Update a customer without stopping
Dictate the message to Ugo, by voice note too, and confirm: the customer receives it from your number.
How to connect WhatsApp Business to an AI assistant
With Ugo, an AI assistant on WhatsApp, you connect your WhatsApp Business number from the portal using Meta’s guided set-up, and the number stays on the app on your phone. From then on you tell Ugo, in its own chat, who to write to and what to say: the message goes out from your number, only once you confirm.
Why connect Your WhatsApp Business to WhatsApp
Letting a customer know you’re running late, telling another that their materials are ready, sending an address: they’re messages that take a few seconds, but they need to come from your number, the one your customers know, and often while you’re driving or busy.
By connecting WhatsApp Business to Ugo, you dictate them to it: “tell Mark I’m running 10 minutes late”. Ugo finds the number in your contacts, shows you the text and sends it from your number after your “Confirm”. It isn’t a chatbot that replies to customers for you: the messages you receive stay with you, in the app.
How to connect Your WhatsApp Business to WhatsApp, step by step
It takes a few minutes. You do the first two steps only once, then you connect as many apps as you like.
- 1
Create your Ugo account
Sign up at app.ciaougo.com with your email and password and enter your company name.
- 2
Link your WhatsApp
In Settings → WhatsApp, generate a code and send it in a chat to Ugo’s number: from then on Ugo recognises your number.
- 3
Open the skill on the portal
On the Ugo portal, open Skills and tap Connect on the Your WhatsApp card.
- 4
Follow Meta’s set-up
Connect your WhatsApp Business number with Meta’s guided set-up: the number stays on the app on your phone, with your chats.
- 5
Wait for the format to be approved
To write to people who haven’t messaged you in the last 24 hours, WhatsApp has to approve the format of Ugo’s messages: it usually takes up to a day. In the meantime you can write to anyone who has messaged you in the last 24 hours.
- 6
Ask Ugo to message a customer
In your chat with Ugo, write who to send the message to and what to say: Ugo shows it to you and sends it once you confirm.
What you can do with Your WhatsApp Business on WhatsApp
Delays and changes of plan
Running late or need to move a delivery? A few words to Ugo and the customer knows.
Just the name
With Google Contacts or Outlook Contacts switched on, Ugo finds the recipient’s number in your contacts.
Pick up with people you haven’t heard from in days
If the customer hasn’t messaged you for more than 24 hours, Ugo uses the WhatsApp-approved format, with your name and your message.
The first messages to send
- Tell Mark I’m running 10 minutes late
- Let Emma know the materials are ready
- Send Smith the warehouse address
Tell Mark Taylor I’m running 10 minutes late
Sending to Mark Taylor (+44 7700 900123) from your number: “Hi Mark, I’m running 10 minutes late.” Shall I send it?
What Ugo doesn’t do (yet)
- It doesn’t reply to customers for you: you read and handle their replies yourself, in the app.
- It sends text messages to one person at a time: no photos, documents or sends to customer lists.
- To people who haven’t messaged you for more than 24 hours, the message arrives in the WhatsApp-approved format, which opens with “Messaggio da” (Italian for “Message from”) and your name.
- You can connect only one WhatsApp Business number per person.
Other ways to connect Your WhatsApp Business to WhatsApp
Ugo isn’t the only option. Here are the most common alternatives, and when they make sense.
WhatsApp Business API platforms
They’re for chatbots that reply to customers and for sending to many contacts, but they need a provider, templates approved by Meta and some set-up.
The WhatsApp Business app’s own features
Greeting messages, away messages and quick replies help you answer faster, but you still write and send every message yourself.
Automations with Zapier or Make
They can send automatic messages when something happens in another app, via the WhatsApp Business API, but each one has to be set up separately.
Questions about Your WhatsApp Business and WhatsApp
Can I connect WhatsApp Business to an AI assistant for free?
Ugo costs €50 a month per person (or €550 a year), excl. VAT, with the connection to your WhatsApp Business and every other app included.
Does it work with regular WhatsApp?
No, you need a WhatsApp Business number: it’s the type of number WhatsApp allows to be connected to other services. To talk to Ugo, though, your regular WhatsApp is all you need.
Can I keep using the WhatsApp Business app?
Yes. The number stays connected to the app on your phone: you keep sending and receiving messages as before, and you also see the ones Ugo sends.
Does Ugo read the messages I receive from customers?
Ugo keeps the date, time and text of the messages on this number, but doesn’t treat them as requests and doesn’t reply for you. If you disconnect the number, the stored messages are deleted.
More guides: Ugo’s tools
How to use WhatsApp voice notes for your calendar, email and CRM
You talk, Ugo transcribes and does what you ask
Read the guide
How to use Google Maps on WhatsApp with an assistant
Routes, local businesses and Street View in the chat
Read the guideHow to get a WhatsApp assistant to answer with your website’s information
Answers from company websites, for the whole team
Read the guideHow to see a website preview on WhatsApp
An image of a website, on computer or phone
Read the guide
Connect Your WhatsApp Business to WhatsApp
Create your account, link your number and switch on Your WhatsApp Business from the portal. Every app is included in the subscription.
