Meeting Reminders I have a WhatsApp Business account and a business phone number. Thank you!

Meeting Reminders,

Thank you for explaining the integration of reminders through the WhatsApp API. I understand the costs and limitations associated with using the API.

Before we move forward in that direction, I would like to explore an alternative. Would it be possible to integrate the reminders using the regular WhatsApp Business application, rather than the official API? I understand this might limit some functionalities, but I’d like to know if it’s feasible to implement this option to avoid the costs associated with the API.

Jorge, what would be advantage of having the WhatsApp Business application?

Meeting Reminders The main advantage of using the WhatsApp Business application is cost-effectiveness. Unlike the WhatsApp API, which incurs additional charges for each message sent, the WhatsApp Business application itself is free to use. This makes it an attractive option if we’re looking to implement reminders without incurring extra costs.

Additionally, the WhatsApp Business app allows for a more personal touch, as messages would come directly from a number associated with the business, rather than a third-party service. This could enhance customer engagement and trust.

While it might not offer the same level of automation as the API, for our purposes—sending scheduled reminders—the app could be sufficient, especially if we’re managing a smaller scale of notifications.

I believe it’s worth exploring this option to balance functionality and budget.

Jorge: if all you wish here is to have the message open in the WhatsApp Business app, you can configure that in your computer. Follow this guide: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/59301756/how-to-open-wa-me-link-in-whatsapp-business-app-instead-of-personal-whatsapp-on

Meeting Reminders,

Thank you for the guide, but I believe there might be some confusion. What I’m asking about is the possibility of automating the sending of reminders through the WhatsApp Business application itself, without relying on the API. The goal is to avoid the additional costs associated with the API while still achieving automated notifications.

Specifically, I’d like to do this from Google Calendar via your Google Calendar plugin. In addition to automating emails, I’m looking to have the plugin also automate meeting reminders through WhatsApp using this approach.

Could we explore options for implementing this within the app, or any alternative methods to achieve automated reminders without API usage?

Jorge: let's jump on a call, I am not following your train of thought. Just sent you an email with a booking link.

Jorge: thanks a bunch for the call. I have investigated integrating with WhatsApp Business (there is no WhatsApp non-business API), and it involves a lengthy process with Meta.

But there is an interesting alternative through Twilio (which I already integrate on the SMS part): https://www.twilio.com/docs/whatsapp. It would however require you to have a business phone number. Can you let me know if this works?

Meeting Reminders Hi Ricardo, thanks for the detailed information and for guiding me through the available options.

After reviewing everything, it seems there are two main approaches (or both) we can consider:

1) Continue with Manual Reminders: We could maintain the current setup, where reminders are managed manually via the desktop app or web browser. This approach doesn't require any changes, but it also lacks the automation we're aiming for.

2) Automate via WhatsApp API: To automate reminders, we would need to integrate with the WhatsApp API. From the documentation you shared, it looks like Twilio offers a technically simpler integration compared to doing it directly with Meta's API. However, Twilio likely adds its own costs on top of Meta's API fees. Although I haven't verified the exact figures, it’s reasonable to assume that Twilio charges an additional fee for the convenience of a simpler setup (possibly with fewer approvals and faster implementation).

One crucial consideration here is that to use WhatsApp Business through Twilio, my current WhatsApp Business number would need to be verified and converted to a WhatsApp Business API number. This conversion would mean I could no longer use that number to chat with clients through the Android app or my Windows application. The alternative would be to acquire a new, additional WhatsApp Business number dedicated to the API, allowing me to keep using my existing number in the mobile and desktop apps for client communication.

Please let me know your thoughts on these options and if you have any further recommendations.

Thanks again for your help. Best regards, Jorge.