.
  • Thank you for reaching out. Let us know if you’d like to schedule an appointment.
  • Hi! Our team will help you with appointment availability shortly.
  • Hello! Please tell us your booking requirement.

7. E-commerce & Order-Related Greeting Messages

  • Hi! Thanks for contacting us regarding your order. Please share your order ID.
  • Hello 👋 Our team will assist you with your order-related query shortly.
  • Thank you for messaging us. Please let us know if this concerns an order, a return, or a delivery.
  • Hi! We’ve received your message. One of our agents will respond soon.
  • Hello! Thanks for reaching out. Please share your concern so we can assist you more quickly.

8. Service-Based Business Greeting Messages

  • Hi! Thanks for contacting us. Please tell us which service you’re looking for.
  • Hello 👋 We’ve received your service enquiry. Our team will guide you shortly.
  • Thank you for messaging us. Please share your requirement in detail.
  • Hi! We’re happy to assist you. Let us know how we can help.
  • Hello! Our team will get back to you shortly regarding your service request.

9. Lead Qualification Greeting Messages

  • Hi! Thanks for reaching out. May we know what you’re looking for today?
  • Hello 👋 Please share your requirement so we can assist you better.
  • Thank you for contacting us. Are you looking for sales, support, or general information?
  • Hi! Our team will assist you once we understand your requirements.
  • Hello! Please share a few details so we can guide you correctly.

10. Professional & Polite Greeting Messages

  • Hello! Thank you for contacting us. We appreciate your message.
  • Hi 👋 We’ve received your enquiry and will respond shortly.
  • Thank you for reaching out to us. Our team will be in touch soon.
  • Hello! We value your message and will assist you shortly.
  • Hi! Thanks for messaging us. We’ll get back to you soon.

11. Friendly & Casula Greeting Messages

  • Hey there 👋 Thanks for reaching out! How can we help today?
  • Hi! Great to hear from you 😊 Let us know what you need.
  • Hello! We’re here to help. Tell us how we can assist.
  • Hey! Thanks for messaging us. We’ll reply shortly.
  • Hi 👋 Our team will connect with you soon.

Also Read:  How to Manage Leads Effectively Using WhatsApp CRM

Why WhatsApp Business Greeting Messages Matter Today

Customer expectations have changed. People no longer wait patiently for replies. On WhatsApp, speed directly influences trust and conversion.

A well-configured WhatsApp greeting message helps businesses:

  • Create a professional first impression
  • Reduce response time to zero seconds
  • Improve customer confidence and satisfaction
  • Prevent missed leads outside business hours
  • Maintain consistent communication across teams

For sales teams, greeting messages ensure that every inquiry is acknowledged instantly. 

For support teams, reducing pressure means informing customers that help is on the way.

WhatsApp Templates

When Are WhatsApp Greeting Messages Triggered?

Greeting messages are typically triggered in the following situations:

  • When a customer messages a business for the first time
  • When a customer messages again after a long period of inactivity
  • When messages arrive outside business hours
  • When multiple inquiries come in at the same time

These triggers ensure that no customer message goes unanswered, even when agents are unavailable.

WhatsApp Business Greeting Messages vs Auto Replies

Many businesses confuse greeting messages with auto replies, but they serve different purposes.

A greeting message is designed to welcome and acknowledge the customer at the start of a conversation.
An auto-reply is usually a rule-based response sent in specific situations, such as after hours or during high message volume.

Greeting messages focus on first impressions, while auto replies focus on managing availability and workload. Both play an essential role, but greeting messages are often the first interaction a customer experiences.

Common WhatsApp Business Greeting Message Examples

Businesses use greeting messages in different ways depending on their goals. Some common types include:

A general business greeting that welcomes customers and confirms message receipt.
A sales-focused greeting that directs customers to product or service options.
A customer support greeting that sets expectations for response time.
An after-hours greeting that informs customers when the team will respond.

The goal is not to provide immediate full answers, but to reassure customers that their message matters.

How to Set Up a WhatsApp Business Greeting Message

Most small businesses start with the WhatsApp Business App, which lets you set up basic greeting messages.

The process usually involves:

  • Enabling greeting messages in settings
  • Writing a short welcome message
  • Choosing when the message should be sent
  • Saving and activating the rule

This setup works well for very small teams with low message volume.

