Using WhatsApp Flows for In-Chat Appointment Booking
What Are WhatsApp Flows for Appointment Booking?
WhatsApp Flows is a feature within your CRM that allows you to build interactive, step-by-step booking experiences directly inside a WhatsApp chat. Instead of sending a contact to an external website, they can select a service, choose a time, and provide necessary details without ever leaving the conversation. This seamless process can lead to higher conversion rates and fewer abandoned bookings.
Creating an Appointment Booking Flow
Access the Flow Builder
To begin, navigate to your CRM's settings. From there, go to the WhatsApp section and select Flows.
Set Up Your Flow
Click Create new Flow. You will be prompted to:
- Give your Flow a descriptive name.
- Select the specific calendar from your CRM where the appointments should be scheduled.
- Click Next to proceed.
Customize the Booking Form
The system provides default fields for collecting appointment information. You can arrange these fields in the order you prefer.
Finalize and Publish
Add the text for the Flow's header, body, and footer, as well as the button label. Once you are satisfied with the setup, click Publish to activate the Flow.
Important Note: WhatsApp Flows cannot be used with calendars that have payment collection enabled, as WhatsApp does not currently support in-chat payment processing.
Sending Your Booking Flow
Method 1: Through a WhatsApp Template
You can embed your Flow within an approved WhatsApp message template.
- Navigate to WhatsApp > Templates and click Create Template.
- Configure the template details, including its name, category, language, and message content (header, body, footer).
- Add a button to the template. When prompted for the button type, select Flow and choose the appointment booking Flow you created.
Method 2: From a Workflow (During an Open Conversation)
You can also trigger a Flow to be sent automatically when a contact is in an active chat window, which does not incur template costs.
- Go to Automations > Create Workflow > Start from Scratch.
- Add the action: WhatsApp: Customer Service Window Check. This checks if a conversation window with the contact is open.
- Under the Open branch of this action, add the WhatsApp: Send Flows action.
- Select the specific appointment booking Flow you want to send and save the action.
Note: At this time, WhatsApp Flows does not support booking for recurring calendar events.
Managing Flows with Ask AI
You can use the conversational Ask AI tool to manage your WhatsApp Flows without navigating menus. You can instruct it to create new booking Flows, update existing ones (like changing the questions asked), or publish and depublish them.
For example, you could use prompts like:
- "Create a WhatsApp Flow for booking appointments on my Service Calendar and publish it."
- "Update my consultation booking Flow to ask for a referral source."
Ask AI can guide you through linking the Flow to the correct calendar and help you deploy booking experiences quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I send a Flow for appointment booking?
You have two primary options: embedding it in a WhatsApp Template (Method 1 above) or sending it via a workflow action during an open conversation (Method 2 above).
Can I use calendars that require a payment?
No. Since WhatsApp does not handle payments, Flows cannot be used with calendars that have payment collection enabled.
Can Ask AI create and manage my Flows?
Yes. The Ask AI feature for WhatsApp allows you to perform full lifecycle management of your appointment booking Flows using simple conversational commands.