What are WhatsApp messages?
Stippa can automatically send your customers a WhatsApp message about their appointment: a confirmation, a reminder shortly beforehand, a cancellation and a message when a cancelled appointment has been reinstated. They come alongside the emails, not instead of them.
This is included in Groei and up. On Groei you send up to 200 messages a month, on Pro up to 800.
Where do I set it up?
First switch on the WhatsApp module under Administration > Modules. Then go to Administration > Email & messages and open the WhatsApp tab.
- Switch on Enable WhatsApp.
- Under Messages, choose which messages go out automatically: Send confirmation, Send reminder, Send cancellation and Send reinstate.
- Under Reminder timing, choose how far ahead the reminder arrives: 1, 2, 4, 12, 24 or 48 hours. The default is 24 hours.
- Click Save.
These settings apply to your whole business, for every service.
Which customers get a message?
Only customers who have given permission for it and have a phone number.
- When a customer books online, they see the WhatsApp reminder before my appointment switch after booking. It's on by default, and the customer can switch it off.
- On the customer card you see and change this under WhatsApp messages. That's also how you switch it on for a customer who books at the counter or by phone.
If Phone required is switched off in your booking widget, a customer without a phone number gets no WhatsApp message.
Which number do the messages come from?
By default from Stippa's WhatsApp number, with your business name in the message. You don't have to do anything for that.
If you want customers to get messages from your own business number, connect your own WhatsApp Business account at the bottom of the page under Connect your own WhatsApp number, with Connect via Meta. That's optional. Meta then approves the message templates first. Until all templates are approved, no messages go out through your own number. Under Message templates you can see how far along that is.
Monthly message limit
Under Usage this month you see how many messages you've sent this calendar month and what your limit is. Once you reach your limit, no more WhatsApp reminders go out that month. The emails carry on as normal.
Can a customer reply?
Yes, but the reply doesn't reach you. Stippa replies automatically with a short menu: the customer can make a new appointment, view or cancel their appointment, ask for their next appointment, or get your opening hours and contact details. If the customer has a real question, the reply points them to your business.
If a customer sends STOP, they get no more WhatsApp messages.