Restaurant and deli customers now order through a WhatsApp catalog: a bot builds the order, checks live stock, sends a payment link, and pushes the confirmed order into the ERP. 38% of all orders complete with no human involved.
Typical results
+17%
Average order value
4 min
Order processing time
31%
Self-serve orders after hours
Figures reflect typical results for this kind of automation.
The challenge
Orders arrived as voice notes, free-text WhatsApp messages, and phone calls to whoever answered. Staff retyped everything into the ERP, promised items that were out of stock, and chased payments for days. Evening and weekend orders — when chefs actually plan their kitchens — simply waited until Sunday morning.
Before and after
Order processing time
−91%Order entry errors
−88%Orders placed outside office hours
The automation
We built an ordering flow on the WhatsApp Business API: customers browse the product catalog inside the chat, and a bot assembles the order, applies each customer's price list, and verifies every line against live ERP inventory. Out-of-stock items get substitution suggestions on the spot. The bot then sends a payment link, and on payment the confirmed order is pushed into the ERP and scheduled onto the right delivery route.
How it works
- 01
Browse in WhatsApp
A customer opens the WhatsApp catalog inside the chat and picks products — no app, no login.
- 02
Bot builds the order
The bot assembles the order, applies the customer's price list, and checks every line against live ERP inventory.
- 03
Smart substitutions
Out-of-stock items get substitution suggestions on the spot, keeping the basket complete.
- 04
Pay in the chat
A payment link is sent; the order confirms automatically the moment payment clears.
- 05
Straight to delivery
The confirmed order lands in the ERP and is scheduled onto the right delivery route.
Starts from
- WhatsApp chat
- In-chat catalog picks
Delivers
- Payment link
- Confirmed ERP order
- Delivery slot scheduled
The impact
Within about three months, around 38% of orders typically run end to end with no human touch, nearly a third of them placed outside office hours. Order entry errors drop from about eight a week to one, processing time falls from 45 minutes to four, and average order value grows around 17% thanks to in-chat substitutions and suggestions.
Questions about this automation
Do customers need an app or an account to order?
No. Customers open the WhatsApp catalog inside the chat they already use with the wholesaler and pick products there. The bot recognizes each customer by phone number, applies their own price list and builds the order, so ordering works the same late in the evening as it does at midday.
What happens when an item is out of stock?
Each line is checked against live ERP inventory before the order is confirmed. If an item is short, the bot suggests a substitution right away, such as a similar product or a different pack size, and the customer accepts or removes it in the chat. The final basket holds only items in stock.
When does the order reach the ERP?
The bot sends a payment link once the basket is final. The moment payment clears, the confirmed order is pushed into the ERP and scheduled onto the right delivery route, with no retyping by staff. This is a multi-step build, usually rolled out in stages, starting with the catalog and order flow.