Handle WhatsApp Customer Inquiries with AI and Intent Routing

Created by

Hemanth Arety

Last update

Last update a day ago

Handle WhatsApp customer inquiries with AI and intent routing (Whatsapp Chatbot)

An intelligent, fully customizable WhatsApp customer support chatbot template that works for ANY business - whether you sell fashion, electronics, food, furniture, cosmetics, or anything else. This workflow combines pre-built responses for common queries with AI for complex questions, creating a cost-effective 24/7 customer support solution that adapts to your specific products and services.

Who it's for

This universal template works for ANY business type:

E-commerce stores (fashion, electronics, home goods, beauty, etc.)
Local retail shops (boutiques, grocery stores, bookshops, etc.)
Service businesses (salons, repair services, consultancies, etc.)
Restaurants & cafes (food delivery, reservations, menu inquiries)
Any business using WhatsApp Business API for customer communication

What it does

This is a UNIVERSAL template - it works for ANY business by simply updating the product categories, company information, and response templates. No coding knowledge required for basic customization!

The workflow automates WhatsApp customer support through intelligent routing and AI assistance:

Receives WhatsApp messages via WhatsApp Business API webhook trigger
Parses message data extracting user info, chat ID, and message text
Classifies intent using pattern matching to determine what the customer wants (product inquiry, contact info, support, greeting, etc.)
Routes intelligently to the most appropriate response handler:
- Product inquiries → Pre-built catalog responses with pricing and links
- Contact information → Static company details (address, phone, hours)
- Complex queries → AI agent with full company context
Maintains conversation context using memory to remember previous messages
Sends formatted responses back to the customer via WhatsApp with markdown formatting

The hybrid approach (pre-built responses + AI) balances speed, cost, and intelligence - common questions get instant answers while complex queries receive personalized AI assistance.

How to set up

Requirements

You'll need:

WhatsApp Business API access (via Twilio, 360Dialog, Meta Cloud API, or other providers)
Google Gemini API key (for AI responses) - Get API key
Google Docs (optional - for product catalog reference)
n8n instance with WhatsApp nodes installed

Setup Steps

Configure WhatsApp Business API
- Sign up with a WhatsApp Business API provider (Twilio, 360Dialog, or Meta)
- Get your API credentials (phone number ID, access token, webhook verify token)
- Add credentials to n8n's WhatsApp node
- Copy the webhook URL from n8n and configure it in your provider's dashboard
Customize Company Information
- Open the "Build AI System Prompt" node
- Replace all placeholder text with your actual company details:
  - Company name
  - Address and phone numbers
  - Email and website
  - Product categories and brands
  - Policies (COD, warranty, returns, delivery)
  - Store hours
Configure Product Responses
- Edit the "Generate Product Response" node
- Replace the sample products with your actual catalog:
  - Product names and specifications
  - Prices (update currency if not using INR)
  - Product URLs from your website
  - Add/remove product categories as needed
Update Contact Details
- Edit the "Generate Contact Info Response" node
- Add your complete contact information
- Update store hours and addresses
Set Up AI Credentials
- Add your Google Gemini API key to the credential manager
- (Optional) Connect Google Docs if you want to use a product catalog document
Activate and Test
- Activate the workflow in n8n
- Send test messages to your WhatsApp Business number
- Test different intents: greetings, product questions, contact requests
- Verify responses are accurate and timely

WhatsApp Business API Providers

Option 1: Meta Cloud API (Official, free for moderate usage)

Sign up at: https://developers.facebook.com/
Requires Facebook Business account
Best for: Small to medium businesses

Option 2: Twilio (Reliable, paid service)

Sign up at: https://www.twilio.com/whatsapp
Pay-per-message pricing
Best for: Businesses needing high reliability

Option 3: 360Dialog (WhatsApp-focused)

Sign up at: https://www.360dialog.com/
Competitive pricing
Best for: WhatsApp-heavy businesses

Option 4: MessageBird, Vonage, others

Various pricing and features
Research and compare based on your needs

How it works

Intent Classification System

The workflow uses keyword pattern matching to classify user intent into these categories:

Priority 1: Contact Information (highest priority)

Triggers: "where is store", "address", "contact", "phone number"
Response: Static contact details
Why first: Users asking for contact info need immediate, accurate answers

