What Is the Delay Button in Reflys and How to Use It?
When chatting with a real person, there are always short pauses before replies. These pauses sound natural, as they would imitate the time someone may need to type. But when you are in conversation with a chatbot, messages can come through immediately and the interaction may feel robotic.
That’s where Reflys comes in and offers the Delay Button (also known as the Delay Block).
By using the delay block in Reflys automation, you can set small breaks between the chatbot’s messages. This way, it gives a more human feel to your WhatsApp automation flow.
What Is the Delay Button in Reflys?
The Delay Button is a custom block you can add to your flow to:
- Add a slight delay in typing before the chatbot types back.
- (On some channels) Show the well-known “typing…” indicator during the pause.
- “Let it sound like a natural human conversation, rather than an immediate, mechanistic one.”
Think of it as the chatbot pausing to take a breath before giving the next response.
Step-by-Step Guide to Using the Delay Button
Step 1: Open Your Automation Flow
Go to your Reflys dashboard and select the WhatsApp automation flow where you want to add a delay. You can also choose the delay button in Instagram and Messenger automation.
Step 2: Add a Delay Block
- Add a Delay Button from the blocks menu to your flow.
Put it between two messages or scenes, where the pause takes place. You can also add a delay in the start of the conversation
Step 3: Configure the Delay
- Select the time (for example: 2s or 5s) as the delay time.
- Decide if the typing indicator (for channels that support it) is shown or not.
Step 4: Connect the Flow
Attach the delay block to a follow-up message or action. Note that the Delay button cannot be the last element in a flow. It can never be the last block.
Step 5: Test Your Flow
Preview your automation in WhatsApp. You will observe the chatbot “thinking” a bit before it sends you its next reply. It makes the dialogue sound more natural and conversational.
Delay Button Examples for Automation
The following are some practical uses of the delay block in Reflys automation:
- Customer Support Chatbot – Add in a brief delay before responding to make it seem like the agent is typing.
- E-commerce Chatbot — Add pauses between the product summary so users can read comfortably..
- Onboarding Flow – Add typing delays to create excitement when giving step-by-step instructions.
Delay Button Examples for Automation
The Delay Button is useful, but it has some limitations:
It cannot be the last element in your flow. A delay should always be followed with another block i.e. text, image & button.
This is to prevent the conversation from collapsing and doesn’t end with silence.