WhatsApp chatbots and WhatsApp Business integration

What a WhatsApp bot does

• Greets the customer and offers options: prices, booking, order status, speak to a manager.
• Collects an enquiry step by step and creates a lead in the CRM.
• Shows available time slots and confirms bookings.
• Sends order confirmations, delivery updates and reminders using approved templates.
• Answers frequent questions from your knowledge base, optionally with AI. See AI assistants.
• Hands the conversation to a person when needed, with the full history.

The shared inbox

With the Business Platform, conversations are no longer tied to one phone. Managers work in a shared inbox — inside your CRM or a dedicated tool — where they see the history, assign conversations, leave internal notes and reply from the company number. Response times and conversation outcomes can be measured. See CRM integration.

How the Business Platform works

Access is granted through Meta, either directly with the Cloud API or through a Business Solution Provider. The business verifies its Meta Business account, registers a phone number and sets a display name. Messages the business starts outside the customer service window must use message templates approved by Meta, and Meta charges for template messages according to its published pricing, which varies by country and message category. We explain the details in WhatsApp Business API explained.

How we build it

1. Channels and scenarios. Which questions the bot handles, which go straight to people, and which notifications you send.
2. Account setup. Meta Business verification, phone number, display name, templates.
3. Bot and inbox. Dialogue flows, handover rules, integration with CRM and other systems.
4. Notifications. Templates for order updates, reminders and confirmations, approved in advance.
5. Launch and refinement. Monitoring real conversations and improving the flow.

Good practice

• Be clear that it is a bot and how to reach a person.
• Ask for consent before sending marketing messages, and make opting out easy.
• Keep automated messages useful — customers can block or report a business, which affects its messaging limits.
• Answer fast during working hours. A bot that promises "a manager will reply" must be backed by a team that does.

What we need from you

• A phone number that can be registered for the Business Platform (it cannot be used in the regular WhatsApp app at the same time).
• Access to your Meta Business account, or permission to help set one up.
• The scenarios and frequent questions, and who handles conversations on your side.
• Your CRM or the tool your team will use as an inbox.