WhatsApp Integration: Meet Your Customers Where They Are

WhatsApp isn't just popular - it's where your customers live. With over 2 billion users worldwide, integrating WhatsApp with your Nviti.ng AI assistant means meeting customers on their favorite messaging platform.

Your AI assistant works the same way on WhatsApp as it does on your website, but now customers can get help using the app they already have open on their phone.

The WhatsApp Setup Journey

Setting up WhatsApp integration requires a few steps, but don't worry - we'll guide you through each one. The process involves getting official WhatsApp Business API access, which is more robust than the basic WhatsApp Business app.

What You'll Need:

  1. WhatsApp Business Account (WABA): This is your official business presence on WhatsApp - think of it as your verified business profile
  2. API Access: WhatsApp requires businesses to go through approved partners to access their messaging API
  3. Integration with Nviti.ng: Once you have API access, we'll connect it to your AI assistant

Why This Process Exists: WhatsApp maintains strict quality standards to protect users from spam, so they require businesses to go through an approval process. This actually works in your favor - customers trust messages from verified businesses more.

How WhatsApp + AI Creates Magic

Once everything is connected, here's the customer experience: They send a message to your business WhatsApp number, and your AI assistant responds instantly with helpful, accurate information. If they need human help, the conversation smoothly transitions to your team.

The Customer Journey:

  1. Customer messages you on WhatsApp (just like texting a friend)
  2. Your AI assistant responds immediately using your business knowledge
  3. Complex issues get escalated to your human team in the Chat Zone
  4. Everything stays in one conversation - customers never know there was a handoff

What This Means for Your Business:

  • 24/7 availability even when your team is offline
  • Instant responses to common questions
  • Personal touch when human expertise is needed
  • All conversations tracked and managed in one place

WhatsApp Success Strategies

The Golden Rules of WhatsApp Business

Always Get Permission First: Only message customers who have opted in to receive messages from you. This isn't just good practice - it's required by WhatsApp and builds trust.

Use Message Templates Smartly: For proactive messages (like shipping updates or appointment reminders), use WhatsApp's pre-approved message templates. These get delivered faster and look more professional.

Understand the 24-Hour Window: Once a customer messages you, you have 24 hours to respond freely. After that, you need to use approved templates to restart the conversation. Your AI assistant helps by responding immediately while you're within this window.

For more information on managing conversations, refer to the Managing Conversations documentation.

Technical Setup Guide: WhatsApp Business API Configuration

Note: This section is technical and typically handled by developers or technically-minded business owners. If you're not comfortable with these steps, consider working with a developer or our support team.

This guide walks through the complete process of connecting your WhatsApp Business account to Nviti.ng, including getting access tokens and configuring webhooks.

Prerequisites

  • Existing WhatsApp Business Account
  • Facebook Business Manager account
  • Facebook App with WhatsApp Business API enabled

Step 1: Generate Access Token

Generate Temporary Access Token

  1. Go to developers.facebook.com and select your app
  2. Navigate to WhatsApp → Getting Started
  3. In the Access Token section, click "Generate access token"
  4. Select your WhatsApp Business Account from the dropdown
  5. Copy the generated token (starts with "EAAN...")
  6. Important: This is a temporary token (24 hours) - we'll create a permanent one next

Generate Permanent Access Token

  1. Go to Graph API Explorer at developers.facebook.com/tools/explorer
  2. Select your app from the dropdown
  3. Click "Generate Access Token" → "Get User Access Token"
  4. Select these permissions:
    • whatsapp_business_management
    • whatsapp_business_messaging
    • business_management
  5. Click "Generate Access Token"
  6. Copy this token and exchange it for a long-lived token using this curl command:
curl -i -X GET "https://graph.facebook.com/v19.0/oauth/access_token?grant_type=fb_exchange_token&client_id=YOUR_APP_ID&client_secret=YOUR_APP_SECRET&fb_exchange_token=YOUR_SHORT_LIVED_TOKEN"

Replace:

  • YOUR_APP_ID with your Facebook App ID
  • YOUR_APP_SECRET with your App Secret (found in App Settings → Basic)
  • YOUR_SHORT_LIVED_TOKEN with the token from step 5
  1. The response will contain your permanent access token - save this securely

