How to Build a WhatsApp Chatbot in Just 5 Minutes

Staying ahead in the ecommerce & D2C industry means offering quick, seamless customer experiences. With customers demanding instant responses, integrating a WhatsApp chatbot into your business has become necessary for maintaining fast and efficient customer service. 

Today, learning how to create a WhatsApp chatbot that can handle customer queries, track orders, and even boost sales is easier than ever. Thanks to no-code bot-building platforms like The Convertway, you can effortlessly create a chatbot for WhatsApp in just five minutes—no technical coding skills needed.

Let’s walk through this detailed guide on how to set up a Whatsapp chatbot for your ecommerce business using The Convertway.

What is a WhatsApp chatbot?

A WhatsApp chatbot is an automated conversational tool that provides instant responses to real-time queries on WhatsApp. A WhatsApp chatbot streamlines a variety of tasks, such as answering frequently asked questions (FAQs), sharing real-time order status updates, and curating a personalized, interactive shopping experience. 

By automating these processes, ecommerce & D2C businesses can ensure 24/7 availability, reduce response times, and deliver a seamless customer journey that drives satisfaction and customer loyalty.

Prerequisites To Create a WhatsApp Chatbot

Before you dive into building your no-code WhatsApp bot, let’s make sure you’ve got the essentials covered:

• WhatsApp Business Platform: Your WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) needs to be approved. This ensures that your chatbot can interact with customers on WhatsApp seamlessly.
• Growth Plan or Higher: Make sure your The Convertway account is on the Growth Plan or higher. This unlocks the necessary features you’ll need to create your chatbot on WhatsApp and deploy it effectively.

Learn About the Building Blocks: What are Whatsapp Chatbot Nodes?

Creating a WhatsApp chatbot is a bit like assembling a custom puzzle. Each piece or component, known as a node, plays a critical role in crafting the overall experience for your customers. 

Here’s an overview of the different types of nodes you’ll be working with and how it can be used:

1. Bot Trigger:

This is where your bot begins its journey. The Bot Trigger node sets the keywords or phrases that will activate your no code chatbot. Think of it as the power switch that starts the engine.‍

Example: Common keywords like "Hi," "Hello," "Track my order," or even more e-commerce specific phrases like "Show me the latest deals" can be used to trigger the Chatbot conversation.

2. Send Message:

This node is the voice of your bot. Whether you want to send a text message, an image, or a button that customers can click on, this is where you make it happen. 

With WhatsApp chatbots, you can send a variety of message types to captivate your audience:

• Text Message: Send simple yet creative text responses, such as a warm welcome message or personalized offers, to start conversations effectively.
• Media Message: Attach images, documents, or videos to your messages. This is perfect for showcasing products, sharing tutorials, or engaging your audience with visually appealing content.
• Button Message: Provide clickable options for users, allowing them to navigate the chatbot flow. This feature is essential for eCommerce use cases like managing returns, tracking orders, and facilitating quick cancellations and refunds.
• List Message: Offer a list of options, ideal for presenting multiple choices like product categories or FAQs,  For example, offer a list of categories customers can shop from, enhancing their shopping experience.

You can personalize messages with customer names using variables or provide detailed product information to guide their shopping journey.

3. Ask Question:

When you need to gather information from your customers—like their email, phone number, or order ID—this node does the job. It prompts the customer for input and stores their response in a variable.

4. Conditions:

Conditions allow you to branch your chatbot’s conversation flow based on customer responses. This creates dynamic and personalized experiences.

‍Example: For instance, you could set up conditions based on the customer's shipment status. The chatbot for whatsapp can automatically send personalized responses depending on three different conditions, whether the order is packed, shipped, or in transit. 

By branching out with these three conditions, the Whatsapp bot can efficiently address customer queries or seamlessly direct them to customer support when needed.

5. Shopify Integration:

For eCommerce businesses using Shopify, this node is a game-changer. It allows your Whatsapp bot to fetch order details, provide real-time tracking information, and even manage order cancellations—all directly through WhatsApp.

Shopify merchants and sellers can easily leverage this node to create a chatbot flow where customers can check their order status or request cancellations without ever leaving the chat.

6. Convertway Integration:

This node will help you manage conversations more effectively by tagging them or adding customers to specific lists based on their interactions with the bot.

‍Example: If a customer requests to speak with an agent, you can tag that conversation as a high priority, ensuring it gets the attention it needs. 

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Create WhatsApp Bot in 5 Minutes using The Convertway

Now that you’re familiar with the key components, let’s break down the no-code Whatsapp chatbot creation process step by step:

1. Navigate to the Chatbot Menu:

Log into The Convertway app and head over to the "Chatbot" section.

2. Choose Your Chatbot Flow:

• Default Flow: If you’re short on time or prefer a readymade solution, explore the "Chatbot Library" for prebuilt flows. These templates are customizable and can be tailored to your specific needs.

• Custom Flow: If you want to target a specific ecommerce chatbot use case and personalize it as per your preference, you can make a custom chatbot. You can start from scratch by building a unique chatbot flow that perfectly aligns with your business objectives with the help of The Convertway’s no code bot builder.

3. Set Up the Bot Trigger:

Define the keywords that will activate your bot. Consider what your customers typically say when interacting with your ecommerce business.  For example, if they frequently ask about order tracking, you might set "Track my order" as a trigger.

4. Build the Chatbot Flow:

Add nodes like "Send Message", "Ask Question" and "Conditions" by clicking the "+" icon. Tailor each step to guide your customers through the desired experience, whether it’s browsing products, tracking an order, or getting customer support with these steps.

