Workflow: How to proactively contact users on WhatsApp channel

<p>When you integrate a WhatsApp channel with Zendesk, you incorporate your number into the WhatsApp Business Platform. With this integration, you receive messages from users and respond to them during the customer service window that WhatsApp designates. You reply to a customer within 24 hours of their last message. If the 24-hour window passes, or if you want to reach out proactively for marketing or informational purposes, use WhatsApp templates.</p><p>The workflow includes the steps below:</p><div style="margin-bottom: 20px; text-align: right;">
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</script><div class="accordion"><h3 id="h_01HXY1BFCAPEN08R87P7ENG6TS">Step 1: Understand WhatsApp templates</h3></div><div class="panel">
<p>Templates are messages that WhatsApp approves in advance. Marketing templates can incur a cost, while utility templates are often free of charge. For more information about templates, see:</p>
<ul>
<li data-list-item-id="e294489313a3a1e86f7337359ffd313fa"><a href="https://developers.facebook.com/docs/whatsapp/message-templates/guidelines/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">WhatsApp Business Platform Message Template Guidelines</a></li>
<li data-list-item-id="e01642843861b2695a1d8c1a8933630c3"><a href="https://developers.facebook.com/docs/whatsapp/pricing" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Pricing on the WhatsApp Business Platform</a></li>
</ul>
</div><div class="accordion"><h3 id="01HXY1G18XYBGPX37812NDQPP4">Step 2: Create templates</h3></div><div class="panel">
<p>After you create your WhatsApp channel, navigate to your <a href="https://business.facebook.com/latest/settings/whatsapp_account" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Meta Business Suite settings page</a> and sign in to your WhatsApp business account to create templates.</p>
<p>To create templates, see <a href="https://www.facebook.com/business/help/2055875911147364?id=2129163877102343" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Create message templates for your WhatsApp Business account</a>.</p>
<p>Send templates after Meta approves them.</p>
</div><div class="accordion"><h3 id="h_01HXY1GYQDRZ3V1Y2A1VJXG88P">Step 3: Send templates to end users</h3></div><div class="panel">
<p>Determine the purpose of the template:</p>
<ul>
<li data-list-item-id="e99e517b58ff3d3c66f178e9d46251cd7">Do you want to reply to a user in a ticket 24 hours after their last message? Use a simple macro. To create the macro, see <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/5869718332954-Using-WhatsApp-template-messages-to-bypass-the-24-hour-rule" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Using WhatsApp template messages to bypass the 24-hour rule</a>.</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e0032287c18f3ab5d136ff79eee896407">Do you want to proactively reach out to users? To do this, you need a Zendesk Suite Professional or Zendesk Suite Enterprise plan.</li>
</ul>
<p>To send templates to end users, you need to generate a <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4576083789850-Creating-conversations-integrations-in-Admin-Center" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">conversation application programming interface (API) key</a> in your Zendesk account. Use the following methods:</p>
<ul>
<li data-list-item-id="e9edbf178b53ac78ed48c491b4a5640d2">The <a href="https://www.zendesk.com/marketplace/apps/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Zendesk Marketplace</a> offers various apps to send templates, including the Zendesk app, <a href="https://www.zendesk.com/au/marketplace/apps/support/1040322/relay/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Relay</a>. For more information, see <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/7051551958426-Installing-and-using-the-Relay-messaging-app" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Installing and using the Relay messaging app</a>.</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e1ae7f39fe8432af96de8b3cb9eb2f124">You can send templates directly with the Notification API. The Notification API provides advanced customization options to interact with the WhatsApp API and send templates. For more information, see <a href="https://developer.zendesk.com/documentation/conversations/messaging-platform/programmable-conversations/outbound-messaging/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Outbound messaging with the notification API</a>.</li>
</ul>
<div class="p"><div class="note">
<span class="notetitle">Note:</span> The Conversation API key is available for Zendesk subdomains on the Zendesk Suite Professional, Zendesk Suite Enterprise, and Zendesk Suite Enterprise Plus subscription plans.</div></div>
<div class="note tip">
<span class="tiptitle">Tip:</span> Measure the effectiveness of your campaigns on WhatsApp through the <a href="https://developer.zendesk.com/documentation/conversations/messaging-platform/programmable-conversations/conversation-referrals/#conversion-events" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Conversion events API</a>.</div>
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<h2 id="h_01KS0GBFDFFTF8ND8CQ6VAYK9Z">What is a WhatsApp template? What are WhatsApp templates?</h2>
<p>
Templates are pre-approved messages created in advance and approved
by WhatsApp. You use them if the 24-hour customer service window
passes, or if you want to proactively reach out to customers, end
users, or visitors for marketing or informational purposes.
</p>
<h2 id="h_01KS0GBFDGZY8AND9K62KD507H">
How do I create message templates for your WhatsApp Business account?
How to create WhatsApp templates?
</h2>
<p>
Navigate to your Meta Business Suite settings page and log in to
your WhatsApp business account to create templates. You start sending
the templates once Meta approves them.
</p>
<h2 id="h_01KS0GBFDG1KD9AR8MMBYWDD8T">
How do I reply to a user in a ticket 24 hours after their last message?
How to bypass the 24-hour rule on WhatsApp?
</h2>
<p>
You reply to a customer, end user, or visitor 24 hours after their
last message by using a simple macro or template.
</p>
<h2 id="h_01KS0GBFDGMHMVES8RNNZZD6D0">
What plan do I need to proactively reach out to users on WhatsApp?
What are the subscription plan requirements for WhatsApp templates?
</h2>
<p>
You need a Zendesk Suite Professional, Zendesk Suite Enterprise,
or Zendesk Suite Enterprise Plus plan type or pricing tier to proactively
reach out to customers or end users and generate a Conversation API
key.
</p>
<h2 id="h_01KS0GBFDGVSRFJGD42CBKW3VM">
How do I send WhatsApp templates to end users? What methods can I
use to send outbound WhatsApp messages?
</h2>
<p>
You send templates to customers, end users, or visitors by using
the Relay messaging app from the Zendesk Marketplace or by sending
templates directly using the Notification API. You need to generate
a Conversation API key in your Zendesk account or subdomain to use
these methods.
</p>
<h2 id="h_01KS0GBFDGTKKTCYDQ25APQQY9">
How can I measure the effectiveness of WhatsApp campaigns? How do
I track WhatsApp marketing campaigns?
</h2>
<p>
You measure the effectiveness of your campaigns on WhatsApp through
the Conversion events API.
</p>
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