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How the AI Chatbot Works

The CustomerFlows AI chatbot responds to WhatsApp messages in under 60 seconds, asks qualifying questions tailored to your trade, and creates pipeline deals automatically with all captured details. It operates 24/7 without human intervention.

The Conversation Flow​

When a customer messages your WhatsApp number:

  1. Chatbot detects the message and responds within 60 seconds
  2. Greeting + first question: "Hi! Thanks for reaching out to [Company]. What type of service do you need?"
  3. Sequential qualifying questions: The chatbot asks each configured question one at a time, waiting for the customer's response before moving to the next
  4. Qualification complete: After all questions are answered, the chatbot confirms: "Great, I've captured your details. A team member will follow up with you by [timeframe]."
  5. Deal created: A new deal appears in your pipeline with all captured fields, conversation transcript, and source attribution

The entire qualification typically takes 2-5 minutes of elapsed time, depending on how quickly the customer responds.

What the Chatbot Captures​

Data PointSourcePipeline Field
Contact nameCustomer's WhatsApp profile nameContact Name
Phone numberCustomer's WhatsApp numberPhone
Job typeChatbot question responseJob Type
UrgencyChatbot question responseUrgency Tag
Property addressChatbot question responseAddress
Budget rangeChatbot question responseBudget
Additional detailsAny extra info the customer sharesNotes
Conversation transcriptFull chat historyAttached to deal
Marketing sourceTracking snippet (if customer visited website first)Source

What the Chatbot Can and Cannot Do​

It can:

  • Respond to messages in under 60 seconds, 24/7
  • Ask up to 8 sequential qualifying questions
  • Handle text messages, voice notes (transcribed), and photos (attached to deal)
  • Create deals in your pipeline with all captured data
  • Handle multiple simultaneous conversations without degradation
  • Recognize when a customer says something off-topic and redirect to the next question

It cannot (currently):

  • Schedule appointments directly (appointments are booked by your team after qualification)
  • Provide price quotes or estimates
  • Handle customer complaints or service issues
  • Have free-form conversations beyond the qualifying flow
  • Transfer to a live agent mid-conversation (this is on our roadmap)

The chatbot is designed for one job: qualifying inbound leads. Your team handles everything after qualification.

Cost of Chatbot Conversations​

Chatbot conversations happen within WhatsApp's free inbound service window. When a customer messages you first, the entire conversation is free from Meta with no cap. See WhatsApp Message Categories and Costs for full details.

Pausing the Chatbot​

If you need to temporarily disable automatic responses:

  1. Go to Settings, then AI Chatbot
  2. Toggle Chatbot Active to Off
  3. Incoming messages appear in your inbox but receive no automatic response
  4. Toggle back On when ready -- no reconnection needed

FAQ​

What if the customer asks a question the chatbot can't answer? The chatbot acknowledges the question and redirects: "That's a great question -- a team member will be able to address that when they follow up. In the meantime, can I get a few more details?" It stays on track with the qualifying flow.

Does the chatbot respond to voice notes? Yes. Voice notes are transcribed and the chatbot responds to the transcribed content. The original voice note is also attached to the deal for your team to listen to.

Can I see what the chatbot said? Yes. Every conversation is logged. Open any deal in your pipeline and click the conversation tab to see the full transcript, including both the chatbot's messages and the customer's responses.

What language does the chatbot use? The chatbot currently responds in English. Multi-language support is on our roadmap.

Need help? Email support@customerflows.com or ask in r/CustomerFlows.