The short answer
Start with verified order lookup and support routing, then add carefully scoped changes or returns. Keep stock, shipping and payment states in their authoritative systems. Use WhatsApp as a convenient customer interface while preserving staff review for disputed or exceptional requests.
Find the repeat question worth fixing
Review a sample of support enquiries and identify a frequent, well-defined question. Order status is often a useful candidate if the source data is reliable. Before buying a chatbot, check whether store and carrier records arrive on time and use consistent identifiers. Automating inconsistent data produces faster confusion.
Example: a split delivery
One order contains two shipments. The workflow returns the status of each shipment and its carrier link rather than presenting one vague delivered label. If a customer reports a missing item, it opens a case linked to the correct shipment. A support agent receives the context instead of asking the customer to repeat the order number.
Returns need policy and state
Collect the item, reason and allowed evidence. Check the current policy and route exceptions to a person. A return request, an authorised return, a received item and a completed refund are separate states. Message wording should accurately reflect the state reached in the store or payment system.
Protect account information
The lookup must establish that the requester is allowed to see the order. Mask unnecessary personal information and avoid revealing a full address by default. Let customers reach a person when verification fails. Promotional follow-up is a separate purpose from resolving a service request and needs its own appropriate contact basis.
A practical first release
Build read-only order support, one return-intake path and a helpdesk handoff. Test split orders, stale carrier data, duplicate cases, unknown contacts and connection failures. Review answer accuracy and resolution quality before measuring deflection. Add mutations only once the team trusts the underlying record checks.
Sources & scope
Official references checked on 20 October 2026. Workflow examples are proposed designs, not client case studies. Confirm current provider features and project requirements before implementation.