Setting Your Business Hours
Business hours tell Abby when your company is considered “open.”
During these hours:
Live Receptionists answer calls according to your coverage plan.
AI Receptionist follows your configured call handling logic.
Transfers follow contact availability settings.
To Update Business Hours
Log in to your Abby Portal.
Go to Account → Company.
Scroll to Company Details.
Set your regular days and hours of operation.
Update Holiday Hours as needed.
Save changes.
Keeping business hours accurate ensures calls are handled correctly throughout the week.
After-Hours Handling
After your business hours end, calls follow your configured after-hours instructions.
Depending on your setup, this may include:
Routing calls to voicemail
Taking a message
Forwarding to an on-call contact
Using a phone tree
AI handling calls after live coverage ends
After-hours behavior is customized during onboarding or through Client Support.
If you're unsure how your after-hours handling is configured, contact Client Support to review your setup.
24/7 Live Coverage (Human Receptionist Add-On)
If you subscribe to 24/7 Live Coverage:
Receptionists answer calls nights, weekends, and holidays.
Coverage extends beyond your normal business hours.
Can be applied to sub-accounts or additional companies.
Without the 24/7 add-on, Live Receptionist coverage follows your defined business hours and after-hours routing rules.
Important Clarification
Business hours control when your company is considered open or closed.
They do not override individual contact availability settings. Contact-level statuses determine whether specific team members are available for transfers.
(Contact availability is covered in a separate article.)
Best Practices
Review business and holiday hours quarterly.
Confirm after-hours instructions are up to date.
Update coverage settings before peak seasons or staffing changes.