Guide for clinics
Out-of-hours enquiries: what happens to the DMs your clinic misses
Clients often message when they have time to think about a treatment: in the evening, or at the weekend. For a lot of clinics, that's exactly when nobody is watching the inbox.
This guide covers what happens to a message that arrives after you close, the ways to cover those hours, and what to deal with first in the morning.
What happens to a DM sent at 11pm
- Saturday, 23:14 A client asks if you have anything for lip filler next week. If they're comparing clinics, they may have sent the same message to two or three.
- Sunday No reply. Whoever answers first, with a price and a time, has the best chance of the booking.
- Monday, 09:30 You open the inbox. On Instagram and Messenger, a business can normally only reply within 24 hours of the client's last message. Saturday night's message is now outside that, so your reply may not send until they message again.
None of this needs anyone to do anything wrong. It's just the gap between when clients message and when clinics are open.
Three ways to cover the hours you're closed
| Option | What the client gets | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| Away message | An instant note that you're closed and when you'll reply | It can't answer their question or book them in |
| Someone on call | A proper reply from your team | Evenings and weekends of someone's time |
| An AI assistant | Answers from your own prices and FAQs, and a time to book | Takes setting up, and clinical questions still need a person |
Most clinics start with an away message. It's free and built in: the WhatsApp Business app can send one outside the business hours on your profile, and Meta Business Suite can send one on Instagram and Messenger.
Write an away message that does some work
“Thanks for your message, we're closed” is better than silence, but only just. A useful one includes:
- When you'll reply. “We'll get back to you by 10am” sets an expectation people can plan around.
- A way to book. A link to your booking page, so the keenest clients don't have to wait.
- Where your prices are. Price is the most common first question. Point to them.
- What to do if they're worried after a treatment. Your aftercare number, and to call 999 in an emergency.
Hi! Thanks for getting in touch. We're closed right now and we'll reply by 10am. You can book a consultation any time here: [your booking link]. Our prices are here: [your price list]. If you've had a treatment with us and you're worried, call our aftercare line on [number], or 999 in an emergency.
Aftercare messages can't wait for the morning
Not every late message is a booking. Some are from clients after a treatment: swelling, bruising, a reaction they're unsure about. These need a practitioner, not a template and not an AI.
Decide in advance who sees them, and how. That might be a separate aftercare number, or alerts on a practitioner's phone for messages that mention words like “swelling”, “allergic” or “pain”. Whatever you choose, make sure the client is told where to go if it's urgent. This is general information, not clinical advice: follow your own clinical governance.
Your morning routine
When the inbox has filled up overnight, go through it in this order:
- Aftercare and clinical questions. Anyone worried about a treatment, and anyone asking whether a treatment is safe for them.
- The oldest messages. Anything close to 24 hours old, before the reply window closes.
- Booking requests. Offer real times, not “when suits you?”.
- Price questions. Our guide to replying to “how much is it?” DMs covers these.
Find out how many you're missing
For two weeks, note the time every new enquiry arrives. Count how many came in while you were closed, and how long each one waited for a reply. It's a quick way to see whether the evenings matter for your clinic, before you spend anything on covering them.
Where Aira fits
Aira is an AI receptionist for aesthetics clinics on Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger. It answers enquiries while you're closed, from the treatments, prices and FAQs you've added. It offers consultation times from your Calendly and sends a link to book.
Messages with your alert words, such as “swelling” or “blood thinners”, go straight to your team by email, push or text, and Aira never gives medical advice. Its Analytics page shows how many messages arrived while you were closed, based on your opening hours.
A quick checklist
- Does an away message go out on every app you use?
- Does it say when you'll reply, and include a link to book?
- Does it tell worried clients where to go, including 999 in an emergency?
- Does someone see aftercare concerns before the morning?
- Do you reply to the oldest messages first, inside the 24-hour window?