A co-packer's WhatsApp number runs an AI agent that asks new brands about product type, packaging, first-run volume, launch date and certifications. Brands below the minimum order get a starter guide with pilot options, and qualified ones become a CRM deal with a booked call.
Typical results
≈6 hrs/wk
Sales manager time no longer spent on unfit inquiries
Under 5 min
First reply to a new brand inquiry
24/7
Inquiry screening on WhatsApp
Figures reflect typical results for this kind of automation.
The challenge
Co-packers get a steady stream of inquiries from new brands, and many are a poor fit: volumes below the minimum run, packaging the lines cannot fill or certifications the plant does not hold. The sales manager spends about 10 hours a week on calls that end in a no, while serious brands wait a day for a reply.
Before and after
Sales manager hours per week on inquiry calls
−60%Discovery calls with brands below MOQ
−82%Hours to first reply on a new inquiry
−99%The automation
A message to the co-packer's WhatsApp number starts an AI agent that asks about product type, packaging format, first-run volume, target launch date and required certifications such as organic or kosher. Inquiries below the minimum order quantity get a starter guide with MOQs, pilot-run options and lead times. Qualified inquiries become a CRM deal with a one-page inquiry summary, and the agent books a call in the sales manager's calendar.
How it works
- 01
Brand messages on WhatsApp
A new brand writes to the co-packer's WhatsApp number, and the AI agent replies within minutes at any hour.
- 02
Five screening questions
The agent asks about product type, packaging format, first-run volume, target launch date and required certifications, one question at a time.
- 03
Fit check against MOQs
Answers are compared with the minimum order quantities, line formats and certifications listed in the capability sheet.
- 04
Starter guide for small runs
Brands below the minimum get a starter guide with MOQs, pilot-run options and typical lead times, and stay in the CRM as nurture leads.
- 05
CRM deal and booked call
Qualified brands become a CRM deal with a one-page inquiry summary, and the agent books a call in the sales manager's calendar.
Starts from
- WhatsApp brand inquiries
- MOQ and capability sheet
Delivers
- Starter guide for small runs
- CRM deal with summary
- Call with sales manager
The impact
The sales manager spends about 60% less time on inquiries that were never going to fit, roughly 6 hours a week back. Serious brands get a first reply within minutes at any hour, and every first call starts with volume, format and certification details already in the CRM.
Questions about this automation
How does the agent decide whether a brand is a fit?
It compares the brand's answers with a capability sheet the co-packer keeps up to date: minimum order quantity per format, the packaging the lines can fill, the certifications the plant holds and the earliest available start. Borderline cases, such as a volume just under the MOQ, are passed to the sales manager instead of being turned away.
What does the co-packer need to get started?
A business WhatsApp number, the MOQ and capability details in a sheet, the starter guide as a PDF, a CRM for deals and the sales manager's calendar. This is a multi-step build, usually rolled out in stages, starting with the screening questions and the handoff to the CRM.
What if a brand asks something the agent cannot answer?
Questions about pricing, specific formulations or confidential projects are left for a person. The agent notes the question in the inquiry summary, tells the brand the sales manager will cover it on the call, and hands the chat to a person straight away when the brand asks to speak with someone.