If you run a cafe, a cleaning service, a clinic front desk, or a repair shop, customers already message you on WhatsApp. The official WhatsApp Business app (the free one, not the Cloud API) lets you set a welcome message, an away message, and saved replies. You do not need a developer or a monthly bot SaaS to cover the first 80% of questions.
This post is the structure I use before wiring anything fancy.
1. Welcome message (under 300 characters)
- Who you are
- What you can help with in chat
- How to reach a human (
type /human) - Reminder that prices may need an on-site quote
2. Away message
- When you are closed
- When you will reply
- Emergency / urgent path if you have one (or say you do not)
3. Slash quick replies (start with these 12)
/hours /address /services /price /book /cancel /pay /invoice /promo /human /sorry /stop
For /price: never invent a firm number if you quote on-site. Reply with a range or "we confirm after a short checklist" and offer to collect details.
4. Hand-off rules (write these down)
The bot / quick-reply layer must not decide:
- Medical, legal, or refund outcomes
- Custom discounts
- Anything that needs looking at a photo of damage
- Complaints that sound angry — go straight to
/human
5. Tags inside WhatsApp Business
Create tags such as new-lead, booked, waiting-quote, vip, do-not-message. Tag every chat before you archive it.
6. Fifteen-minute go-live checklist
- Welcome + away saved
- Twelve quick replies pasted and named
-
/humanreaches a real phone that is on - Test from a second phone
- Prices language reviewed by the owner
- Privacy: do not ask for ID documents in chat unless required
- Add a short "AI / template assisted replies" note if your market expects disclosure
I published a ready-made eight-industry version of this pack (cafe, home service, salon, clinic desk, ecommerce, rental, tutoring, repair) on itch.io if you want to skip the typing:
- Pack: https://harrisonlineai.itch.io/whatsapp-business-auto-reply-pack
- Free chatbot client intake checklist: https://harrisonlineai.itch.io/ai-chatbot-intake-pack
- LINE-focused quote kit (Taiwan / home-service): https://harrisonlineai.itch.io/line-ai-quote-kit
Written with AI assistance; you still own the edits for your shop.
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