Why connect WhatsApp to your agent
On WhatsApp, your customers write as they would to a friend: a short question, at any time. Answering yourself means keeping an eye on your phone all day.
Alyas has chosen the official route: your number is registered as a WhatsApp sender with Meta, through Twilio, and the agent replies on it using the knowledge you have given it. This is more demanding than a simple connection, hence the requirements detailed below.
What the agent does with WhatsApp
- A customer sends a text message to your number. Twilio passes it to Alyas, which verifies the request’s signature before any processing.
- Alyas finds the agent linked to that number and hands it the message, in a conversation specific to that customer.
- The agent replies from your knowledge base. If needed, it records the request in your leads or, if a calendar is connected, offers a slot and creates the appointment without asking for a number again: the sender’s is used.
- Once the conversation has been marked “to take over”, the agent stops replying to that customer: it is up to you to continue.
- The reply goes out from your number, and the exchange appears in your workspace’s conversations.
What you need to connect WhatsApp
- A paid Twilio account with WhatsApp enabled.
- Your company verified with Meta (Meta Business).
- A number set aside for this purpose, registered with Twilio as a WhatsApp sender.
- On the Connections page of the Alyas workspace: the number in international format, the chat agent that will reply, and acceptance of the terms.
Limits to be aware of
- Until Twilio and Meta have approved your number as a sender, it is linked to the agent but no messages come through: the workspace shows what is left to complete.
- The linked number cannot stay active on the regular WhatsApp app.
- The Twilio account and the Meta verification are your responsibility: Alyas does not create them for you.
- These exchanges use your plan’s token quota, not your call minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Why go through Twilio?
Twilio is the intermediary through which Alyas accesses the official WhatsApp API. Your number is declared there as the company’s sender, then Twilio carries the messages between WhatsApp and your agent.
Do I have to buy a new number?
Not from Alyas: your own number becomes the sender. It does need to be dedicated, though, as it cannot stay on the regular app.
What happens between connecting and the first messages?
The number is first linked to the agent on the Alyas side. Until registration with Twilio and Meta is complete, the workspace says so; after that, messages arrive with nothing more to do.
Can the agent book an appointment on WhatsApp?
Yes, if Google Calendar or Cal.com is connected and appointment booking is turned on for the agent. The sender’s number serves as the contact detail.
Can I take over the conversation myself?
Yes. When the agent cannot answer or the customer asks for a person, the conversation is marked “to take over” and you are notified by email; the agent then stays silent with that customer.
Can I disconnect WhatsApp?
At any time, from the Connections page of your workspace.