Let's dive deep into the detailed setup of each chatbot node below -

Personalizing Chatbot Messages:

Once you’ve added the "Send Message" nodes, you can choose from four different message types: Text Message, Media Message, List Message, and Button Message.

You can use variables from the available variables section to personalize your messages as shown in the image. 

When customizing lists message, you can add multiple rows to display various product categories. Descriptions can be added to enhance the user experience by providing more context about different categories or collections, as shown in the previous image.

You can also add a footer, save responses in the appropriate attributes like email or order ID, and finalize your settings. 

For media messages, include an image alongside the text. For button messages, you can add up to three buttons with the text message.

Setting Conditions in Your Chatbot Flow:

Easily set up different flows based on specific conditions using the "Condition" nodes. Start by clicking the condition node and adding branches according to the conditions you want to apply in the flow.

Next, set the conditions by selecting the attributes, operators, and values, and click "Save" to implement the conditions.

Asking Questions with Your Chatbot:

To set up a question in your chatbot, add the "Ask Question" node and input your question. 

After that, save the user response in the necessary attribute and set the maximum number of attempts a user can make, as well as the messages for maximum attempts and errors. Once configured, click "Save."

Using Shopify Integration Nodes:

By clicking on the Shopify integration node, you'll have three options: Fetch Order, Recent Order, and Cancel Order.

For instance, if you choose to fetch order details, the system will prompt you to search by order ID or email. After selecting the attribute from the dropdown menu, fetch the relevant data. 

The Convertway Chatbot flow has pre-created 2 use case conditions - Order found and Order not found. You can select attributes from the drop-down for different variables like fulfillment status, total price, etc as shown in the image below and then click "Save."

Follow similar steps for handling order cancellations and recent orders.

Using The Convertway Integration Nodes:

For The Convertway integrations, you have two options: adding a user to a list or applying a conversation tag. 

• In the case of a conversation tag, the customer query is marked as high priority and forwarded to a customer support agent. 

• To segment customers within different lists, select the destination list from the drop-down menu and click "Save."

Configuring the Fallback Setting for Your Chatbot:

It’s important to configure a fallback message for instances where the chatbot encounters an error or the user responds with something outside the flow. After adding the fallback message, click "Save."

Now your Whatsapp Chatbot is ready to test and go live.

5. Preview and Test:

Before making the Chatbot live, preview the flow to ensure everything works as expected. Test it out by triggering the bot with the keywords you’ve set and make changes as per your observations.

6. Go Live:

Once satisfied with your bot, toggle the status to green to make it live. You can also analyze your chatbot performance like how many times has the chatbot been triggered and steps finished from the Analytics section on your app dashboard. 

Congratulations, your Whatsapp business chatbot is now ready to engage with customers!

How Does the Chatbot Session Close?

Understanding how and when your chatbot session closes is crucial for managing customer interactions effectively. Here’s what you need to know:

1. Admin Intervention:

If an admin replies in the chat panel during an ongoing bot session, the chatbot will step back, allowing the admin to take over the conversation.

2. Customer Inactivity:

If the customer doesn’t respond for 15 minutes during a bot session, the session will automatically close to keep things tidy and efficient.

3. Flow Completion:

When a customer reaches the end of a conversation branch, the bot will close the session, marking it as complete.

What eCommerce Use Cases Can Be Solved with WhatsApp Chatbot Automation?

WhatsApp chatbots aren’t just a cool tech tool, they’re a powerhouse for solving real eCommerce challenges. Let’s explore how your business can leverage these bots to streamline operations and enhance customer satisfaction:

1. Automating Sales Queries:

‍Show Offers and Discounts: Use the "List" node to display on-sale products and guide customers to relevant discounted products based on their preferences.

‍Display Various Product Collections: Similarly, using the "List" node you can display various product categories like Newly launched, Summer collections and more. 

This creates a personalized shopping experience that can boost conversions for your ecommerce or D2C brand.

2. Order Tracking:

Track Orders: Integrate with Shopify to provide real-time order tracking directly within the chat. Customers can instantly check the status of their orders without leaving WhatsApp, reducing the burden on your support team.

3. Answering FAQs:

FAQs: Set up automated responses to common customer questions. By handling these FAQs through your bot, you free up your team to focus on more complex inquiries, all while providing customers with the instant answers they crave.

4. Managing Returns and Exchanges:

Return & Exchange: Whatsapp chatbots simplify the return process by redirecting customers to the returns page, making it easier and more accessible for them to place their return or exchange requests. 

Manage Cancellation: Manage order cancellations directly with the Whatsapp chat automation. This ensures a smooth and friction-free experience, which can help retain customer loyalty.

5. Connecting Customers to Live Agents:

Talk to Agent: Before connecting a customer to a live agent, gather essential information like their order ID or issue type. This speeds up resolution times and improves overall productivity by ensuring agents have all the details they need from the start.

6. Providing Size Guides:

Size Guides: Embed size guide information directly into the chatbot flow, making it easy for customers to find the right fit. This reduces the likelihood of returns and enhances the shopping experience.

Conclusion

Creating a WhatsApp chatbot with The Convertway is not only quick but also incredibly easy. With The Convertway’s Whatsapp automation software, you can build a Whatsapp chatbot that handles everything from sales queries to order tracking, all while delivering a personalized and efficient customer experience.

Not just this, you can improve customer satisfaction and lower support time while reducing manual effort by automating key tasks like returns, exchanges, cancellations and more. 

So why wait? Start building your Whatsapp bot today and take your eCommerce sales to the next level!