WhatsApp Chatbot for Businesses [A Quick Guide]

You may not use WhatsApp, but the rest of the world sure does.

Robert McMillan
Wired Magazine

Before we dive into the subject of WhatsApp chatbots, imagine this:

People send over 65 billion messages via WhatsApp every day. If you were to deal with only 0.000001% of them, you’d still have to answer 650 messages a day.

Truth is, even 65 seems more than enough if most of them are messages like: Is this item in stock? Does it come in red? What’s my order status?, and you’re supposed to give an answer in under 2 minutes.

Well, this is exactly what a WhatsApp chatbot can help you with. And then some more.

In this article, you’ll find out:

• What a WhatsApp chatbot is and what are the benefits of using it
• Pros and cons of two available WhatsApp bot solutions

To learn all about Tidio’s chatbot features and benefits, visit our page dedicated to chatbots.

Looking for similar reads? Read more about:

• 18 Best Examples of Chatbots
• 7 Best Chatbot Platforms for Companies
• 5 Chatbot Solutions for e-Commerce to Improve Conversion Rate

What Is a WhatsApp Chatbot?

WhatsApp chatbot is a software application that can interact with users and simulate human conversations on the WhatsApp platform, thanks to end-to-end encryption.

Today, WhatsApp chatbots offer various functionalities, based on machine learning, NLP (natural language processing), and artificial intelligence.

You can use a WhatsApp Bot to handle customer issues and answer questions in real-time, which can greatly improve customer experience.

If you want to fully grasp chatbots, check out our article about what a chatbot is used for.

Now—

You probably wonder whether it makes sense for YOUR business to configure WhatsApp and integrate a WhatsApp chatbot.

Why Create a WhatsApp Chatbot?

Here’s what WhatsApp chatbots can do for you:

• Elevate customer support and lead generation by providing automated customer services 24/7
• Save time and reducing customer service costs
• Increasing customer engagement by leading them through the sales funnel processes
• Build trust and loyalty among customers by assisting them on their preferred platform
• Support customers by providing instant answers to their questions and enabling them to take fast actions
• Personalize customer experience with customized WhatsApp scripts
• Provide safe encryption to protect the confidentiality of the conversations with your customers

Plus, besides Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp has one of the fastest-growing customer bases in the world. Facebook officially reported that WhatsApp’s monthly active user base has increased by 365% over the course of 6 years.

This means that sooner or later, you will have customers who would want to use WhatsApp to communicate with your company.

Installing a WhatsApp bot can help you respond to your customers when you are not around, maintain a smooth conversation flow, and improve the overall customer experience.

Plus—

Today’s WhatsApp chatbots can answer even complex questions and perform specific tasks, like gathering contact information for sales or processing a refund. This makes them particularly useful for eCommerce businesses.

Suggested reads
Do you want to know what techniques companies employ to get more customers? Read the best examples in our e-commerce case study analysis.

But how to build your own WhatsApp bot? Are all WhatsApp chatbots created equal?

Let’s find out.

Two WhatsApp Chatbot Solutions

Here’s the thing—

There are two ways in which you get your WhatsApp chatbot:

• WhatsApp chatbot development (via WhatsApp Business)
• Integrating chatbot into WhatsApp (via WhatsApp Business API)

To understand how they differ, have a look at the table below:

What does this all mean?

In short—

If your primary need is the automated “away messages” functionality, and you don’t need multiple operators or unlimited access—WhatsApp Business should be more than fine.

However, if you plan to create an intelligent chatbot for WhatsApp, and you deal with many messages on a daily basis, WhatsApp Business API is the best option for you because of customization and higher flexibility.

Here’s what each choice entails:

If you choose WhatsApp chatbot development services (a.k.a. the WhatsApp Business way)…

You need to engage your own development team or hire a WhatsApp chatbot building company. Then, you need to apply for a dedicated API key access and have developers ready to create the WhatsApp chatbot application using Python, PHP, GitHub, Dialogflow, or NodeJS, depending on your architecture.

If you choose to integrate a chatbot into WhatsApp (a.k.a. the WhatsApp Business API way)…

You should go for services offered by WhatsApp Business Solution Providers. An official WhatsApp Business Solution Provider covers all infrastructural requirements and offers an API hub, so the whole process of creating your own WhatsApp AI bot is 100% codeless.

On top of that, Business Solution Providers usually offer many additional features such as contacts management, analytics, and reporting.

Can you see the paradox already? A more complete WhatsApp chatbot solution is much less of a hassle. But what you choose depends entirely on your needs.

WhatsApp Chatbot From Tidio

At Tidio, we see how WhatsApp and other communicators are redefining the way businesses and customers interact with each other. That’s why we’re actively exploring the possibilities that lie in integrating our chatbot solutions with WhatsApp.

Would you consider adding a WhatsApp chatbot to your website? Or maybe, you already have, but you are not satisfied with the results? Which approach to WhatsApp chatbot creation did you choose? Don’t hesitate to reach out and talk to us about your experience. 

We will let you know as soon as our WhatsApp chatbot integration is launched! In the meantime, try out how our chatbots work.

Read more: Check out the best chatbot APIs for your business.

Key Takeaways

Let’s quickly recap the most important info:

• Because WhatsApp popularity keeps on growing, WhatsApp chatbots for businesses are becoming more popular too—especially when it comes to providing customer support
• Customers appreciate the familiarity and the personal touch of WhatsApp; that’s why installing a WhatsApp chatbot that ensures a smooth communication flow can improve customer experience
• There are two approaches to WhatsApp business automation: through WhatsApp Business, which requires coding, or through WhatsApp Business API that enables you to integrate the chatbot into your WhatsApp platform