WhatsApp platform2 min read
WhatsApp lead follow-up guide
"Send me the details on Thursday" is easy to acknowledge and easy to lose under newer chats. A "warm lead" label will not tell tomorrow's colleague what was promised.
Record the promise
Take a property request. A customer wants to view a two-bedroom apartment after work, and the agent still needs the property manager to confirm access. A useful note:
Wants to view the two-bedroom apartment in this thread. Free after 6pm. Waiting on the property manager for access. Sara owns it and updates the customer tomorrow by 3pm. No viewing booked yet.
"Interested, follow up" leaves all of that in someone's head. Attach the actual listing or quote, since "the apartment" gets ambiguous by the next day.
The same works for a distributor waiting on a quantity or a school checking an intake date. Record what changes the next action; skip fields nobody uses.
Waiting on them or on you
A quiet chat can mean the customer is deciding or your team owes an answer.
| Situation | Next action |
|---|---|
| Customer asked for a quote | Prepare the quote, not a generic check-in |
| A colleague is still checking | Give them a deadline; update the customer if it slips |
| Customer said "Thursday" | Schedule a review for Thursday |
| Customer needs time, no date given | Ask if they want a later update |
| Customer declined or said stop | Close it and record their preference |
In Otobiz, a follow-up reminder brings the thread back to a person without messaging the customer.
Make each follow-up useful
Finish this sentence before sending: "The reason for this message is…" If access is confirmed, say so:
I've checked access for the apartment you asked about. Thursday at 6:30pm is free. Shall I book the viewing?
If it isn't, say what you're still checking and when you'll update. Never present an unconfirmed slot as booked, and skip "just checking in" when nothing has changed.
Check the window and permission
A reminder on your calendar does not permit a WhatsApp message. After the 24-hour window closes, you need an approved template; only the customer's message reopens it.
- Answering their request and reviving an old lead with an offer are different template categories.
- A promotion needs marketing permission.
- An opt-out can arrive after you scheduled a message, so recheck before it sends.
Let a colleague take over
A shared inbox works when the next person sees the request, the latest promise and what is still open. If Sara is away, her colleague should see that access is unconfirmed without asking the customer to repeat anything.
An after-hours reply can say when the team is back. Keep the request open until the promised work is done.
Review outcomes, not nudges
Each week, check the requests that fell due:
- how many got the promised action on time;
- how many are still waiting on your team;
- how many reached a real outcome, such as a sent quote or booked viewing.
Keep customer silence apart from team misses. Start with a handful of recent chats, fill in missing owners and due times, then use the platform evaluation guide to see whether software can keep it running.
