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Automation & Nurture

How should I follow up with an after-hours chat lead the next business day?

Chat leads who came in overnight are often your warmest leads of the day — a fast, personal call first thing in the morning converts them at a much higher rate than waiting.

1
Check the After Hours Chat column before anything else
As soon as you log into RootLogic, go to Opportunities and scan the After Hours Chat column. Count how many new cards came in overnight so you know exactly how many calls to queue up before the morning gets busy.
2
Read the chat transcript before you call
Click the opportunity card, then open the Activity tab to read what the lead typed in the chat widget. Note their main concern (hair loss stage, procedure interest, specific question) so your call feels personal, not like a cold outreach from a stranger.
3
Call within the first 30 minutes of opening
Click the phone number directly on the contact record to dial through RootLogic. Identify the practice by name, mention that you're following up on their chat from last night, and reference what they asked about. Speed matters here — the ideal response time for any lead is under 5 minutes, but for overnight chat leads, the opening-hour call is your equivalent.
4
If no answer, send a text immediately
From the contact record, click Send SMS in the Conversations tab. Keep it short: "Hi [Name], this is [Staff Name] from [Practice Name] — I'm calling to follow up on your chat from last night. I'd love to connect whenever you have a few minutes. What's a good time?" Then set a follow-up task reminder for 2 hours later.
5
After contact, move the card to the right stage
If you reach them and they're interested, drag the card from After Hours Chat to Hot Lead. If you book a consult, use the calendar booking flow (do not drag to Consult Booked — that bypasses automation). If they're not ready or unqualified, write a note on the contact record and either move to Hot Lead for nurture or delete the opportunity if they're definitively not a fit.
Pro tip: Write your call notes on the contact record immediately after you hang up — even just two sentences. "Called back re: FUE interest. Wants to wait until fall. Follow up Sept 1." That note saves 10 minutes of re-reading context the next time this person comes back around.
Important: After-hours chat leads are not enrolled in the standard 45-day automated nurture sequence. Once you move them to Hot Lead or Consult Booked, the appropriate automations will fire. Don't leave them sitting in After Hours Chat hoping the system will follow up for you — it won't.

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