Chatbots appear to be complicated, especially in case you do not have a specialized foundation. But, stop and assume something for a minute – with the right guidance, anybody can learn how to design and plan an essential WhatsApp chatbot, no matter whether or not you’ve got zero coding abilities. In this simple step-by-step post, we will walk you through all that you really want to construct your very first chatbot in just less than one hour. No fancy software or prior experience is required.
Understanding Chatbots and WhatsApp’s Chatbot API
To build a WhatsApp chatbot, you first need to perceive what chatbots are and how WhatsApp’s Chatbot API works.
Chatbots are mechanized tasks that could have conversations with individuals via messaging applications, sites, phone applications, and anything is possible from that point. They utilize normal language processing and AI to understand what a human is talking about and give a fitting reaction.
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WhatsApp recently delivered an API that permits businesses to construct chatbots for their information stage. Their Chatbot API utilizes the Template Messages element to send intelligent messages with buttons, pictures, and more to engage in discussions with clients.
Some key things to know about the WhatsApp Chatbot API:
- Chatbots can send different types of template messages like text, images, video, documents, location, and contacts.
- Chatbots receive and send messages through a phone number that businesses claim and verify.
- Businesses can build chatbots to automate discussions at scale and speed up reaction times day in and out 24/7.
- Chatbots can give fast answers, menus, and call-to-action buttons to keep discussions streaming.
- Chatbots have access to messaging features like media, payments, and business tools.
- The Chatbot API uses the same end-to-end encryption as regular WhatsApp messages to keep conversations private.
Design Your WhatsApp Chatbot
Designing and building a WhatsApp chatbot involves a strategic process that starts with defining the bot’s purpose and target audience. This can range from handling customer service queries to offering product suggestions. The following step portrays the conversation flow, which frames the bot’s potential interactions with the users, including the inquiries it poses, the reactions it gives, and the language it uses.
Building the chatbot starts with picking a chatbot stage that supports WhatsApp. Whenever you’ve chosen a stage, you want to set up the WhatsApp Business API, which connects your bot to WhatsApp’s servers and permits it to send and get messages. This requires coding information, so in the event that you’re curious about programming, consider recruiting a developer or utilizing a chatbot-building device.
Whenever you’ve set up the API, you can begin programming your chatbot as per the conversation flow you planned before. Remember to test your bot extensively to ensure it works correctly before launching.
Think about how a genuine discussion progresses and try to imitate that flow with your chatbot. Begin with a greeting to invite the user, then give an outline of what your chatbot can do. Give the user options to choose from to direct the conversation. For example:
- Welcome! I’m Claude, your WhatsApp chatbot assistant. How can I help you today?
- Get account information
- Pay a bill
- Check the service outage status
Please select an option by tapping 1, 2 or 3.
Based on the user’s selection, your chatbot will respond with follow-up questions or options to continue guiding them to their end goal. Always provide a way for the user to go back a step or start over. And include “exit” or “goodbye” as an option so they can end the conversation when they want.
What Options You Should Add in Your WhatsApp Chatbot
A well-designed chatbot should provide users with options to choose from at various points in the conversation. This allows them to guide the discussion and get the information they need. Some options you should consider adding to your WhatsApp chat bot include:
Main Menu
After starting a conversation, provide 3-5 main options for the user to select from. These could be things like:
- Product information
- Contact details
- FAQs
- Promotions
Submenus
For each main menu selection, include follow-up options with more specific choices. For example, under ‘Product information’ you could have options for different product categories or types.
Frequently Asked Questions
An FAQ section is very useful for quickly providing answers to common questions. Group questions into categories to keep things organized. Allow users to either browse the full list of FAQs or search for a specific topic.
Contact Information
Many users will want to know how to reach your company for support or with questions. Provide details like phone number, email, social media links, and physical address if applicable.
Human Support
No chatbot is perfect, so include an option for users to connect with a real person if they have an issue the chatbot cannot resolve or a complex question. The chatbot can then pass the context of the conversation to the support agent to continue assisting the customer.
Following these prescribed practices will guarantee your WhatsApp chatbot gives an incredible encounter to clients by giving them supportive choices and direction along the way. The more instinctive and helpful your chatbot is, the more individuals will need to engage in it. Follow GB WhatsApp for more!