How to Set Auto Reply WhatsApp? – A Complete Guide

Did you know that WhatsApp has a feature that can help reply to customer messages automatically? This feature is known as auto-reply WhatsApp.

WhatsApp auto-reply has many beneficial benefits for businesses. However, how to set Auto Reply in WhatsApp? Let’s find out!👇

What is Auto Reply on WhatsApp?

Auto-reply WhatsApp is the WhatsApp Business feature that can help answer incoming messages automatically, and you can adjust it according to business needs.

You can use the WhatsApp auto-reply feature to send greeting messages, away messages, or quick replies. Customers no longer have to wait long and can easily connect with your business.

Your Short Intro about WhatsApp Business

To use the WhatsApp auto-reply feature, you need to have a WhatsApp Business account or WhatsApp Business API.

About WhatsApp Business

WhatsApp Business is an application specifically for business owners.

Unlike the WhatsApp messenger, WhatsApp Business has many features that can support your business operations.

You can get WhatsApp Business for free on Play Store or App Store.

WhatsApp Business API

WhatsApp Business API is an upgraded version of WhatsApp Business. The features of the WhatsApp API are also more diverse and more sophisticated.

The features on the WhatsApp API are perfect for those of you who have a medium to large-scale business because they can help accelerate your business and integrate it with the OpenAPI.

You only can get the WhatsApp Business API through a Business Solution Provider (BSP) or Official WhatsApp Partner in your country.

What is the difference between auto reply in WhatsApp Business or WhatsApp Business API?

WhatsApp Business and WhatsApp API both have the WhatsApp auto-reply feature. However, the auto-reply features of the two have differences.

The auto-reply feature on WhatsApp Business only can send greeting messages, away messages, and quick replies.

Meanwhile, the auto-reply feature in the WhatsApp Business API has a rotator that can forward customer questions automatically to the Customer Service team.

Auto-reply on the WhatsApp API also has a chatbot WhatsApp that helps answer customer questions in real-time.

4 Easy Steps to set Auto Reply in WhatsApp

1. Open the WhatsApp Business application and enter the Settings menu

Open the WhatsApp Business app on your device. Then log in to the business account that you have. If you don’t have one, you can sign up first.

Then, click the three dots in the upper right corner of your WhatsApp account then select the Settings option.

2. Click the Business Features option under Settings

To set up an auto-reply, you need to select the messaging feature and choose the type of message you want to set.

3. Edit the contents of the message in the Messaging Features

To activate WhatsApp auto-reply, you can edit the contents of the message that you want to send to prospects/customers who contact you.

• Away message: The message will be sent to the person who calls outside your working hours.
• Greeting message: This feature will automatically welcome new prospects/customers.
• Quick replies: You can organize and save answers from frequently asked questions, so you don’t have to bother typing the same answer for every question that comes into your account.

4. Schedule your messages and select the recipient

The next step is to schedule your messages. You can choose the time to send auto-reply messages as needed.

• Always send: Select this option if you are unavailable for a long time.
• Custom schedule: Choose this option if you want to send the automated message only during a specific time.
• Outside of business hours: This option only lets you send messages outside business hours. You need to set business hours in your business profile for this option.

Then continue by selecting the recipient you want to send the auto-reply message.

• Everyone: Select this option to send the automated message to everyone who texts you after business hours.
• Everyone not in the address book: This option lets you send an automated message to numbers outside your contact list.
• Everyone except: Select this option to send messages to everyone except a few contacts.
• Only send to: Choose this option to send messages to selected contacts.

Why Use Auto Reply WhatsApp?

1. 24/7 Customer Service Solutions

Auto reply on WhatsApp can respond whenever customers need it without being limited by business operating hours. These questions were answered quickly and in real time. So it can speed up the resolution of customer problems.

2. Safe to Use

WhatsApp has end-to-end encryption security where all incoming and outgoing messages are guaranteed confidentiality. Users and businesses involved in the conversation can view the contents of the chat.

3. Improving Customer Relations

Auto-reply can build responsive and proactive conversations with customers. You can design a conversation flow to personalize one of them with the greeting message feature to create better relationships with customers.

4. Easily gather feedback from customer

The customer service team can use auto-reply WhatsApp to ask for feedback from customers. It means you can understand customer needs and use them as material in developing business improvement strategies.

5. Cost-Effective

Auto-reply WhatsApp can respond automatically for 24 hours non-stop. Business can reduce customer service operational expenses, such as telephone costs and employee salaries.

6. Increase Sales

Most customers get recommendations and solutions from answers given by the auto-reply feature without the need to go through the customer service team. It shows an increase in customer experience affects a better reputation.

Limitations of Using Auto Reply WhatsApp Business

1. WhatsApp Business is for local small businesses and has more limited features.
2. Anyone can download the WhatsApp business app. It means no verification shows that it is your business.
3. You can only use the same auto-reply message template in WhatsApp Business.
4. You cannot integrate WhatsApp Business with CRM or other third-party applications.
5. WhatsApp auto-reply only works during specified off-hours.

How to Set Up Auto-Reply in WhatsApp Business API?

1. Use a WhatsApp Business API account

To use the auto-reply on the WhatsApp Business API, you need to have a WhatsApp API account.

If you don’t have one yet, then you can register your business with an Official WhatsApp Partner such as Mekari Qontak.

The Mekari Qontak team will gladly help you to get a WhatsApp API account for your business.

2. Enter the qontak.com chat panel

You will be provided with credentials to use when logging in to the Qontak chat panel. The menu appearance of agents/admins and supervisors after logging in will be different.

Agents can reply to incoming messages, while supervisors can monitor incoming messages and make some settings related to the auto-reply system.

3. Select the Settings option

At this stage, you can enter the ‘Settings’ option on the left, then click the ‘Chat’ option to set the auto-reply system and message templates.

4. Create an auto-reply message template

Proceed by selecting the ‘Template’ option and creating an auto-reply message template as needed.

5. Set the office hours and tags

Apart from creating message templates, you can also set office hours and tags to help customers get answers to their questions easily and quickly.

You can also ask the Mekari Qontak team to help build an auto-responder system, working hours, various templates, and tags practically.

How Much Does Auto Reply WhatsApp cost?

There is no fee to use the auto-reply feature on WhatsApp Business and WhatsApp Business. It means you can use it for FREE.

However, if you want to use it on the WhatsApp Business API to get more benefits, you should have a WhatsApp API account. You can find out more about WhatsApp Business API pricing here.

Want to try Auto Reply WhatsApp? Claim Your Free Account Demo Here!

For all of you who want to try the WhatsApp API auto-reply feature for FREE, it is your chance!

Mekari Qontak provides a free demo account that you can use to try a more exciting experience with the WhatsApp Business API.