【WhatsApp Auto-Reply】Setting Up a Chatbot for Rapid Customer Response (with case study)

In Hong Kong, WhatsApp is the most used instant messaging tool. It is not just for contacting friends and family but has become one of the primary channels for customer communication. Given that a large portion of customer inquiries are repetitive, setting up WhatsApp auto-reply can accelerate response times and reduce the customer service workload. This article will teach you how to set up WhatsApp auto-reply and WhatsApp Chatbot, complete with practical case studies, to help you seize every sales opportunity.

What is WhatsApp Auto-Reply?

WhatsApp Auto-Reply allows businesses to pre-set messages, recipients, or times for responses. When a customer sends a message to the business, the system automatically responds to the inquiry. Merchants can use basic WhatsApp auto-reply via the WhatsApp Business App or use advanced WhatsApp Chatbot and keyword auto-reply by integrating the WhatsApp Business API through a third-party provider.

Setting Up WhatsApp Auto-Reply via WhatsApp Business App

Setting Up a Greeting Message

The system automatically sends a greeting message when a customer contacts the merchant for the first time, or after 14 days of inactivity since their last message.

1. Tap “Settings” > “Business Tools” > “Greeting Message.”

2. Enable “Greeting Message.”

3. Tap “Greeting Message” to edit the text, then tap “OK.”

4. Tap “Recipients” and select one of the following options:

• Everyone
• Anyone not in address book: Send to all non-contacts.
• Everyone except…: Send to all customers, excluding selected contacts.
• Only send to…: Send only to selected contacts.

Setting Up an Away Message

The system automatically sends an away message when the business is closed or the staff is busy. Merchants can include an estimated response time in the message, managing customer expectations.

1. Tap “Settings” > “Business Tools” > “Away Message.”

2. Enable “Away Message.”

3. Tap “Away Message” to edit the text, then tap “OK.”

4. Tap “Schedule” and select one of the following options:

• Always send: send at all times.
• Custom schedule: Send only during specified times.
• Outside of business hours: Send only outside of business hours (business hours must first be set in the Business Profile).

5. Tap “Recipients” and select one of the following options:

• Everyone
• Anyone not in address book: Send to all non-contacts.
• Everyone except…: Send to all customers, excluding selected contacts.
• Only send to…: Send only to selected contacts.

Limitations of WhatsApp Business App Auto-Reply

Although the auto-reply feature built into the WhatsApp Business App enhances customer service response speed, as a basic free tool, it still has the following limitations in practical business application:

Limited Response Scenarios

The built-in auto-reply only sends a single greeting or away message template, making its use case extremely narrow. It does not support personalised responses based on specific customer inquiries, interest tags, or purchase history, severely lacking conversational depth.

Inability to Follow Up

The WhatsApp Business App only supports one-time replies and cannot initiate subsequent conversation flows or proactively follow up with customers. Once a conversation moves into a complex inquiry stage, businesses must wait for a live agent to intervene.

Cannot Meet Enterprise Operational Needs

For businesses aiming for high-efficiency expansion, the built-in features have clear operational limits. For example, it does not support multi-user login, impacting team collaboration and efficiency. It also lacks necessary data analytics and tracking functions, making it impossible to effectively measure key performance indicators like message volume or engagement rates.

Setting Up Auto-Reply via Omnichat’s WhatsApp Business API

Businesses seeking to implement WhatsApp marketing automation, enabling a 24/7 Chatbot to interact with customers and answer questions, and allowing multi-team account management, should integrate the WhatsApp Business API through a third-party provider (e.g., Omnichat) to unlock a series of advanced features designed specifically for commercial use.

WhatsApp Chatbot Setup Tutorial

1. Go to the Omnichat backend > Select Advanced Automation > Bot Builder 2.0

2. Click “+New Chatbot” > Name the Chatbot and select the WhatsApp platform > Start Setup

3. Click the + button to add a block > Add a regular card (options include text, photo, coupon, etc.).

4. Enter the relevant message (You can use {…} to insert personalisation parameters, such as customer name, member ID, or custom attributes).

5. Add a Button > Enter the Button Name.

6. Select the button action upon clicking. Options include:

• Reply Block: Clicking the button will take customers to the designated card.
• Open URL: When a customer clicks the button, it will redirect to the specified URL.

7. Add Additional Actions (Optional). Options include:

• Add Tag: When the customer clicks the button, the tag is automatically applied to the customer.
• Save as Custom Attribute (Add-on Feature): When the customer clicks the button, it will add the preset custom attribute to the customer automatically. (See tutorial here).

Function: This records customer behavioral data during the interaction, aiding in more precise future marketing and allowing broadcasts to customers with specific custom attributes.

8. Click “Save” after configuration is complete.

WhatsApp Keyword Auto-Reply Setup Tutorial

1. Go to the Omnichat backend > Select Advanced Automation > Keyword Autoreply 2.0.

2. Click “+ New Group” > Name the “Group Name” and select the target channel as WhatsApp > Save.

3. Once you have set up your group, select “Add New Rule” to set up the WhatsApp auto-reply trigger conditions and content:

• Status: Can enable or disable this keyword condition.
• Customer Message：Insert the Keyword you would like your contact to fill to trigger the rule (options include: contains all, contains any, is exactly the same as, or any content).
• Action：Select the type of actions you would like to take once the rule is triggered (options include: text, chatbot block, image, sticker, or do not send any messages).

4. Click “Save” once you have completed your settings.

WhatsApp Chatbot Auto-Reply Case Studies

OPTICAL 88: WhatsApp Chatbot and Keyword Auto-Reply

OPTICAL 88 utilises Omnichat’s 24/7 chatbot, setting up interactive buttons to answer customer inquiries such as “Latest Offers,” “Professional Services,” or “Other.” When customers select a button, relevant information is displayed, effectively handling 72% of routine customer enquiries. This allows the customer service team to focus on other complex inquiries or tasks, building more meaningful customer interactions.

Furthermore, the keyword auto-reply feature provides instant, accurate responses. Whether customers need to modify bookings, locate stores, or receive updates during significant events such as Typhoon No. 8 situations, customers can receive immediate updates about their booking status once inputting the related keywords, demonstrating how automation can enhance both operational efficiency and customer satisfaction simultaneously.

Watsons: WhatsApp Chatbot Automatically Routes Customers to the Appropriate Team

Customers can instantly book services like beauty consultations, pharmacist services, or Chinese medicine practitioner appointments via Watsons’ WhatsApp, or get the latest information quickly. Using the WhatsApp Chatbot, the system automatically routes inquiries (e.g., booking a pharmacist service) to the corresponding team for follow-up. This ensures that pharmacists at different branches can provide immediate consultation, speeding up response times.

Utilising Omnichat’s WhatsApp Business API, you can achieve: Chatbot auto-reply, keyword auto-assignment, sales staff performance tracking, abandoned cart reminders, multi-channel message integration, and multi-user login management—all designed to help you capture every conversational sales opportunity!