Business Hours Configuration
Set when your team is available for support.
Why Configure Business Hours
Business hours affect:
- SLA calculations
- Widget availability messages
- Auto-response timing
- Customer expectations
Setting Business Hours
Access Settings
- Go to Settings → Business Hours
- View current schedule
- Edit as needed
Weekly Schedule
Set hours for each day:
Monday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed
Closed Days
Mark days as closed:
- Click the day
- Select "Closed"
- Or set hours to none
Timezone
Setting Timezone
Choose your primary timezone:
- All hours are based on this
- Affects entire organization
- Displays consistently for team
Common Selections
- US Eastern
- US Pacific
- GMT/UTC
- Your local timezone
Multiple Timezone Teams
If team spans timezones:
- Set to primary team's timezone
- Create multiple schedules if needed
- Use 24/7 with appropriate SLAs
Holiday Management
Adding Holidays
- Go to Business Hours → Holidays
- Click + Add Holiday
- Enter name and date
- Save
Recurring Holidays
For annual holidays:
- Add each year individually
- Or set up recurring pattern
Holiday Examples
New Year's Day - January 1
Memorial Day - Last Monday in May
Independence Day - July 4
Labor Day - First Monday in September
Thanksgiving - Fourth Thursday in November
Christmas Day - December 25
Holiday Behavior
On holidays:
- Business hours = Closed
- SLAs pause
- Widget shows closed message
- Auto-responses can differ
Multiple Schedules
When to Use
Create multiple schedules for:
- Different teams (Support vs. Sales)
- Different service levels (VIP vs. Standard)
- Different regions
Creating Additional Schedules
- Go to Settings → Business Hours
- Click + New Schedule
- Name it (e.g., "VIP 24/7")
- Set hours
- Save
Assigning Schedules
Apply schedules to:
- SLA policies
- Widget configuration
- Automations
Schedule Examples
Standard Business Hours
Name: Standard Support
Monday-Friday: 9 AM - 5 PM
Saturday-Sunday: Closed
Extended Hours
Name: Extended Support
Monday-Friday: 8 AM - 8 PM
Saturday: 10 AM - 4 PM
Sunday: Closed
24/7 Support
Name: 24/7 Coverage
All days: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Split Shifts
Name: Split Coverage
Monday-Friday: 6 AM - 2 PM, 4 PM - 10 PM
(2-hour break midday)
Temporary Changes
One-Time Exceptions
For special events:
- Add a "Special Hours" exception
- Set the date
- Set modified hours
- Exception overrides regular schedule
Examples
- Early close for company event
- Extended hours for product launch
- Office closure for emergency
Impact on Features
SLA Calculations
- Timers pause outside business hours
- Only counts working time toward SLA
- Configurable per SLA policy
Widget Display
Widget shows availability:
- "We're online" during hours
- "We're away" outside hours
- "Back at 9 AM" with schedule
Auto-Responses
Different responses based on hours:
- During hours: "We'll respond shortly"
- After hours: "We'll reply tomorrow"
Reporting
Filter analytics by:
- Business hours tickets
- After-hours tickets
- Compare performance
Customer Communication
Displaying Hours
Show customers your hours:
- Help center page
- Widget message
- Email signatures
- Auto-responses
Setting Expectations
Clearly communicate:
- When you're available
- Expected response times
- After-hours options
Example Messages
During hours:
We're here to help! Expect a response within 2 hours.
After hours:
Thanks for reaching out! Our team is offline until 9 AM EST. We'll respond first thing tomorrow.
Best Practices
Be Accurate
Set hours you actually staff:
- Don't claim 24/7 if you're not
- Customers notice
Plan Ahead
Before holidays:
- Add holidays to calendar
- Update auto-responses
- Inform customers
Review Regularly
Check schedule:
- Before holiday seasons
- After team changes
- Quarterly audit
Document Changes
Track schedule changes:
- When changed
- Why changed
- Who approved