# Agents: Starting and Reconnecting Conversations

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In this guide, you will learn how **agents** can **recontact** customers or **start new conversations** within **Truora's** platform.

## Conversations expiration times

WhatsApp Business conversations operate within a 24-hour time window that begins with the last message received from a customer. During this period, **agents** can freely reply to customers. However, if no message is received from the customer within this window, the conversation expires. 

Additionally, when {{< newtab href="/guides/flows/#configure-the-flow-template" >}}Configuring a Whatsapp Flow{{< /newtab >}}, you may set the **process expiration time** to a value shorter than 24 hours, causing the conversation to expire earlier based on that setting.

In such cases, if **agents** need to **recontact** the customer, they must follow the appropriate steps to do so.

## Key Considerations for Conversations

Keep the following points in mind:

- **Initiating Conversations**: Agents can only initiate conversations with customers using approved **Outbound Messages**, as required by META's policies. For more details, refer to the {{< newtab href="/guides/outbound/" >}}Outbound Message Guide{{< /newtab >}}.
- **Time Window**: Once a conversation is initiated, a 24-hour window (or less, depending on your {{< newtab href="/guides/flows/#configure-the-flow-template" >}}whatsapp flow configuration{{< /newtab >}}) begins from the last customer message. During this period, **agents** can communicate with customers using standard text messages.
- **Conversation Expiration**: If the **time window** passes without receiving a new message from the customer, the conversation will expire:
  - If the **time window** expires without a new message from the customer and you need to **recontact** them, you must send an approved **Outbound Message**. The customer must reply to this message to re-initiate the conversation.
  - If the customer sends a new message (**Inbound message**) after the **time window** has expired, a conversation will automatically reopen. However, it will only reach an **agent** if the specific message triggers a flow configured to do so. Check the {{< newtab href="/guides/inbound/" >}}Inbound message{{< /newtab >}} and the {{< newtab href="/guides/wa_agents/" >}}Agents{{< /newtab >}} guides to learn more about this process.
- **Finished Process**: Agents can finish the process, cancelling the user's identity verification. To recontact the user, you must send a new approved **Outbound Message** and wait for their reply.


## Prerequisites for Recontacting or Starting a Conversation

Before agents can **recontact** or **start** a conversation, ensure the following prerequisites are met:

1. **Agents Guide**: Familiarize yourself with and configure **Truora's** platform settings related to your **Agents**. Refer to the {{< newtab href="/guides/wa_agents/" >}}Conversations and Agents Management{{< /newtab >}} guide for more details.
2. **Created and Approved Outbound Message**: Ensure you have created an **Outbound Message** with **conversation type** set to **Flow**, and that it is approved in compliance with **META's** guidelines. This message will be used to initiate first contact with customers or to recontact them. Refer to the {{< newtab href="/guides/outbound/" >}}Outbound Message Guide{{< /newtab >}} for more information.

## Agents recontacting or starting a conversation

When a conversation has expired, **Truora's** platform will not allow further messages to be sent, and the following **alert** will be displayed in the conversation window:

{{<img src="/images/illustrations/customer_engagement/expired_conversation.png" alt="expired_conversation" width="60%" class="border border-slate-400 rounded-md">}}

Similarly, if a conversation is canceled by the customer, **Truora's** platform will display a similar **alert**, and you will be unable to send more messages:

{{<img src="/images/illustrations/customer_engagement/canceled_conversation.png" alt="canceled_conversation" width="60%" class="border border-slate-400 rounded-md">}}

To **recontact** a customer due to one of the above scenarios, or to **start** a new conversation, follow these instructions:

### Start new conversation button

1. Click the **Start new conversation** button. This will prompt the **Outbound Message** sending steps:

{{<img src="/images/illustrations/customer_engagement/start_conversation_button.png" alt="start_conversation_button" width="25%" class="border border-slate-400 rounded-md">}}


2. Select the **Outbound message** that will start the conversation and click **Continue**. This should be your approved {{< newtab href="/guides/outbound/" >}}Outbound Message{{< /newtab >}} with **conversation type** set to **Flow**.
3. Choose the recipient's country, enter the phone number, and then click **Next**.
4. Review the message and recipient details, then click **Send**.

{{<img src="/images/illustrations/customer_engagement/start_conversation_button.gif" alt="start_conversation_button" width="100%" class="border border-slate-400 rounded-md">}}

>**NOTES**: 
> * When using the **Start new conversation** button, a default **WhatsApp Flow** pre-configured in **Truora's** platform (no action needed on your part) is sent along with the selected **Outbound Message** from step 1.
> * The **Start new conversation** button will either connect the agent with the customer for the first time or **reconnect** them if the conversation had previously expired.