Limitations of WhatsApp Business App Greeting Messages

While the WhatsApp Business App is helpful, it has several limitations as businesses grow.

Basic greeting messages:

  • Are the same for every customer
  • Do not personalize based on intent or history
  • Cannot route conversations to the right team
  • Do not capture or track leads
  • Offer no visibility into conversation performance

As message volume increases, these limitations lead to slower follow-ups, disorganized chats, and missed opportunities.

What Businesses Actually Need from Greeting Messages

Modern businesses require more than a simple welcome message. They need greeting messages that work within a larger conversation system.

This includes:

  • Context-aware greetings based on customer intent
  • Department-specific greetings for sales, support, or billing
  • Automatic lead capture and tagging
  • Smart routing to the right agent or team
  • Integration with CRM and automation tools

This is where WhatsApp Business API and WhatsApp CRM platforms become essential.

Also Read: Proven WhatsApp Automation Strategies for Small Businesses

Role of WhatsApp CRM in Greeting Message Automation

A WhatsApp CRM transforms greeting messages from static replies into intelligent conversation starters.

Instead of just welcoming customers, automated greeting messages can:

  • Ask qualifying questions
  • Collect customer details
  • Categorize conversations
  • Assign chats to agents automatically
  • Trigger follow-ups and workflows

This approach improves response quality, not just speed.

How WhatsApp Greeting Messages Work in WhatZCRM

WhatZCRM is an AI-powered WhatsApp CRM that helps businesses manage customer conversations, automate customer support, and convert WhatsApp chats into qualified sales leads.

In a WhatsApp CRM workflow:

  • A customer sends a message on WhatsApp
  • An automated greeting message is triggered instantly
  • An AI chatbot asks basic qualifying questions
  • The lead is stored and tagged inside the CRM
  • The conversation is assigned to the correct team
  • Follow-ups are automated based on customer action

This ensures every WhatsApp inquiry is handled consistently and efficiently.

Automate WhatsApp Greeting Messages

 

Real-World Example: Sales Inquiry Handling

Consider a business receiving dozens of sales inquiries daily on WhatsApp.

Without automation:

  • Messages pile up
  • Response times increase
  • Leads lose interest

With automated greeting messages and CRM workflows:

  • Every inquiry is acknowledged instantly
  • Leads are captured automatically
  • Sales teams focus only on qualified conversations
  • Conversion rates improve naturally

The greeting message becomes the first step in a structured sales process.

WhatsApp Business App vs WhatsApp CRM Greeting Messages

The difference lies in scalability.

FeatureWhatsApp Business AppWhatsApp CRM
Greeting Message TypeBasic, static greeting messagesIntelligent, automated greeting workflows
ScalabilitySuitable for small businesses with low message volumeDesigned for growing businesses and high message volume
PersonalizationSame greeting message for all customersPersonalized greetings based on intent, source, or customer data
Automation LevelLimited automationAdvanced automation with workflows and chatbots
Lead TrackingNot availableLeads are captured, tagged, and tracked automatically
Team AssignmentManual response by available userAutomatic assignment to the right team or agent
Conversation HistoryLimited chat visibilityComplete customer conversation history in one place
Performance InsightsNo analytics or reportingDetailed insights on response time, team performance, and chats
Use Case FitSmall operations and solo teamsBusinesses focused on growth, visibility, and control

Final Thoughts

A WhatsApp Business Greeting Message may seem simple, but its impact on customer experience and business efficiency is significant. As customer expectations continue to rise, businesses must move beyond manual replies and basic automation.

Greeting messages are no longer just about saying hello. They are the entry point to structured, intelligent, and scalable WhatsApp conversations.

To understand how advanced WhatsApp CRM workflows can transform greeting messages into tangible business outcomes, explore how AI-powered WhatsApp CRM solutions like WhatZCRM are shaping modern customer communication.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

A greeting message welcomes customers at the start of a conversation, while an auto reply responds to specific conditions, such as after hours.

Basic apps offer limited personalization, but WhatsApp CRM platforms enable dynamic and context-based greetings.

Yes, WhatsApp Business API allows advanced greeting automation with CRM and chatbot integration.

Yes, instant acknowledgment significantly improves lead response time and conversion potential.