WhatsApp for Business: Adding an AI Agent to Your WhatsApp Number in 10 Minutes

WhatsApp is where your customers actually are. In Australia, over 80% of smartphone users have the app. For many businesses — especially in trades, healthcare, and retail — customers would rather send a WhatsApp message than fill out a contact form or make a phone call.

The problem is that WhatsApp doesn't scale well for businesses. Replying manually to dozens of messages a day is a full-time job. That's where connecting an AI agent changes everything.

This guide walks through the complete setup: from creating your WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) to having your Pivra AI chatbot live and responding on your number — in about 10 minutes.

Note: WhatsApp channel is available on Pivra's Business plan ($299/mo AUD). It uses the official Meta Cloud API — your messages stay within Meta's infrastructure and comply with WhatsApp Business Policy.

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Before you start

You'll need:

• A Facebook Business account (free, at business.facebook.com)
• A phone number that isn't already linked to a personal or business WhatsApp account (can be a mobile or a landline with a virtual number)
• A Pivra Business plan subscription
• About 10 minutes

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Part 1: Set up your WhatsApp Business Account (WABA)

Step 1: Create a Meta Business Account

If you don't already have one:

1. Go to business.facebook.com
2. Click Create account
3. Enter your business name, your name, and your work email
4. Verify your email

If you already have a Meta Business Account for running Facebook Ads, use that one — no need to create a new one.

Step 2: Add a phone number to WhatsApp Business

1. In Meta Business Suite, go to Settings → WhatsApp accounts
2. Click Add
3. Follow the prompts to connect a phone number
4. You'll receive a verification code via SMS or voice call — enter it to verify

Important: The phone number you add here will be your WhatsApp Business number. Once linked to the API, it cannot be used with the regular WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business app — the API takes over.

Step 3: Note your credentials

Once verified, Meta will show you:

• Phone Number ID — a long numeric string
• WhatsApp Business Account ID (WABA ID)
• You'll also need to generate a Permanent Access Token (under System Users in Meta Business Settings)

Keep these handy — you'll paste them into Pivra in the next step.

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Part 2: Connect WhatsApp to Pivra

Step 4: Open the WhatsApp channel in Pivra

1. Log into Pivra → go to your chatbot
2. Click Channels → WhatsApp
3. Click Connect WhatsApp

Step 5: Enter your Meta credentials

In the WhatsApp setup screen, enter:

• Phone Number ID (from Meta)
• WABA ID (from Meta)
• Permanent Access Token (from Meta → System Users)

Click Save & Connect.

Step 6: Configure the webhook in Meta

Pivra will show you a Webhook URL and a Verify Token. You need to add these to Meta:

1. In Meta Business Suite → WhatsApp → Configuration
2. Click Edit next to Webhook
3. Paste the Callback URL (Pivra's webhook URL)
4. Paste the Verify token
5. Click Verify and save
6. Under Webhook fields, enable: messages

Once verified, Meta will start forwarding incoming WhatsApp messages to Pivra.

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Part 3: Test your WhatsApp AI agent

Step 7: Send a test message

1. In Pivra → WhatsApp → click Send test message
2. Or simply message your WhatsApp Business number from your personal phone
3. Within a few seconds, your Pivra AI chatbot should reply

If you get a response, you're live. If not, check that:

• The webhook is verified in Meta (green tick)
• The messages webhook field is subscribed
• Your Permanent Access Token hasn't expired

Step 8: Customise your WhatsApp greeting

In Pivra → Chatbot → Settings, you can set a specific opening message for WhatsApp conversations. Something like:

"G'day! You've reached [Business Name] on WhatsApp. Ask me anything about our services, pricing or availability — I'm here 24/7."

This is different from the website widget greeting — you can (and should) tailor it for the WhatsApp context.

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What your WhatsApp AI agent can do

Once live, your Pivra chatbot handles WhatsApp conversations the same way it handles website chats:

• Answers questions based on its training data (your website, services, FAQs)
• Captures leads — name, email, phone — and saves them to your Pivra dashboard
• Books appointments — if you have the Calendly/Google Calendar integration set up, it can share booking links via WhatsApp
• Fires webhooks — when a lead is captured or a specific keyword is detected
• Runs Agentic Flows — including timed follow-ups after WhatsApp conversations

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WhatsApp-specific considerations

The 24-hour messaging window

WhatsApp's policy allows free-form messaging within 24 hours of a customer initiating a conversation. After 24 hours, you can only message them using pre-approved message templates.

For most service businesses, this isn't a limitation — customers message you, and you reply within the same session. Proactive outreach (like promotional messages) requires template approval from Meta.

Message templates for follow-ups

If you want to send follow-up messages more than 24 hours after the conversation, you'll need to create Message Templates in Meta Business Suite and get them approved (usually 24–48 hours). Common approved templates:

• Appointment reminders ("Your appointment is tomorrow at 2pm")
• Quote follow-ups ("Hi [name], just following up on your quote request")
• Support ticket updates

Opt-in requirements

Customers must opt in to receive proactive messages from you on WhatsApp. Always collect opt-in (a checkbox on your contact form, or verbally) before adding anyone to a WhatsApp outreach list.

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Businesses already doing this well

Trades businesses use WhatsApp as their primary inbound channel. Customers send a photo of a broken tap and ask for a quote. The chatbot acknowledges, collects their suburb and contact details, and the tradie calls back with an estimate.

Healthcare clinics use WhatsApp for appointment confirmations and rescheduling. The AI handles "Can I move my appointment?" without any front-desk involvement.

E-commerce stores connect WhatsApp to handle order status enquiries — "Where's my order?" — pulling from their order management system via webhook.

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Troubleshooting common issues

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Get started

WhatsApp AI is live on Pivra's Business plan. If you're already on Business, you can start the connection from Channels → WhatsApp in your dashboard right now.

If you're not yet on Business, start with a free account to build and test your chatbot on the website widget — then upgrade to Business when you're ready to go live on WhatsApp.

Questions about the WABA setup? Email us — we'll walk you through it.