Setting Up WhatsApp Automation Yourself? Here’s What’s Actually Involved
WhatsApp automation is essential for Indian D2C brands – but setting it up correctly requires more than just installing an app. This guide covers every step we handle for our retention marketing clients.
Estimated time: 20-40 hours for full setup
Ongoing time: 3-5 hours/week for management
Technical skill: Medium
Cost: ₹2,000-10,000/month for tools + Meta verification fees
Phase 1: WhatsApp Business API Access (Week 1-2)
This is where most D2C founders get stuck. The WhatsApp Business App is free but limited. For automation, you need the API.
Business Verification Steps
- Create Meta Business Manager (if not already done)
- Complete business verification (government documents, domain verification)
- Wait for approval (3-14 days, sometimes longer)
- Choose a Business Solution Provider (BSP): Wato, Interakt, AiSensy, etc.
- Sign up with BSP and pay first month
- Connect BSP to your Meta Business Manager
- Register your phone number for WhatsApp Business API
- Wait for number verification (1-3 days)
Common Blockers
- ❌ Meta verification rejected – business documents don’t match
- ❌ Phone number already registered on WhatsApp personal
- ❌ Display name rejected – doesn’t match business name
- ❌ API access denied – policy violations on Facebook Page
Phase 2: Template Approval (Week 2-3)
You can’t just send any message via WhatsApp API. Every message type needs template approval from Meta.
Templates You Need
- Order confirmation template
- Shipping notification template
- Delivery update template
- Abandoned cart reminder template (needs careful wording)
- COD confirmation template
- Payment reminder template
- Review request template
- Win-back/promotional template
Template Approval Tips
- No promotional language in transactional templates
- Include opt-out option in marketing templates
- Avoid words like “free”, “discount”, “offer” in non-marketing templates
- Approval takes 24-72 hours per template
- Rejections require resubmission (another 24-72 hours)
Phase 3: Shopify Integration (Week 3)
- Install BSP’s Shopify app
- Authenticate and connect store
- Map order events to message triggers
- Set up automation rules (which orders trigger which messages)
- Configure timing (immediate, delayed, etc.)
- Set up abandoned cart flow timing
- Configure COD verification flow
- Test with real orders (place test orders, verify messages)
Phase 4: Advanced Flows (Week 4+)
- COD-to-prepaid conversion messages with payment links
- Review request automation post-delivery
- Cross-sell/upsell sequences
- Win-back flows for lapsed customers
- Broadcast campaigns for promotions
- Customer support chatbot setup
What Usually Goes Wrong (Issues We Fix)
- ❌ Messages not sending – trigger misconfiguration
- ❌ Template rejections – wrong category or promotional language
- ❌ Customer complaints – too many messages, opt-outs
- ❌ COD conversion links broken – payment gateway integration issues
- ❌ Timing issues – abandoned cart messages sent too late
- ❌ Duplicate messages – multiple triggers firing
- ❌ Number quality issues – spam reports affecting delivery
The Hidden Costs
- BSP subscription: ₹2,000-10,000/month
- Per-conversation charges: ₹0.30-1.00 per message
- Meta verification fees: One-time charges for some verifications
- Time cost: 20-40 hours setup + ongoing management
- Learning curve: Template rejections, flow debugging
Honest Assessment
If you:
- Have 20-40 hours for initial setup
- Can dedicate 3-5 hours/week ongoing
- Have patience for Meta’s approval processes
- Are comfortable with technical integrations
…then DIY WhatsApp automation is achievable!
If you’d rather skip the learning curve and start with proven flows that work, we handle everything from API access to optimized automation sequences.
Our WhatsApp Automation Service
We set up complete WhatsApp ecosystems:
- API access and verification handled
- All templates created and approved
- Shopify integration configured
- Proven automation flows implemented
- COD-to-prepaid conversion optimization
- Ongoing support and optimization
→ View our Retention Marketing Service
💬 Get WhatsApp automation: Chat with us on WhatsApp
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