# No customer waits for the phone: Shared WhatsApp inbox in Hong Kong

**Your team answers customers from one business number, each from their own login, without stepping on each other’s replies.**

WhatsApp on one phone works until two people need to answer at once, or the person holding it goes home. EliteTeQ Inbox moves your business number into a shared inbox that works on any computer or phone, and gives every chat a clear owner. Staff in Kowloon and Hong Kong Island answer the same +852 number at the same time.

- Each teammate signs in with their own login
- Assign, transfer and @mention on any chat
- Greeting, away message and office hours per number
- New chats shared out in turn with auto-assign

Share my number with my team free: https://crm.eliteteqpos.com/signup (7 days free · no card needed · keep the WhatsApp Business app)

## The problems of one business phone

> Customers message at nine at night and nobody answers until morning.

Set office hours for each number, in Hong Kong time (HKT). After hours, customers get your away message straight away, and their chat waits at the top of the list for the morning.

> Ka Yan ends up answering every chat, because the phone lives at the till.

Tick who handles the number and turn on auto-assign. Each new customer goes to the next person in turn.

> The 24 hours passed and now WhatsApp won’t let us reply.

Every chat shows how long you have left to reply. When the window closes, send an approved template from the same box.

### Who answers your customers when the phone holder goes home?

Tell us how many people should answer. We set up logins, auto-assign and office hours with you on WhatsApp, usually in one sitting. [Set up my team inbox](https://wa.me/12144235355?text=Hi%20EliteTeQ!%20Our%20team%20shares%20one%20WhatsApp%20number.%20Can%20you%20help%20me%20set%20up%20EliteTeQ%20Inbox%20with%20logins%2C%20auto-assign%20and%20office%20hours%3F%20I%E2%80%99m%20in%20Hong%20Kong.) on WhatsApp +1 214 423 5355.

## How a shared WhatsApp inbox works

Customers message the same number they always have; your team answers from the inbox.

1. **A customer writes** — Ka Yan messages your +852 business number. The chat appears in the inbox for everyone allowed to see that number.
2. **It goes to one person** — Auto-assign gives new chats to the next teammate in turn, or anyone can take it. The chat shows whose it is.
3. **The team works on it together** — The owner leaves an internal comment, “@Chun Hei offer free delivery”, that the customer never sees.
4. **Nothing is left waiting** — Waiting chats rise to the top, and a countdown shows how long you have before WhatsApp’s 24-hour reply window closes.

## What is a shared WhatsApp inbox?

A shared WhatsApp inbox lets several staff answer customers from one WhatsApp Business number at the same time, each from their own login. EliteTeQ Inbox does this on the official WhatsApp Business Platform: chats are assigned to one teammate, internal comments stay inside the team, and the owner sees every conversation in Hong Kong.

- One number, many logins, on computer or phone
- Each chat assigned to one teammate
- Internal comments the customer never sees
- Owners and admins see every chat

## EliteTeQ Inbox at a glance

| | |
|---|---|
| Product | EliteTeQ Inbox, by EliteTeQ Softwares Limited (Nairobi, Kenya) |
| What it is | A WhatsApp team inbox and CRM |
| Channels | WhatsApp Business (official Cloud API, works alongside the WhatsApp Business app), Facebook Messenger, Instagram DMs, Facebook and Instagram comments |
| Works on | Any browser; installs on Android and iPhone |
| Price | From $29 a month; $59 Growth; $99 Business with unlimited people; a year costs 10 months |
| Free trial | 7 days, every feature open |
| WhatsApp numbers | 1 to 3 included by plan; up to 20 per business (Meta’s limit once the business is verified with Meta) |
| In Hong Kong | +852 WhatsApp Business numbers, office hours on Hong Kong time (HKT) |
| Languages | Customers write in Cantonese and English |
| Setup | About 40 minutes, or done with you on WhatsApp |
| Last reviewed | 2026-11-01 |

## What a shared inbox fixes

The everyday problems of one business phone, one at a time.

### Every chat has an owner

Assign a chat by hand, or turn on auto-assign so each new customer goes to the next teammate in turn. Transfer a chat with a handover note and the new owner gets an alert.

- Round-robin auto-assign per number
- Transfers with handover notes
- Two people can still reply if they need to
- Bulk-assign many chats at once

### Greeting, away message and office hours

New customers get a greeting during office hours. Anyone who writes while you’re closed gets an away message, at most once every 12 hours. Hours run in Hong Kong time (HKT).

