Complete guide to WhatsApp chatbots

By deploying a WhatsApp chatbot, you can offer 24/7 customer support and three times faster response times for queries. Customers won’t be talking to a faceless machine – they’ll be chatting to your agents via a series of pre-written messages or friendly automated messages. And, the good thing about running it through WhatsApp is that the channel is already familiar to most people. 

While introducing a chatbot might feel daunting, the set up time could be as little as two weeks if you choose the right provider. From marketing messages to transactional ones, WhatsApp Business chatbots are already delivering an excellent return on investment (ROI) and creating memorable customer experiences.

What is a WhatsApp chatbot?

A WhatsApp chatbot can manage your conversations, handling any queries, complaints or promotions, to take the pressure off your teams and provide instant customer support. It can also support routine messages like order updates and promotions – all within the WhatsApp platform. Any query that’s too complex (like missing items in a delivery) is quickly passed onto an agent – typically going into a queue ready for your team to resolve. 

WhatsApp is interactive by nature, with features such as reactions, polls, buttons, pictures, videos and other rich media. As a result, chatbots are conversational and engaging, while still maintaining your brand identity. 

At Esendex, our WhatsApp Business chatbots are rule-based, so customers follow a series of prompts to get an answer. The conversation is well-structured and flows effortlessly, eliminating the risk of errors or inconsistency in your brand voice. Chatbots can also include keyword prompts, so if a customer messages ‘sales,’ they are referred directly to the sales team. 

Interactions are two-way automated conversations – your customer sends an inbound message, which is almost immediately responded to. This empowers them to manage their enquiry using self-serve tools, or return to an agent during opening hours. Companies using WhatsApp have experienced a 33% drop in call centre volumes and 91% customer query resolution rate. 

As well as reduced waiting times, you’re able to use resources more effectively. A chatbot can handle hundreds of conversations at once, so it reduces pressure on your teams.

Chatbots in action

From queries to FAQs, chatbots are available 24/7 to solve your customers’ dilemmas and boost both your sales and brand profile. With Esendex, WhatsApp chatbots work seamlessly alongside SMS and rich communication services (RCS) as part of your multi or omni-channel strategy. 

Customer support 

WhatsApp chatbots are perfect for customer service enquiries. Someone could ask your chatbot about the status of a return or delivery, appointment details or product information, and get an answer right away. Chatbots are ‘always on’ so they offer customer support with friendly and conversational messages, helping to drive up satisfaction levels.

FAQs

WhatsApp chatbots will also provide answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) so customers can easily find the information they’re looking for, without needing to call you or your customer service team. You can also ask if they’ve got everything they need –  and if not, redirect them to another channel or an agent.

Personalisation

When integrated with a WhatsApp API, chatbots can pull your customer data from a spreadsheet or your customer relationship management (CRM) system. This typically includes information such as past interactions, purchase history or appointments, which allow you to deliver tailored communications such as appointment reminders or product recommendations. 

Without an API, there’s still scope for personalisation. Simply by using a customer’s name you can create more personal and engaging experiences.

Marketing 

Chatbots are an excellent marketing tool. Messages can be personalised for impact, and enhanced with information on products/services, links to demos, pictures and videos. 

An alternative to WhatsApp is a RCS chatbot – which offers rich features like message carousels, product searches and web links to encourage sales. 

Reasons to choose a bot 

Industry experts have predicted that chatbots will become a primary customer service channel by 2027. Not only can they streamline your communications, they also help to improve customer service, especially in today’s world where customers expect immediate replies and round-the-clock support. 

Deploying a chatbot is essentially like hiring someone who knows every detail about your business and can treat every customer with the same level of care, personalisation and branding. That said, it’s not a replacement for your customer service team who can focus their energy on valuable customer interactions, solving complex problems and supporting customers with the care and empathy they sometimes need. 

