Your Ultimate Guide to Managing Automated Messages on WhatsApp Business API

The age of automation is upon us and companies know that the only way forward for them is to embrace automation or risk losing business. This applies to customer communication as well. Businesses today need to manage thousands of incoming queries from customers who are highly empowered as well as discerning and hate to wait. They prefer messaging to communicate with businesses rather than use voice-based channels and expect instant responses. They show increased loyalty towards companies that are easy to contact and reply instantly, and are even willing to pay more for better service quality. Any delays on the part of the company in replying to these customers can create extreme dissatisfaction, resulting in customers ditching the brand entirely. Messaging automation plays a huge role in creating a positive customer experience, which is critical to the success of any business. It can improve customer-satisfaction rates, boost sales conversion rates, and also help employees perform more efficiently.

The WhatsApp Business API in particular is one of the most powerful tools that CX leaders use today to keep customers happy and loyal. Its many automation features, including auto replies, triggered messages, and work flows help businesses promptly reply to customer questions, including sharing product-related info (prices, delivery dates, similar product recommendations, payment terms), appointment reminders, order-related information, guided shopping, etc. in real time. While auto replies are a default feature of the WhatsApp Business app, they can be added to the WhatsApp Business API with a simple chatbot or WhatsApp Flows. Automated messages on WhatsApp can take customer service to a whole new level.

Benefits of WhatsApp Auto-Reply Messages

Auto-reply messages on WhatsApp Business API can be a transformative tool for businesses aiming to enhance customer service and operational efficiency. Some of its many advantages are:

#1 Immediate Response Time

Using WhatsApp Business API, brands can provide instant responses to customer inquiries. Be it sending automated welcome messages when customers reach out, away messages, or messages sharing expected wait times before a support agent is available, WhatsApp automation helps brands immediately acknowledge customers. They ensure that even outside of business hours, customers receive a prompt response indicating that their message has been received and will be attended to at the earliest possible time. This helps to alleviate any sense of frustration that typically happens when businesses do not respond to customers.

#2 Scalability

As customer inquiries increase, auto-replies can handle the bulk of initial interactions without the need for proportional increases in support staff. This scalability is particularly beneficial during peak times such as holidays, sales, or product launches when customer inquiries can spike dramatically.

#3 24/7 Availability

The ability to provide 24/7 customer support via WhatsApp auto replies dramatically enhances service availability. This is especially important for businesses with a global customer base across different time zones, ensuring that all customers receive timely and consistent responses no matter when they reach out.

#4 Customization and Personalization

WhatsApp Business API allows for significant customization of auto-reply messages. Businesses can set different auto-replies based on the keywords or questions identified in customer messages. Personalization can be further enhanced by integrating with CRM systems to pull in customer-specific data, offering responses that are not only immediate but also relevant to the individual’s history and preferences.

#5 Integration Capabilities

The real strength of WhatsApp auto-replies lies in their ability to integrate seamlessly with other business systems like CRM software, e-commerce platforms, or proprietary databases. This integration enables businesses to automate responses that are informed by customer data, such as providing order status updates, account information, or personalized product recommendations.

#6 Cost Efficiency

Integrating auto-replies reduces the need for a large customer service team dedicated to answering routine and repetitive queries. This automation allows businesses to allocate their human resources to more complex tasks and issues, optimizing labor costs and enhancing the efficiency of the customer service department.

#7 Proactive Customer Engagement

Beyond responding to inquiries, WhatsApp auto-replies can be used for proactive customer engagement. Businesses can automate messages for appointment reminders, product updates, or even feedback requests post-purchase, ensuring continuous engagement without additional manual effort.

