For the job
Customer service on WhatsApp in the same inbox as email and chat, so the whole team can answer from their own computer
Every WhatsApp thread becomes a conversation with an owner, a status and a history, and a panel shows the 24-hour reply window, the customer's consent and whether your messages were delivered.
Before and after
What WhatsApp customer service looks like before and after messages land in the shared inbox
The example is a made-up shop that answers WhatsApp from one phone today. It's a typical setup, not a measurement.
Without the order beside the conversation
4 steps- 1Messages arrive on one phone that one person holds
- 2The order is looked up on the computer and copied over
- 3Nobody can see whether the customer already got a reply
- 4After 24 hours nobody knows whether free text is still allowed
With Respoe
3 steps- 1The WhatsApp thread is a conversation with an owner and a status in the inbox
- 2The panel shows the 24-hour window, consent and delivery status
- 3The whole team can answer from desktop or phone
Guide
How to run customer service on WhatsApp within the rules for the 24-hour window and templates
The WhatsApp Business platform has rules that differ from email, and they decide how you can reply.
- 01Understand the 24-hour windowWhen the customer writes, you have 24 hours to reply with free text. After that you can only write with a template Meta has approved.
- 02Get templates approved before you need themApproval can take time. Have templates ready for following up on a case and for order updates.
- 03Get consent before you write firstYou may only send templates to customers who have agreed to receive messages from you on WhatsApp.
- 04Reply within the window, also at weekendsPrioritise WhatsApp conversations nearing 24 hours so you don't lose the chance of a free-text reply.
- 05Use the same number for the whole teamConnect the number to a helpdesk so nobody shares a phone and replies aren't lost when someone is ill.
Templates
WhatsApp messages you can copy and adapt
Replace the fields in square brackets. In Respoe the customer's name and order number are filled in automatically once the template is saved as a saved reply.
Hi [first name], thanks for your message. I'm looking at order [order number] now and will get back to you here within an hour.
Hi [first name], we have an update on your case [case number]. Reply to this message and we'll continue the conversation.
Checklist
Checklist before you open customer service on WhatsApp
Common mistakes
The mistakes we see most often and how to avoid them
- Waiting more than 24 hours to replyThen you can only write with an approved template, and the conversation becomes stiff.
- Sending marketing as customer serviceTemplates have categories, and misuse can get the number restricted. Keep customer service and marketing apart.
What Respoe does for you here
How Respoe helps with what the guide describes without you having to build it yourself
WhatsApp as conversations
Messages land in the shared inbox beside email and chat, with an owner and a status.
The 24-hour window
Respoe shows how long you can reply with free text after the customer's last message.
Approved templates
After 24 hours you send approved templates when the customer has opted in.
Delivery status
See whether your messages were sent, delivered and read.
The order beside the conversation
When the customer can be recognised, the order sits beside the WhatsApp conversation as it does for email.
The whole team on one number
Nobody shares a phone, and internal notes and @mentions are never seen by the customer.
WhatsApp, Messenger and Instagram are included from the Team plan. Messenger and Instagram are waiting for Meta's approval of Respoe.
Integrations
The systems that belong with this way of working
Pricing
You pay one price for the whole team, and you can try everything free for 14 days without a card
Start
$149 / mo
3 users · 500 AI replies · 1 webshop
Team
$299 / mo
10 users · 1,000 AI replies · 3 webshops
Pro
$599 / mo
25 users · 2,000 AI replies · unlimited webshops
Questions we often get about this
What happens after 24 hours?
WhatsApp only allows free text within 24 hours of the customer's last message. After that you can send an approved template when the customer has opted in.
Do we need a particular phone?
No. The number is connected through the WhatsApp Business platform, so the team answers from Respoe on desktop or mobile.
Can we have WhatsApp and email in the same view?
Yes, every channel is a conversation in the same inbox, and you can create views and rules across them.
Try Respoe free with your own inbox for 14 days
Connect your email and webshop, invite the team and answer from Respoe the same day.
- No card needed
- Priced per team, not per seat
- Danish support