Use this article to set up a Workflow that automatically sends a follow-up message when a customer stops responding, and optionally closes the conversation after a further period of inactivity. This is useful for keeping conversations tidy and reducing open conversation volume. This content is for teammates and workspace admins on any Intercom plan that includes Workflows.
Watch the video walkthrough below for an overview of how to set up this Workflow.
Step 1: Start a new Workflow
Go to the Fin AI Agent > Workflows in your workspace.
Click + New Workflow.
Select Create from scratch.
Step 2: Select your trigger
Choose the trigger During Conversation: If customer has been unresponsive.
This Trigger activates the Workflow every time a customer stops replying, not just the first time.
Step 3: Configure trigger rules
Configure the following trigger rules:
Inactivity Timer: The Inactivity Timer controls how long the Workflow waits after the last teammate reply before firing — for example, set this to 24 hours or 3 days. The timer resets each time a teammate sends a new reply.
Audience: Add filters for the conversations if you'd only like the workflow to trigger for certain conversations
This ensures the Workflow only runs if the conversation matches the filters.
Channels: Select which Inbound channels (e.g., Messenger, Email, WhatsApp) you want this Workflow to apply to.
Step 4: Build the Workflow
You are now in the auto follow-up Workflow builder. Click the + Add Step button to add actions to the canvas.
Build the follow-up sequence using these three steps:
1. Add a Message step with a check-in message — for example: "Just checking if you are still there? Let us know if you need any help."
2. Add a Wait action to pause before the next message. Set the duration — for example, 24 hours — and choose whether the wait can be interrupted by a reply from the customer or a teammate.
3. Add a second Message step — for example: "This conversation will now be closed." — followed by a Close conversation action. The customer will see the closing message in the Messenger before the conversation closes in the Inbox.
Note: The 'If customer has been unresponsive' trigger behaves differently depending on how the conversation was started:
For conversations already in progress: the Workflow fires when the customer has not replied to a teammate's most recent message for the duration set in the Inactivity Timer.
For conversations you start from the Inbox: the Workflow will only trigger if the customer replies first and then becomes unresponsive. Messages sent via Outbound (Intercom's proactive messaging tool for sending targeted campaigns to customers) will not trigger this Workflow. For Outbound-initiated conversations, follow-up must be handled manually or via a separate Workflow using a different trigger.
Step 5: Set the Workflow live
Your auto follow-up Workflow is now complete: it will send a check-in message when the customer is unresponsive, wait the duration you configured, send a closing message, then close the conversation. You will see an overview of the trigger and configured actions.
To activate it, simply click the Set it live button.
Your Workflow is now active and will follow up with unresponsive customers. To verify it is working, open a test conversation, send a message as a teammate, and wait for the Inactivity Timer duration you configured — the check-in message should appear automatically. You can also check the Sent tab on the Workflow to see every conversation it has fired in.
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