Getting your WhatsApp Business app ready for the busiest season: what Meta says to set up first and what to leave to its AI agent

Meta's advice is to read the last week of messages first. Most fall into a handful of questions: what something costs, whether a date is free, whether the business delivers to an area, and when it is open. Meta suggests writing down the five most-asked questions and saving a quick reply for each.

The business profile does the same job before anyone writes. Meta lists what customers look for there: the current hours, including seasonal hours, what the business sells, where it is or where it delivers, and how to book or order. The clearer that is, Meta says, the fewer basic questions arrive and the more messages come from people ready to buy.

What Meta says its agent can take on

Answering common questions straight away, at midnight or on a day off; greeting new customers and pointing them the right way; helping customers find products, check availability or book appointments; and flagging the conversations the owner should look at.

What Meta says to keep for yourself

Sensitive complaints and frustrated customers, big orders and the clients who want a personal touch, and any conversation where a human connection makes the difference.

Meta's seasonal guide for its agent adds a plan for the weeks before and during the rush:

A seasonal shop window

Update the hours and cover photo, add seasonal pictures to catalog items, and group the season's best sellers into a collection.

Teach it early

Load business information, links and documents, and answers to the season's common questions, such as shipping cut-off dates and returns on gifts. Then test it in demo mode and coach its replies until it sounds like the business.

Rules for the season

Have it suggest a bundle when someone asks about one item, offer gift wrapping, point out deals, and send an automatic follow-up when a chat goes quiet.

Bookings and quick sales

Connect a calendar so it can book, change and cancel appointments in the chat. For a limited-time sale, announce it with Status and business broadcasts and let the agent answer the replies.

Meta also describes a setting that has the agent ask customers for details such as their name, address and the product they want, and says that with ads that click to WhatsApp, the agent can answer every message and highlight the conversations the owner should step in to close.

What the agent is, who qualifies and how it hands a conversation over is in the Meta Business Agent guide, and the settings that decide its behaviour are in the settings guide. A season is a poor time to switch it on for the first time; testing it first is covered in the testing guide.