Step 2: Get Required IDs

Find Your Phone Number ID

  1. In your Facebook app, go to WhatsApp → Getting Started
  2. Look for "Phone number ID" (example: 526583...)
  3. Copy this ID - our application needs it to send messages

Find Your WhatsApp Business Account ID

  1. In the same section, look for "WhatsApp Business Account ID" (example: 511883...)
  2. Copy this ID as well

Step 3: Configure Webhook

Set Webhook URL

  1. Go to WhatsApp → Configuration in your Facebook app

  2. In the Webhooks section, click "Edit"

  3. Enter the webhook URL we provide you:

    https://yourdomain.com/webhook/whatsapp

    (We'll provide the exact URL for your account)

  4. Enter the Verify Token we provide you

  5. Click "Verify and Save"

Subscribe to Webhook Fields

  1. In the webhook configuration, subscribe to these fields:

    • ☑️ messages (to receive incoming messages)
    • ☑️ message_deliveries (to track message delivery status)
    • ☑️ message_reads (to track when messages are read)
    • ☑️ message_reactions (to receive message reactions)

  2. Click "Save"

Step 4: Test Configuration

Send Test Message

  1. Go to WhatsApp → Getting Started
  2. In the "Send and receive messages" section
  3. Add a test phone number in the "To" field
  4. Click "Send message" to test

Verify Webhook

  1. Send a message to your WhatsApp Business number from your personal WhatsApp
  2. Check if the webhook receives the message (we can help verify this)

Step 5: Provide Information to Us

Once you've completed the above steps, please provide us with:

Required Information

App ID: [Your Facebook App ID]
Phone Number ID: [Your WhatsApp Phone Number ID]
WhatsApp Business Account ID: [Your Business Account ID]
Permanent Access Token: [The long-lived token you generated]
Business Phone Number: [Your WhatsApp Business phone number]

Security Notes

  • Never share your access token publicly
  • Only provide it through secure channels
  • The token gives full control over your WhatsApp Business account
  • You can revoke access anytime through Facebook Business Manager

Step 6: App Review (If Required)

For Production Use

If you plan to send messages to customers (not just test numbers), you'll need:

  1. Business Verification: Complete business verification in Facebook Business Manager
  2. App Review: Submit your app for Facebook's review process
  3. Message Templates: Create and get approval for message templates

Permissions Needed

For app review, request these permissions:

  • whatsapp_business_messaging
  • whatsapp_business_management

Common Issues & Solutions

"Invalid Access Token"

  • Regenerate the token following Step 1
  • Ensure you're using the long-lived token, not the temporary one
  • Check that your app has the correct permissions

"Webhook Verification Failed"

  • Ensure the webhook URL is accessible via HTTPS
  • Verify the verify token matches exactly
  • Check that your server responds correctly to Facebook's verification request

"Phone Number Not Found"

  • Ensure the phone number is properly added to your WhatsApp Business Account
  • Verify the Phone Number ID is correct
  • Check that the number is verified and active

"Rate Limited"

  • Test numbers have a limit of 250 messages per day
  • For production, you'll need approved business account

Next Steps

After providing us with your access token and IDs:

  1. We'll integrate your WhatsApp with our platform
  2. Test messaging to ensure everything works
  3. Configure automation rules based on your needs
  4. Set up message templates if needed for marketing
  5. Monitor and optimize your WhatsApp integration

Security & Compliance

  • Your access token is encrypted and stored securely
  • We only use the minimum required permissions
  • You maintain full ownership of your WhatsApp Business Account
  • You can revoke our access anytime through Facebook Business Manager
  • All message data is handled according to WhatsApp's Business Policy

Need Help? If you encounter any issues during setup, please contact our support team with:

  • Screenshots of any error messages
  • Your App ID (safe to share)
  • Description of where you got stuck

We'll help you complete the setup quickly and securely.

Keywords

WhatsApp integration, WhatsApp Business API, AI chatbot WhatsApp, customer support WhatsApp, WhatsApp automation, message templates, webhook configuration, Facebook Business Manager, WABA, access tokens, multi-channel support, WhatsApp messaging, business verification, API setup, customer service automation