Here are just some of the benefits:

• Reduced wait times: Chatbots send fast replies to messages, reducing wait times and improving customer satisfaction
• 24/7 support: Chatbots are available 24/7 with friendly replies and helpful advice 
• Cost effective: Deployed using WhatsApp, chatbots can help you cut call centre costs 
• Improve efficiency: Because chatbots take care of simple queries and questions, it frees up time for your teams to focus on customers who need more support
• Personalisation: Brands can introduce conversational marketing to better connect with customers
• On brand: You can design content and messages in line with your brand voice. Templates, edited in line with your branding, enable quick replies and brand consistency. 
• Interactive: Buttons, rich media and suggested replies make conversations more engaging
• Integration: Chatbots can be integrated with CRM and sales software for deeper personalisation and in-app purchases 

Who can get a WhatsApp chatbot?

Businesses of all sizes can benefit from a WhatsApp chatbot. Larger organisations make use of it for sales, lead generation and customer support, while WhatsApp is very popular for small to medium sized businesses who need an easy-to-use and cost-effective messaging platform. And, since WhatsApp has nearly 3bn monthly active users, there’s a large and captive audience.

Our customer, Rhenus Home Delivery, introduced WhatsApp Business chatbots to reduce call centre volumes and to help customers get faster responses. It enabled the team to automate and resolve queries using the Esendex platform – so much so, the brand replaced its phoneline with WhatsApp. Within a month, the chatbot handled 68% of customer queries and there was an immediate ROI. Read the full case study. 

At Esendex, WhatsApp chatbots are priced based on their complexity: simple chatbots can cost as little as £500, while bespoke chatbots with API integration, you pay a day rate or a base cost depending on your needs. With a bespoke API, a chatbot can handle more conversations and provide a richer, more engaging customer experience.

Expert’s guide to building a bot

When building a chatbot, there are two options. The first is a self-service builder but you tend to have limited flexibility as you will typically need to use templates or follow a more rigid design process.

The second is to work with a custom solutions provider like Esendex, who can develop a tailored  solution and provide end-to-end support, from ideation, to go live. Esendex is also a Meta Business Partner, so will support you with best practice for onboarding your WhatsApp API. 

WhatsApp for Business  

To get a WhatsApp chatbot, you’ll need to be signed up to the WhatsApp Business Platform. A provider like Esendex, will get you started and handle chatbot setup and integration via API. The platform is trusted by nearly 50,000 customers, and it’s secure too with an ISO 27001 accreditation. 

Talk to an expert 

Get in touch with an expert at Esendex, who can talk you through your options. Whether you’re looking for an autoresponder (like a simple ‘away’ message), a custom built solution or integrations, the team can help.

Discovery 

Once you’ve decided to go ahead, chatbot specialists spend around a week in discovery, understanding your existing customer journey and supporting you to map out what your chatbot could look like. 

They’ll also consider integrations with software like CRMs, mobile journeys for a rich web experience, and other tools/options like a voice solution to offer two-factor authentication. 

You’ll discuss features like whether a customer can go back to a previous menu or conversation, and entry points where they can speak to an agent or end the conversation. You can also consider the level of personalisation and branding you want. 

The build

Once your ideal chatbot journey has been mapped, it will be presented as a flow diagram, which can include a welcome message, submenu and different conversation options.

Once you’re happy, the solution build will be handled by the Esendex Professional Services team, but you’ll be included every step of the way to ensure the chatbot is built in line with your brand and content voice. 

Going live  

You’ll have the opportunity to test the chatbot. Once you’re happy with the solution, it’s published to go live, and your customers will be able to access support from day one.

At Esendex, we offer two weeks of hypercare to support you through the transition, and handle any issues. You’ll have an account manager overseeing the implementation and you’ll secure valuable  feedback based on its performance, which you’ll see reflected in average handling time reductions, number of conversations and sales. 

Roll out across channels 

Once your WhatsApp chatbot is fully operational, it sits on the Esendex platform. Chatbots are built to work with any channels enabled on your account like SMS and RCS, so it can be deployed when you’re ready to expand to other inbound channels.

Supercharge conversations with WhatsApp’ chatbots 

Around 1.5bn consumers worldwide are using chatbots and 62% prefer the experience to waiting for a human agent. The possibilities are endless and chatbots will only become more sophisticated over time. 

You can deliver a more controlled, engaging experience with WhatsApp chatbots and ensure customers get the answers they’re looking for on their first attempt. You will also reduce wait times and use your resources more effectively.
Get in touch with Esendex to discuss your WhatsApp chatbot options.