Priority 2: Greetings

Triggers: "hi", "hello", "hey", "good morning"
Response: Friendly welcome with menu options
Helps: Sets a positive tone for the conversation

Priority 3: Product Inquiries

Triggers: Category keywords (monitor, processor, GPU, RAM, etc.)
Response: Pre-built catalog with products, prices, and links
Categories: Customizable based on your products

Priority 4: AI Fallback

Triggers: Everything else (comparisons, complex questions, multi-step queries)
Response: Google Gemini AI with company knowledge
Features: Conversation memory, personalized recommendations

Response Architecture

Pre-Built Responses (Fast & Cost-Effective)

Instant answers (no API calls)
Handles 70-80% of queries
Consistent, accurate information
No ongoing costs
Used for: Product lists, contact info, FAQs

AI Agent (Intelligent & Flexible)

Handles complex questions
Maintains conversation context
Provides personalized recommendations
Adapts to different query styles
Used for: Comparisons, custom builds, technical questions

Conversation Memory

The workflow uses buffer window memory to remember recent conversation:

Stores last 10 messages per user
Enables multi-turn conversations
AI can reference previous questions
Creates more natural interactions
Memory is user-specific (isolated by user ID)

Message Flow Example

User: "Hi"
→ Intent: greeting
→ Response: Welcome message with menu

User: "Show me monitors"
→ Intent: product_inquiry (monitors)
→ Response: Pre-built list of monitors with prices

User: "Which one is best for gaming?"
→ Intent: general_inquiry (complex)
→ Response: AI analyzes previous context (monitors) and recommends gaming-focused option

User: "What's your address?"
→ Intent: contact_info
→ Response: Complete contact details

How to customize the workflow

STEP 1: Customize Product Categories

The workflow comes with example categories for multiple business types. Replace them with YOUR categories:

For a Fashion Store:

const categories = [
  { pattern: /(shirt|tshirt|top)/i, category: 'tops' },
  { pattern: /(jeans|pants|trousers)/i, category: 'bottoms' },
  { pattern: /(dress|gown|kurti)/i, category: 'dresses' },
  { pattern: /(shoe|footwear|heels)/i, category: 'shoes' },
];

For a Grocery Store:

const categories = [
  { pattern: /(vegetable|veggies)/i, category: 'vegetables' },
  { pattern: /(fruit|fruits)/i, category: 'fruits' },
  { pattern: /(dairy|milk|cheese)/i, category: 'dairy' },
  { pattern: /(snack|chips|biscuit)/i, category: 'snacks' },
];

For a Beauty/Cosmetics Store:

const categories = [
  { pattern: /(skincare|cream|serum)/i, category: 'skincare' },
  { pattern: /(makeup|lipstick|foundation)/i, category: 'makeup' },
  { pattern: /(perfume|fragrance)/i, category: 'perfumes' },
  { pattern: /(hair|shampoo|conditioner)/i, category: 'haircare' },
];

For a Home Furniture Store:

const categories = [
  { pattern: /(sofa|couch)/i, category: 'sofas' },
  { pattern: /(bed|mattress)/i, category: 'bedroom' },
  { pattern: /(table|desk|dining)/i, category: 'tables' },
  { pattern: /(chair|seating)/i, category: 'chairs' },
];

For a Restaurant:

const categories = [
  { pattern: /(pizza|italian)/i, category: 'italian' },
  { pattern: /(burger|sandwich)/i, category: 'fast_food' },
  { pattern: /(biryani|curry|indian)/i, category: 'indian' },
  { pattern: /(dessert|sweet|ice cream)/i, category: 'desserts' },
];

STEP 2: Customize Product Responses

Update the "Generate Product Response" node with YOUR actual products:

Example for Fashion Store:

if (category === 'tops') {
  response = `Hi ${userName}! Check out our *TOPS* collection:\\n\\n`;
  response += `👕 *Cotton Casual T-Shirt*\\n   💰 ₹499\\n   🎨 5 colors available\\n   🔗 yourstore.com/tshirts\\n\\n`;
  response += `👚 *Formal Shirt*\\n   💰 ₹899\\n   🎉 Buy 2 Get 20% OFF\\n   🔗 yourstore.com/shirts\\n\\n`;
}

