The key points
- Start with three to five jobs, not everything.
- Use only verified content as the bot's source.
- Plan the handoff to a person from the start.
- WhatsApp has its own account requirements and costs; confirm them early.
Why is the content more important than the technology?
A bot repeats what it has been given. If your opening times, process and pricing guidance are out of date or scattered across people's heads, the bot will be unreliable however capable the model. Gathering verified answers is usually the slowest and most valuable part of the project.
Which languages should it handle?
Those your customers genuinely use. For many businesses we work with that means English plus the regional languages their customers write in, which in practice often means Telugu and Hindi. People also switch language mid-conversation and type regional words in Roman letters, so test with real messages rather than assuming a language toggle will cope.
What happens when the bot cannot answer?
It hands over. Decide who receives the handoff, how quickly they must respond and what the visitor is told while they wait. The bot should say that it will check with a colleague rather than improvise, and a transcript should travel with the handoff so nobody asks the customer to repeat themselves.
From idea to live WhatsApp chatbot
Choose the jobs
Pick the few repeated questions and tasks the bot should handle, such as availability, process questions and enquiry capture.
Prepare the content
Write down verified, current answers. The bot can only be as accurate as the material it is given.
Connect the account
Set up the WhatsApp Business account and any approvals required, and identify messaging costs.
Train and integrate
Train the bot on your content and connect your CRM, inbox and calendar where needed.
Test and launch
Run real conversations, including awkward ones, check the handoff and launch with logging switched on.
WhatsApp chatbot checklist
- Which three to five jobs will the bot do first?
- Is the source information verified and current?
- Who handles handoffs, and how fast?
- Which languages do your customers actually write in?
- Which questions must never be answered by the bot?
Sources
Rules and guidance this answer relies on. Policies change, so check the current version before acting on it.