In this article · 7 sections
In India, WhatsApp is where customers ask prices, book services and complain. A WhatsApp AI chatbot answers instantly, collects details and passes serious conversations to your team, so fewer leads go cold.
App vs API
- WhatsApp Business app: free, quick replies, greeting/away messages, labels. No true AI bot
- WhatsApp Business Platform (API): needed for chatbots, multiple agents, CRM integration and automated notifications. Accessed through Meta directly or approved providers (BSPs). See WhatsApp Business app vs API
What to automate
- Greeting and menu: "Book a cab / Get prices / Talk to us"
- FAQs: timings, location, documents needed, services
- Price estimates from a fixed table
- Booking/enquiry capture (name, date, requirement)
- Order and booking status updates
- Feedback and review requests after service
What not to automate
- Complaints and refunds
- Custom quotes that need judgement
- Sensitive conversations
Make "Talk to a person" available at every step.
Costs (basics)
Meta charges for certain message types (business-initiated templates such as marketing or utility messages) under its pricing model, and providers add platform fees. Pricing rules change, so check Meta's current WhatsApp pricing and your provider's plan.
Best practices
- Opt-in: message only customers who agreed to receive messages
- Approved templates for business-initiated messages
- Short messages and buttons instead of long paragraphs
- Hinglish/Punjabi options if your customers prefer them. See AI translation
- Train the AI on your real FAQs and prices, and restrict it from inventing answers
- Review chats weekly and improve answers
- Disclose that it's an automated assistant
Connect to your systems
Send captured leads to Google Sheets, a CRM or your booking admin using integrations. See automate lead follow-up.
FAQs
Can I keep my current WhatsApp number?
Often yes, but moving a number to the API changes how the WhatsApp app works on it. Plan the migration with your provider.
Is a website chatbot also needed?
Many businesses connect the website chat button straight to WhatsApp instead. See AI chatbot for websites.
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