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I don't know if I made a mistake on giving my client my personal WhatsApp number. Now whenever he has something to say about the service I delivered, he contacts me by that channel because he knows I'm always there.

I consider WA to be a good tool for keeping my client updated about small maintainance and changes but how do I tell him politely about my "office hours" which I didn't specified in the business contract.

Gus
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    I used to get business calls and texts of various kinds on my phone from clients in Sunday mornings, 11pm, Christmas eve, holidays, vacation periods, etc... I couldn't really find a way to don't get annoyed until I got a second phone! One is for work and I turn it off when it's not work hours. Sometimes I leave it in the office for weekends or overnight. The other is for family and friends and I don't even have emails or the business related services configured in that second phone. I feel free now from stressing client. – Mario Mar 30 '19 at 18:26

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Do you use WhatsApp personally? Or just for your business?

I would just create a canned response, and turn the app OFF after business hours. Turn it back on in the morning when you're expected to be at work, then resume.

Is the issue that it wakes you up at night? All phones have a method of disabling notifications form certain apps, and some can even turn off notifications during specific periods of time automatically. I'd suggest looking into those options.

The great thing about WhatsApp (from what I remember - It was a while ago!) is that it shows them when you received the message. But if you make it clear to them by communicating that you do not work after business hours, then they have no reason to get angry with you. Everyone needs downtime, and unless something has catastrophically crashed and burned, there's no reason to disturb someone outside of business hours.

Canadian Luke
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Simply inform him that you respond to messages only during office hours.

If he insists, then "Golden" service is charged.

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I think the best approach is to create a WhatsApp Business App account if you're going to be speaking a lot of your clients over WhatsApp.

On the WhatsApp Business App you can set an automated away message outside your business hours. That will give your clients a hint. There is more info on how to set this up in this guide to WhatsApp for business.

Glorfindel
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Spanz
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