- Set each day separately, including overnight shifts
- A different greeting and hours for each number
- Late messages never trigger an old auto-reply

### Templates for when the window closes

WhatsApp lets you reply freely for 24 hours after a customer writes. After that, or to message someone new, you send a template approved by WhatsApp. Create and track them in the app.

- Live preview while you write
- Status: in review, approved or rejected, with the reason
- Languages: English

### On the phone too

Install EliteTeQ Inbox on Android or iPhone from the browser. It looks and works like WhatsApp, with sounds, pop-ups and an unread badge.

- Notification sounds and pop-ups
- Swipe-friendly lists and pipeline
- Stay signed in for 90 days while in use

## WhatsApp Business app alone vs with EliteTeQ Inbox

You can keep the app; the inbox adds the team, in Kowloon, Hong Kong Island or anywhere else.

| WhatsApp Business app alone | With EliteTeQ Inbox |
|---|---|
| One phone, plus a few linked devices | Every teammate on their own login |
| No way to say who handles a chat | Assign, transfer and auto-assign |
| Notes to staff go in another chat | Internal comments inside the chat |
| No record of who replied, or how fast | Reply speed per teammate in reports |
| Each number on its own phone | Several numbers in one inbox (Business plan) |

## For teams that answer customers on WhatsApp

Anywhere more than one person needs to answer the business number.

- [Beauty salons](https://eliteteqpos.com/hk/industries/beauty-salons/)
- [Restaurants & cafés](https://eliteteqpos.com/hk/industries/restaurants-and-cafes/)
- [Clothing stores](https://eliteteqpos.com/hk/industries/clothing-stores/)
- [Electronics stores](https://eliteteqpos.com/hk/industries/electronics-stores/)
- [Mobile phone shops](https://eliteteqpos.com/hk/industries/mobile-phone-shops/)
- [Pharmacies](https://eliteteqpos.com/hk/industries/pharmacies/)
- [Hardware stores](https://eliteteqpos.com/hk/industries/hardware-stores/)
- [Wholesale & distribution](https://eliteteqpos.com/hk/industries/wholesale-distribution/)

## EliteTeQ Inbox in Hong Kong

Customers keep messaging the same number, in its +852 format; only the way your team answers changes.

In Hong Kong, WhatsApp is the everyday messaging app, and customers use it to book, ask and reorder. EliteTeQ Inbox lets a shop or service team share one number without stepping on each other’s replies.

Customers in Hong Kong write in Cantonese and English. Your team replies in the customer’s language inside the 24-hour window; template messages are created in English.

Office hours are set day by day for each number. A common setup in Hong Kong: weekdays open, Saturday mornings open, Sunday closed. Anyone who writes while you are closed gets your away message, at most once every 12 hours, and the chat waits at the top of the list for the morning.

- **Numbers:** +852 (e.g. +852 6000 0000)
- **Office hours:** Run on Hong Kong time (HKT)
- **Weekend:** Saturday and Sunday
- **Templates:** English
- **Price:** From $29 a month, in US dollars
- **Paying:** Card, charged in Kenyan shillings at the day’s rate

## Selling on WhatsApp in Hong Kong

Customers in Hong Kong pay with Octopus, FPS, PayMe, AlipayHK, cards and cash, so when a sale closes on WhatsApp the customer may confirm payment in the chat, and your team needs to see that message quickly.

### [Mong Kok](https://eliteteqpos.com/mong-kok/)

Kowloon · one of Hong Kong's densest shopping districts

Mong Kok packs street markets, electronics and fashion shops into a very dense area that trades late into the evening. When Mong Kok trade peaks, auto-assign spreads new WhatsApp chats across whoever is on shift.

### [Causeway Bay](https://eliteteqpos.com/causeway-bay/)

Hong Kong Island · a major shopping district on Hong Kong Island

Causeway Bay is one of Hong Kong's busiest shopping districts, with department stores, malls and street shops serving residents and visitors. Department stores, malls and street shops serve heavy footfall under high rents. When Causeway Bay trade peaks, auto-assign spreads new WhatsApp chats across whoever is on shift.