Example for Grocery Store:

if (category === 'vegetables') {
  response = `Fresh *VEGETABLES* available, ${userName}:\\n\\n`;
  response += `🥕 *Fresh Carrots (1kg)*\\n   💰 ₹40\\n   🌱 Organic\\n\\n`;
  response += `🍅 *Tomatoes (1kg)*\\n   💰 ₹30\\n   ✅ Farm Fresh\\n\\n`;
}

Example for Restaurant:

if (category === 'italian') {
  response = `Delicious *ITALIAN* dishes, ${userName}:\\n\\n`;
  response += `🍕 *Margherita Pizza*\\n   💰 ₹299\\n   👨‍🍳 Chef's Special\\n\\n`;
  response += `🍝 *Creamy Alfredo Pasta*\\n   💰 ₹349\\n   🔥 Bestseller\\n\\n`;
}

STEP 3: Update Company Information

Edit the "Build AI System Prompt" node:

For a Boutique:

const systemPrompt = `You are a customer service assistant for Elegant Threads Boutique.

COMPANY INFORMATION:
- Business: Women's Designer Clothing Boutique
- Products: Ethnic wear, western wear, accessories
- Price Range: ₹1,500 - ₹15,000
- Speciality: Custom tailoring available
- Store Address: Shop 12, Fashion Street, Mumbai
- Phone: +91 98XXXXXXXX
- Delivery: Pan-Mumbai, 2-3 days
- Returns: 7-day no-questions-asked return policy
`;

For a Tech Store:

const systemPrompt = `You are customer support for TechHub Electronics.

COMPANY INFORMATION:
- Business: Consumer Electronics Retailer
- Products: Smartphones, laptops, accessories, home appliances
- Price Range: ₹500 - ₹2,00,000
- Speciality: Same-day delivery in Delhi NCR
- Warranty: Extended warranty on all electronics
- Store: Connaught Place, New Delhi
- Phone: +91 11-XXXXXXXX
`;

For a Bakery:

const systemPrompt = `You are the assistant for Sweet Delights Bakery.

COMPANY INFORMATION:
- Business: Fresh Baked Goods & Custom Cakes
- Products: Cakes, pastries, cookies, bread
- Price Range: ₹50 - ₹3,000
- Speciality: Custom cakes for all occasions (24hrs notice)
- Store: Baker Street, Bangalore
- Phone: +91 80-XXXXXXXX
- Delivery: Free above ₹500 within 5km
`;

Additional Customization Options

Change AI Model

Replace Google Gemini with other LLM providers:

OpenAI GPT-4: Best for nuanced understanding
Anthropic Claude: Strong at following instructions
Llama (self-hosted): Cost-effective for high volume

Simply swap the "Google Gemini Chat Model" node with your preferred model.

Add More Intents

Extend the intent classification in the "Classify User Intent" node:

// Add order tracking
if (/track.*order|order.*status|where.*order/i.test(text)) {
  intent = 'order_tracking';
}

// Add complaint handling
if (/complaint|unhappy|problem|issue|refund/i.test(text)) {
  intent = 'complaint';
}

// Add shipping questions
if (/shipping|delivery|courier|when.*arrive/i.test(text)) {
  intent = 'shipping_inquiry';
}

Then add corresponding response nodes in the routing switch.

Integrate with CRM

Connect to HubSpot:

Add HubSpot node after intent classification
Log every conversation as a ticket
Create contacts automatically
Track customer journey

Connect to Salesforce:

Use Salesforce node to create leads
Update opportunity stages based on intent
Log interactions in Activity History

Connect to Airtable:

Store conversations in Airtable database
Analyze common questions
Build knowledge base from real conversations

Add Multi-Language Support

Method 1: Google Translate API

Detect message language
Translate to English for processing
Translate response back to user's language

Method 2: Multilingual AI

Add language preference to AI prompt
Train AI on multilingual responses
Support major languages natively

Rich Media Responses

Send images:

return [{
  chatId: chatId,
  image: 'https://yoursite.com/product.jpg',
  caption: 'Check out this product!'
}];

Send documents:

Product catalogs (PDF)
Warranty cards
Invoice copies
Installation guides

Send location pins:

Store locations
Delivery tracking
Service centers

Human Handoff Logic

Add escalation for complex issues:

