> For clean Markdown of any page, append .md to the page URL.
> For a complete documentation index, see https://docs.ada.cx/docs/handoffs/freshchat/additional-actions/llms.txt.
> For AI client integration (Claude Code, Cursor, etc.), connect to the MCP server at https://docs.ada.cx/_mcp/server.

# Additional Freshchat actions

In addition to the handoff action, the Freshchat block exposes two utility actions: one to decide whether to offer a handoff, and one to set the end user's expectations before it. Both resolve a Freshchat group by name (case-insensitive) — a different concept from the channel the handoff routes to, so most setups need both.

## Check business hours

The **Check business hours** action returns `true` if the specified Freshchat group is currently within its assigned business hours, and `false` otherwise. This is useful for branching a conversation between live agent escalation and a deflection or out-of-hours flow.

**To set up the check business hours action:**

1. Add the **Freshchat** block with action **Check business hours** to your answer.

2. Provide a `group_name` input — the exact name of the Freshchat group, as it appears under **Admin Settings → Groups**.

3. The block exposes a single output:

   | Output                 | Description                                                                             |
   | ---------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
   | `is_in_business_hours` | `true` if the group is currently within its assigned business hours, `false` otherwise. |

4. Use the output in an **If/Else** branch (or equivalent) to route to live chat or an out-of-hours flow.

> **Info**
>
> The check reflects the business hours assigned to the group in Freshchat (**Admin Settings → Business Hours**), including its configured timezone. Confirm with the customer that every group being queried actually has business hours assigned.

> **Warning**
>
> If the group name doesn't match a group in Freshchat, the action fails with a `400` rather than returning `false`. Design the answer so a failed check doesn't strand the end user, and verify the name before going live.

## Get group average first response time

The **Get group average first response time** action returns the average first response time for the specified Freshchat group over the previous 7 days, both as a raw value and as a phrase suitable for showing to an end user. Use it to set expectations before a handoff, for example "our team usually replies in about 5 minutes."

**To set up the get group average first response time action:**

1. Add the **Freshchat** block with action **Get group average first response time** to your answer.

2. Provide a `group_name` input — the exact name of the Freshchat group, as above.

3. The block exposes two outputs:

   | Output                    | Description                                                                                                              |
   | ------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
   | `avg_first_response_time` | The 7-day average first response time in seconds. Returns `-1` when Freshchat has no data for the group over the period. |
   | `response_time_message`   | A pre-formatted, end-user-friendly phrase derived from the same value.                                                   |

4. Use `response_time_message` directly in a message to the end user, or branch on `avg_first_response_time` for custom thresholds or wording.

### How `response_time_message` is derived

| Average first response time      | `response_time_message` |
| -------------------------------- | ----------------------- |
| No data available for the group  | `Not Available`         |
| Up to 60 seconds                 | `Less than a minute`    |
| Over 60 seconds, up to 5 minutes | `About 5 minutes`       |
| Over 5 minutes                   | `More than 5 minutes`   |

> **Info**
>
> The phrasing above is fixed in the connector and is not localized or configurable. For end users who need different wording, different thresholds, or a translated string, branch on `avg_first_response_time` and write the message in the AI Agent instead.

> **Warning**
>
> This is a 7-day historical average, not a live queue estimate — it does not reflect current agent availability or queue depth. Pair it with **Check business hours** rather than using it alone to decide whether to hand off.

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Have any questions? Contact your Ada team, or email us at [](mailto:help@ada.cx?subject=Help%20Docs%20inquiry).