Message Templates & The 24-Hour Customer Service Window

Meta enforces specific messaging policies to prevent spam and ensure high engagement on WhatsApp. Understanding how Message Templates and the 24-Hour Customer Service Window work is essential for successful marketing broadcasts and live agent support.

1. The 24-Hour Customer Service Window

When an end-user sends a message to your business WhatsApp number:

• A 24-Hour Customer Service Session opens immediately.
• During this 24-hour window, your team can send free-form text, images, voice notes, PDFs, and links to the customer.
• No template pre-approval is required for messages sent inside the window.
• Replies inside the 24-hour window incur zero Meta delivery fees.

What Happens When the 24h Window Closes?

Once 24 hours have elapsed without a reply from the customer, you cannot send free-form text messages. To re-engage the customer, you must use a Meta-Approved Message Template.

2. Meta-Approved Message Templates (HSM)

Message Templates are pre-approved message formats required whenever:

1. You initiate an outbound conversation with a contact who hasn't messaged you recently.
2. You run a scheduled bulk broadcast or automated follow-up sequence.
3. You follow up with a lead after their 24-hour customer service session has expired.

Template Categories

• MARKETING: Promotional offers, product updates, newsletters, discount codes, and abandoned cart reminders.
• UTILITY: Order confirmations, appointment reminders, shipping tracking, billing notifications.
• AUTHENTICATION: One-time passwords (OTP) and two-factor verification codes.

Variable Parameters

Templates support dynamic parameters like {{1}}, {{2}}. For example:

When launching a broadcast or sending a direct message in MANZA, our template engine automatically populates {{1}} with the contact's name and other CRM custom variables.

3. Creating Templates Inside MANZA

1. Go to WhatsApp Hub > Message Templates (/app/whatsapp/templates).
2. Click "+ Create New Template".
3. Configure:
4. Template Name: Alphanumeric and underscores only (e.g., lead_followup_offer).
5. Category: MARKETING or UTILITY.
6. Body Text: Type your message and use the variable inserter for dynamic tags.
7. Buttons: Optional Quick Reply buttons or Call-to-Action URLs.
8. Click "Submit to Meta for Approval". Meta typically reviews and approves templates within 2 to 15 minutes.

4. Wholesale Pass-Through Billing (Zero Markup)

Unlike traditional Business Solution Providers (Wati, Interakt, AiSensy) who charge ₹1.10–₹1.35 per message with wallet locks, MANZA connects directly to your Meta Cloud API account:

• Meta bills your linked payment card directly at wholesale rates (~₹0.86/marketing message in India).
• MANZA charges a 0% message markup.
• Free customer service replies inside the 24h window remain 100% free.