WhatsApp Automated Messages – Use Cases

These following examples of automated WhatsApp messages show how businesses can use the platform to enhance customer interactions, improve response times, and maintain engagement efficiently. By customizing messages based on common inquiries and expected interactions, companies can provide a high level of service consistently. Here are some examples of automated replies that businesses commonly use on WhatsApp:

Type of Message	When Is It Sent	Example
Greeting Messages	Greeting messages are a way to acknowledge the customer immediately upon receiving a message. They set a friendly tone and often provide further instructions or information.	Hi there! Thanks for contacting [Your Company Name]. How can we assist you today?
Auto Reply During Closed Hours	When customers reach out outside of business hours, it’s important to let them know when they can expect a response. This maintains transparency and sets clear expectations.	Hello! Thank you for reaching out to us. Our business hours are from 9 AM to 5 PM Monday through Friday. We’re currently closed but will get back to you first thing when our office opens. Have a great day!
Trigger Messages	Trigger messages are automated responses activated by specific keywords or phrases in the customer’s message. These can provide instant information related to common queries.	In response to customer asking about an order:  To track your order, please provide your order ID, or you can visit our website at [link] to track your order instantly.
FAQ Replies	For frequently asked questions, businesses can set up automated replies that provide instant answers. This improves efficiency and frees up customer service resources.	In response to customer’s question about return policy: Our return policy lasts 30 days. If 30 days have gone by since your purchase, unfortunately, we can’t offer you a refund or exchange. For more details: [link to return policy]
Promotional Messages	When a customer initiates contact, it’s a good opportunity to send them information about current promotions or sales.	Thank you for reaching out! Did you know we’re having a 20% off sale this week? Visit our website to find the best deals: [link]
Appointment Reminders	For services that involve appointments, sending automated reminders can reduce no-shows and improve customer satisfaction.	Hello [Customer Name], this is a reminder for your appointment with [Your Company Name] on [Date] at [Time]. Please reply with ‘Confirm’ to confirm your appointment or ‘Reschedule’ to find another time.
Feedback Requests	After a service interaction or product purchase, automated messages can be sent to gather customer feedback, which is crucial for improving services and products.	We hope you enjoyed your experience/purchase with us. We would love to hear your feedback. Please let us know how we did here: [feedback link]
Seasonal Greetings	Sending out holiday or seasonal greetings can help personalize the customer experience and strengthen the relationship.	Happy Holidays from all of us at [Your Company Name]! We wish you a joyful season and look forward to serving you in the coming year.

WhatsApp Flows – The Best Option for Your Communication Automation Needs

WhatsApp flows are a feature introduced by WhatsApp Business Platform to help customers get things done within the app itself in a frictionless manner. They refer to the structured sequence of interactions or messages designed to guide a user through a particular process. This could include customer support, sales inquiries, information gathering, or any automated conversation sequence. Once Flows are integrated with a brand’s official WhatsApp channel, they help to make the customer journey more seamless, structured, as well as interactive, and ensure the customer does not have to leave the app or be redirected elsewhere to complete a process.

Using WhatsApp flows benefits businesses in a number of ways, including capturing high-quality leads via efficient conversations, creating more personalized CX, boosting sales with well-timed messages, and more. Flows can be easily integrated with chatbots, improving customer support. Some of the common uses of conversational flows in WhatsApp are in:

Customer Support: Automated flows can help guide customers through troubleshooting steps, provide answers to frequently asked questions, or gather necessary information before handing over the conversation to a human agent.
Sales and Marketing: Flows can be used to help a customer through product choices, provide additional information based on customer selections, and even guide them through a purchase process.
Booking and Reservations: Automated messaging flows can help customers choose dates, times, and details of reservations or bookings, often integrating with calendar services or booking systems.
Feedback Collection: After a purchase or service experience, flows can be set up to solicit customer feedback automatically, guiding the user through a series of questions to gather valuable insights.
Onboarding Processes: For new customers or subscribers, a WhatsApp flow can provide a step-by-step guide through the setup or registration process, delivering a smooth onboarding experience.

