Do I need a new phone number?
Not necessarily. The bot can run on the number your customers already have, but that number has to move off the WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business app onto the official WhatsApp Business Platform. Back up your chats first, because old chats don’t move across. If you’d rather keep using the app on that number, we help you get a second number for the bot.
How do M-Pesa payments reach me?
Payments go straight to your own Till or Paybill. We never hold your money. The bot gives customers your payment details, and you or your staff confirm each payment in the portal. Automatic M-Pesa confirmation (Safaricom Daraja) is planned, and needs Safaricom’s approval for your till before we can switch it on.
How long does setup take?
Starter usually takes 5 to 7 working days, Shop 7 to 10, and Business is agreed in your proposal. Two steps belong to Meta and Safaricom, not us: Meta verifies your business for WhatsApp, and Safaricom approves any online M-Pesa integration. These can add days, and we can’t speed them up. We start them early and tell you where they stand.
What is the portal?
Shop and Business plans include a private online portal for your team. You sign in with your email and password. From there you confirm orders, mark them paid, update their status (the customer is told on WhatsApp), see your message usage and remaining allowance, approve extra messages and add staff. It works on your phone. Each business only ever sees its own data.
How do deliveries work?
You arrange deliveries yourself, as you do today. The bot records the customer’s area, street and landmark with the order, and shows the delivery fee for that area. You confirm the order and the delivery arrangements, and when you update the order status the customer gets a WhatsApp message. WaziBot does not track riders, assign drivers or show live maps.
What counts as a message?
One message your WhatsApp line sends to a customer, counted when WhatsApp reports it delivered. Messages customers send you are free. Messages that fail to deliver are not counted, and nothing is counted twice. Marketing campaigns have their own price and do not use your allowance.
What happens when my messages run out?
We alert you at 70%, 90% and 100%. At 100%, order confirmations, payment and status updates still go out, so no order is lost. Other automated messages pause. You can approve extra messages with a cap you choose: KES 2 each on Starter, KES 1.75 on Shop and KES 1.50 on Business. Paused messages send once you approve, or expire after a day. Or move up a plan from the next month.
When do I pay?
You pay the setup fee to start. After that you get one bill at the end of each month for what that month used: your plan plus any extra messages you approved and any campaigns you sent. Pay by M-Pesa to our Paybill. If a bill is still unpaid 7 days later, we contact you before pausing the service.
Which plan should I pick?
Pick by what you need, not by size. Starter if you want the bot to answer and take orders that you manage on WhatsApp. Shop if your team wants the online portal to confirm orders and update customers. Business for bookings, custom workflows or marketing campaigns. You can move up any time, and down at the end of a month.
Can the price change?
Our prices follow what it costs us to run your bot: WhatsApp fees, servers and the dollar rate. We review them every 3 months. If a price changes, we tell you on WhatsApp 30 days before it applies.
Can I cancel the Shop Bot subscription?
Yes. The monthly plan has no long-term lock-in. Cancel with one month’s notice.
Are WhatsApp messaging fees included?
Yes, for messages within your plan’s allowance and any extra messages you approve. Marketing campaigns are different: Meta charges for each marketing message, so we show you the estimated cost before you send and only send after you approve it. Campaigns only go to customers who agreed to receive offers, and anyone can reply STOP.
What if I need something not listed?
That’s what Custom Automation is for. Message us and we’ll scope it with you.