// Check if AI can't help
if (complexityScore &gt; 8 || sentiment === 'angry') {
  // Notify human agent
  // Transfer conversation
  // Set status: 'awaiting_agent'
}

Integrate with:

Intercom for live chat handoff
Slack for agent notifications
Zendesk for ticket creation

Connect to Inventory

Real-time stock checking:

Query your database for availability
Show "In Stock" / "Out of Stock" status
Suggest alternatives for unavailable products
Notify customers when items are restocked

Dynamic pricing:

Pull current prices from database
Apply promotional discounts automatically
Show time-sensitive offers

Add Analytics

Track metrics:

Messages per day/week/month
Most common intents
AI usage vs. pre-built responses
Average response time
Customer satisfaction scores

Integration options:

Google Analytics for website tracking
Mixpanel for event tracking
Custom dashboard in Grafana
Google Sheets for simple logging

Business Hours Management

Add business hours logic:

const now = new Date();
const hour = now.getHours();
const isBusinessHours = (hour &gt;= 10 && hour &lt; 20); // 10 AM - 8 PM

if (!isBusinessHours) {
  return [{
    response: "We're currently closed. Our hours are 10 AM - 8 PM. We'll respond when we open!"
  }];
}

A/B Testing Responses

Test different response styles:

Formal vs. casual tone
With/without emojis
Short vs. detailed answers
Different CTAs

Track which versions lead to more sales/conversions.

Tips for best results

1. Start Simple

Begin with 3-5 main intents
Add more as you see common patterns
Don't over-complicate the initial setup

2. Monitor and Iterate

Review conversations weekly
Identify missed intents
Refine pattern matching
Update product information regularly

3. Balance Pre-Built vs. AI

Use pre-built for: FAQs, product lists, contact info (fast, cheap)
Use AI for: Comparisons, complex queries, personalization (slower, costs money)
Aim for 70-80% pre-built, 20-30% AI

4. Optimize Response Times

Pre-built responses are instant
AI responses take 2-5 seconds
Set user expectations ("Let me check that for you...")

5. Test Different Scenarios

Happy path (normal inquiries)
Edge cases (misspellings, slang)
Multi-turn conversations
Multiple topics in one message

6. Keep Responses Concise

WhatsApp users prefer short messages
Use formatting (bold, bullets) for readability
Break long responses into multiple messages

7. Maintain Brand Voice

Customize AI system prompt with your brand personality
Use consistent tone across all responses
Include brand-appropriate emojis

8. Handle Failures Gracefully

Add error handling for API failures
Have fallback responses ready
Always offer human contact option

9. Respect Privacy

Don't store sensitive information
Comply with GDPR/local privacy laws
Allow users to delete their data

10. Monitor Costs

Track Gemini API usage
Set spending alerts
Optimize prompt length to reduce token usage

Common use cases across industries

Fashion & Apparel Store

Answer size and fit questions
Share new collection arrivals
Check stock availability by size/color
Process exchange requests
Share styling tips

Electronics & Tech Store

Provide product specifications
Compare different models
Check warranty information
Share installation guides
Handle technical support queries

Grocery & Food Store

Check product availability
Share daily fresh stock updates
Take bulk orders
Provide recipe suggestions
Handle delivery slot bookings

Beauty & Cosmetics

Recommend products for skin types
Share ingredient information
Explain usage instructions
Handle shade/color queries
Process return for wrong products

Home Furniture Store

Share dimensions and specifications
Check delivery timelines
Provide assembly instructions
Schedule store visits
Custom furniture inquiries

Restaurant & Cafe

Share menu and prices
Take table reservations
Handle takeaway orders
Answer dietary restriction questions
Share daily specials

Jewelry Store

Share designs and prices
Book appointments for trials
Check customization options
Verify metal purity/certifications
Handle repair inquiries

Bookstore

Check book availability
Take pre-orders for new releases
Recommend books by genre
Share reading lists
Handle exchange requests

Important Notes:

This workflow requires WhatsApp Business API (not regular WhatsApp Business app)
WhatsApp Business API typically requires business verification
Message rates and limits vary by provider
Test thoroughly before deploying to customers
Always provide a way to reach human support

Getting Started Tip: Start with just contact info and product inquiries. Once that works smoothly, add AI responses for complex queries. Gradually expand based on actual customer needs you observe in conversations.