### [Hong Kong Island](https://eliteteqpos.com/hong-kong-island/)

Hong Kong Island · Hong Kong's central business and financial district

Hong Kong Island holds the territory's main business district, with office workers driving weekday lunch and convenience trade and high rents keeping shop floors small. Office workers drive sharp weekday lunch and convenience peaks, and high rents keep shops small. When Hong Kong Island trade peaks, auto-assign spreads new WhatsApp chats across whoever is on shift.

### EliteTeQ Inbox in every city of Hong Kong

- [Hong Kong Island](https://eliteteqpos.com/hong-kong-island/): Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong's central business and financial district
- [Kowloon](https://eliteteqpos.com/kowloon/): Kowloon, Hong Kong's densest shopping and street-market district
- [New Territories](https://eliteteqpos.com/new-territories/): New Territories, Hong Kong's largest and most residential region
- [Mong Kok](https://eliteteqpos.com/mong-kok/): Kowloon, one of Hong Kong's densest shopping districts
- [Causeway Bay](https://eliteteqpos.com/causeway-bay/): Hong Kong Island, a major shopping district on Hong Kong Island


## Questions businesses ask us

**Can two people reply to the same chat?**

Yes, and both replies are sent. To avoid double answers, assign the chat to one person.

**Can a teammate be limited to one number?**

Yes. Agents can be limited to certain numbers. Owners and admins always see everything.

**What’s the difference between the greeting and the away message?**

The greeting goes once to new customers during office hours. The away message goes to anyone who writes while you’re closed, at most once every 12 hours. Both are set per number.

**Why can’t we type a reply to some customers?**

It has been more than 24 hours since the customer last wrote. WhatsApp only allows an approved template until they reply again.

**How many new people can we message each day?**

New businesses can start conversations with 250 people a day. Meta raises it to 1,000, 10,000 and beyond after business verification and good-quality messaging. Replies to people who wrote first don’t count.

**Do customers see internal comments?**

Never. Comments are only for your team. Type @ and a name to mention a teammate.

**Can staff in Kowloon and Hong Kong Island share one WhatsApp number?**

Yes. Everyone signs in to EliteTeQ Inbox with their own login, from any computer or phone, and answers from the same business number. Chats can be assigned, transferred or shared out in turn, and agents can be limited to the numbers they handle. Office hours run on Hong Kong time (HKT).

**Do customers in Hong Kong get a reply after hours?**

They get your away message straight away, at most once every 12 hours, and their chat waits at the top of the list for the morning. Office hours are set per number, on Hong Kong time (HKT).

Sources for the WhatsApp rules on this page (Meta):

- [WhatsApp Business Platform pricing (Meta)](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/pricing)
- [Messaging limits (Meta)](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/messaging-limits)
- [Message templates (Meta)](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/templates/overview)
- [Business phone numbers and limits (Meta)](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/business-phone-numbers/phone-numbers)
- [About the WhatsApp Business Platform (Meta)](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/about-the-platform)

## Put your WhatsApp number in front of the whole team in Hong Kong

Start the 7-day free trial, or message us and we’ll connect your number with you.

## More about EliteTeQ Inbox

- [EliteTeQ Inbox overview](https://eliteteqpos.com/hk/inbox/)
- [WhatsApp CRM & pipeline](https://eliteteqpos.com/hk/inbox/whatsapp-crm/)
- [Facebook & Instagram inbox](https://eliteteqpos.com/hk/inbox/facebook-instagram-inbox/)
- [Click-to-WhatsApp ad leads](https://eliteteqpos.com/hk/inbox/click-to-whatsapp-ads/)
- [WhatsApp API for developers](https://eliteteqpos.com/hk/inbox/api/)
- [Pricing](https://eliteteqpos.com/hk/inbox/pricing/)

## Talk to EliteTeQ about EliteTeQ Inbox

- WhatsApp or call: +1 214 423 5355 (https://wa.me/12144235355?text=Hi%20EliteTeQ!%20Our%20team%20shares%20one%20WhatsApp%20number.%20Can%20you%20help%20me%20set%20up%20EliteTeQ%20Inbox%20with%20logins%2C%20auto-assign%20and%20office%20hours%3F%20I%E2%80%99m%20in%20Hong%20Kong.)
- Email: info@eliteteqpos.com
- Web: https://eliteteqpos.com/hk/inbox/whatsapp-team-inbox/