Auto-reply to WhatsApp messages with AI, based on your business hours

Incoming WhatsApp messages get an instant AI-written reply during business hours, or a polite note when you're closed.

How the work actually flows

It branches. Exactly one path is taken.

Pattern: Exclusive Choice (4) · Simple Merge (5)

flowchart TD trig>"new WhatsApp message arrives"]:::trig s0["check for duplicate message"]:::task s1["send reply via WhatsApp"]:::task s2[("log conversation")]:::store trig --> s0 s1 --> s2 gx{"× during business hours or not"}:::gate s0 --> gx p00["AI writes relevant reply"]:::task gx -->|"business hours"| p00 p10["send polite acknowledgment"]:::task gx -->|"after hours"| p10 jn{"○ send reply back"}:::gate p00 --> jn p10 --> jn jn --> s1 out[/"instant appropriate reply sent"/]:::out pay{{"no missed customer messages"}}:::pay s2 --> out out --> pay classDef task fill:#e7f6fe,stroke:#34b8f0,color:#2c2a29 classDef svc fill:#f6f8fa,stroke:#7c8795,color:#2c2a29 classDef mi fill:#e7f6fe,stroke:#0079a8,color:#2c2a29,stroke-width:2px classDef human fill:#fff,stroke:#0079a8,color:#0079a8 classDef store fill:#f6f8fa,stroke:#0079a8,color:#2c2a29 classDef trig fill:#00a4eb,stroke:#0079a8,color:#fff,font-weight:bold classDef trigtime fill:#00a4eb,stroke:#0079a8,color:#fff,font-weight:bold classDef trigdata fill:#8ad4f5,stroke:#0079a8,color:#06314c,font-weight:bold classDef gate fill:#fff,stroke:#e8a23d,color:#6b4708,font-weight:bold classDef out fill:#1f9d6b,stroke:#167a53,color:#fff,font-weight:bold classDef pay fill:#06314c,stroke:#021f33,color:#fff
Starts itA stepA record or sheetOne path onlyPaths rejoinResultPayoff
Build size
Standard

A mid-size build with several tools working together.

Business functions
Messaging & NotificationsAPI & Webhook Integration
Connects
WhatsAppOpenAI

The problem it solves

Customers message you on WhatsApp at all hours, and every unanswered message is a chance they buy from someone faster. You can't staff round-the-clock replies, but leaving people on read hurts trust.

Who it fits

Small businesses handling customer questions over WhatsApp.

How it works

  1. A new WhatsApp message comes in
  2. The system checks whether it's a duplicate before responding
  3. During business hours, AI writes a relevant reply based on the message
  4. Outside business hours, an automatic acknowledgment is sent instead
  5. Every reply is sent back through WhatsApp and logged
What you get

Replies that sound right around the clock

Customers get a relevant reply on WhatsApp any time they write in, day or night, without waiting on your team.

What you get

An instant WhatsApp reply to every customer message, appropriate to whether you're open or closed.

What you need

A WhatsApp business account connected through MoltFlow, and an OpenAI API key.

We can build this. But should you?

The hard question is not how to build it. It is whether this is the right thing to build first.

That is what a Fractional Chief AI Officer figures out with you, before anyone writes a line of code.

Let's Talk Strategy

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