Example of a WhatsApp Flow

Imagine a scenario where a customer contacts a business on WhatsApp to inquire about a product’s availability. The flow might look something like this:

WhatsApp flows, particularly when managed through the WhatsApp Business API integrated with advanced tools and platforms, can offer sophisticated features that enhance both customer interaction and business efficiency. These advanced features can significantly elevate how businesses engage with customers, making interactions more responsive, personalized, and effective. Here are some of the advanced features available with WhatsApp flows:

#1 Conditional Responses

Conditional responses are at the heart of dynamic conversational flows. They allow the system to respond differently based on the input or behavior of the user. For instance, if a customer asks about product availability, the flow can check real-time inventory data before responding. If the product is available, the flow proceeds with the purchase process; if not, it might offer alternatives or the option to be notified when the product is back in stock.

Example: A customer inquiring about a hotel booking could receive different responses based on the availability of rooms for the requested dates, with the flow branching accordingly.

#2 Integration with CRM Systems

Integrating WhatsApp flows with CRM (Customer Relationship Management) systems enables businesses to leverage a wealth of customer data for more tailored interactions. This integration allows the flow to access customer history, preferences, and prior interactions to customize responses and recommendations.

Example: When a customer contacts a service provider, the WhatsApp flow can instantly pull up their service history from the CRM to provide a personalized service update or help troubleshoot issues based on past complaints or services.

#3 Data-Driven Personalization

By utilizing data analytics and machine learning algorithms, WhatsApp flows can offer highly personalized experiences to users. This might include product recommendations based on previous purchases, personalized greetings, or custom promotional messages that are likely to interest the individual based on their buying behavior.

Example: A retail business might use data-driven personalization in their WhatsApp flow to recommend clothing items. If a customer previously bought winter gear, the flow might showcase new arrivals or upcoming sales on similar products as the season changes.

#4 Automated Data Collection

WhatsApp flows can automate the process of collecting data from users in a structured manner. This is useful for gathering feedback, conducting surveys, or obtaining necessary information for processing requests, like collecting addresses or specific preferences.

Example: A flow could be set up to conduct a satisfaction survey post-purchase, asking customers to rate their experience and provide feedback directly through WhatsApp.

#5 Third-party Integrations

Apart from CRM systems, WhatsApp flows can integrate with various third-party applications and systems such as ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), CMS (Content Management Systems), or even bespoke databases. These integrations enhance the capabilities of the WhatsApp flow, enabling it to perform functions like scheduling, order processing, and even payment processing within the chat interface.

Example: Integrating a WhatsApp flow with a scheduling tool allows it to book appointments or reservations directly through the chat, providing available slots in real-time and confirming bookings instantly.

#6 Event-Triggered Communications

Advanced flows can initiate communication based on specific triggers or events. This could include sending reminders for renewals or appointments, alerts about account activities, or personalized greetings on special occasions like birthdays or anniversaries.

Example: An insurance company might set up a flow to send policy renewal reminders a few weeks before a policy is due to expire, including details on how to proceed with the renewal.

#7 Multilingual Support

Advanced WhatsApp flows can detect and respond in multiple languages, automatically adapting the conversation based on the customer’s language preference. This is particularly useful for global businesses serving diverse customer bases.

Example: A customer starts a chat in Spanish, and the WhatsApp flow automatically continues the interaction in Spanish, enhancing the customer’s comfort and ease of communication.

By leveraging these advanced features, businesses can create highly sophisticated, efficient, and personalized WhatsApp flows that not only improve customer satisfaction but also streamline operations and boost overall business performance.

Rajrupa Ghoshal

Writer and Editor

Rajrupa is a copywriter with a knack for crafting compelling narratives that help brands connect with their audiences effectively. As part of edna’s marketing team, she creates blogs, case studies, white papers and other content, using SEO best practices to drive up traffic to the website. She loves to stay updated on the latest digital marketing trends and hot-button topics related to CX. When not working, she loves to curl up with a good book.