Summary
If your business receives leads from Instagram and you want to centralize customer communication, WATI’s Number Collection Bot can help. This AI-powered bot automatically asks Instagram customers for their phone numbers and saves them to their contact attributes. Once collected, you can seamlessly start a WhatsApp conversation with your leads.
Note: This feature is available on Pro and Business plans only.
Instructions
How the Number Collection Bot Works
WATI’s Number Collection Bot is powered by an AI Agent that automates the process of collecting phone numbers from Instagram contacts. The AI Agent operates within the Chatbot Builder and manages conversations to gather WhatsApp numbers without requiring manual intervention.
Key Features of the Number Collection Bot:
Engages with Instagram leads and requests their phone number.
Saves the collected number automatically to Contact Attributes.
Optionally stores the number as a Flow Variable for use in the same chatbot session.
Configurable to attempt collecting the number up to 3 times before escalating the chat.
If unsuccessful, escalates the chat to a human operator or team for follow-up.
Setting Up the Number Collection Bot
Follow these steps to create and configure the Number Collection Bot in WATI:
1. Add the AI Agent Node in Chatbot Builder
Navigate to Chatbot Builder in WATI.
Add an AI Agent node to your chatbot flow.
Set the AI Agent’s objective to collect the WhatsApp number from the contact.
Configure how many times the bot should attempt to request the number (up to 3 times).
2. Define Next Steps
If the number is successfully collected:
Add a Thank You message node.
Store the number in Contact Attributes for future communication.
If the AI Agent fails to collect the number:
Assign the chat to a human operator or team for manual follow-up.
Triggering the Number Collection Bot
The bot is triggered using WATI’s Rules feature, similar to how Welcome messages or Out of Office messages are set up.
1. Create a Rule to Trigger the Bot
After setting up your chatbot, go to Rules in WATI.
In the Action block, select the chatbot you created.
2. Set Filter Conditions
To ensure the bot is triggered appropriately, use the following recommended filter conditions:
Contact initiates a new chat
Contact does not exist These conditions allow the bot to engage new leads and request their WhatsApp numbers. If you want to include existing contacts, adjust the filter settings accordingly.
3. Avoid Trigger Conflicts
InfoWarningTip
If you have multiple Instagram Rules active, ensure that the filters are unique for each rule. Overlapping rules may result in multiple bots being triggered simultaneously, confusing customers.
4. Activate the Rule
Once the rule is set up, enable it.
The AI Agent will now automatically collect WhatsApp numbers from new Instagram leads.
Monitoring Collected Phone Numbers
To view collected WhatsApp numbers:
Go to the Contacts Page in WATI.
Open an individual contact in Team Inbox.
Check the Contact Attributes for newly saved phone numbers.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
General Questions
1. What is the WATI Number Collection Bot?
→ The WATI Number Collection Bot is an AI-powered chatbot that automatically asks Instagram contacts for their WhatsApp numbers. It then saves these numbers to the contact’s attributes, allowing businesses to initiate WhatsApp conversations seamlessly.
2. Who can use the Number Collection Bot?
→ This feature is available exclusively on the Pro and Business plans of WATI.
3. How does the bot interact with Instagram users?
→ The bot engages Instagram users by asking for their WhatsApp number. If the user shares their number, it is automatically saved. If the user is hesitant, the bot can attempt up to three times before escalating the conversation to a human operator.
4. What happens if a user does not provide their phone number?
→ If a user refuses to share their number after the bot’s set number of attempts (up to three), the conversation is escalated to a human operator or assigned to a team for follow-up.
Setup and Configuration
5. How do I set up the Number Collection Bot?
→ To set up the bot:
Go to Chatbot Builder in WATI.
Add an AI Agent node to your chatbot flow.
Set the bot’s objective to collect WhatsApp numbers.
Configure the number of attempts before escalation.
Define next steps (e.g., saving the number, sending a thank-you message, or escalating to a human operator).
6. How do I trigger the bot to start collecting numbers?
→ You need to create a Rule in WATI:
Navigate to Rules in WATI.
Select the chatbot in the Action block.
Set filter conditions such as:
Contact initiates a new chat
Contact does not exist
Enable the rule to activate the bot.
7. Can I use the bot for existing contacts?
→ Yes, but you need to adjust the filter conditions in Rules to include existing contacts based on your business needs.
8. What if I have multiple Instagram Rules active?
→ Ensure that each Rule has unique filters to prevent multiple bots from triggering simultaneously, which can confuse customers.
Managing Collected Phone Numbers
9. Where can I find the collected WhatsApp numbers?
→ Collected numbers are stored in Contact Attributes. You can access them by:
Going to the Contacts Page in WATI.
Opening an individual contact in Team Inbox.
Checking the Contact Attributes section.
10. Can I use the collected numbers for WhatsApp broadcasts?
→ Yes! Once saved in Contact Attributes, the numbers can be used for WhatsApp broadcasts and other marketing or support campaigns.
11. Can I store the collected number as a Flow Variable?
→ Yes, in addition to saving the number in Contact Attributes, you can store it as a Flow Variable if you need to use it within the same chatbot session.