Email response times are measured in hours. WhatsApp responses are expected in seconds. If your support team is already overwhelmed and your customers are messaging on WhatsApp, an AI assistant on that channel isn't a nice-to-have — it's a necessity.
What you need to connect WhatsApp
WhatsApp integration uses the Meta Business API via webhook. You need three things: a Phone Number ID, a permanent access token, and a webhook verify token. All three are generated inside the Meta Developer portal when you create a WhatsApp Business app.
- Create a Meta Developer account and add a WhatsApp product to your app.
- Get your Phone Number ID from the WhatsApp section of your app dashboard.
- Generate a System User access token with permanent validity (not a temporary user token).
- Choose any string as your verify token — this is used to confirm your webhook URL with Meta.
- Paste all three into the Integrations panel and hit Save.
What happens after connection
Once connected, every WhatsApp message sent to your business number is routed to your AI assistant. The assistant uses your full knowledge base to respond — the same configuration as your web widget. The reply is sent back through the Meta API automatically. All conversations appear in your unified inbox alongside web, Telegram, and Messenger chats.
The same branding configuration applies everywhere. Set your assistant name, company name, and custom instructions once — they apply to WhatsApp, Messenger, Telegram, and the web widget simultaneously.
Handling complex queries and escalations
Not every query should be resolved by the AI. If a conversation requires human judgment, the conversation remains open in your inbox and a team member can take over. The full message history is preserved so there's no context loss when the handoff happens.