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Ecco answers guests on WhatsApp, in the same inbox your team uses for calls and OTA messages.

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Getting connected

1

Open Connections

Go to Configuration → Connections and open the WhatsApp card.
2

Choose how to connect

Select I already have a WhatsApp Business app number (recommended) to keep using the WhatsApp Business app alongside Ecco, or I want a new number dedicated to Cloud API for a number used only by Ecco.
3

Complete the Meta setup

Follow the Meta window to link your business and number. The card shows Connected when the setup is complete.
4

Set the hours

Choose when the AI replies in Configuration → Activity hours → WhatsApp. This schedule is independent from the phone.

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Connections page

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Add WhatsApp to your website

The WhatsApp card includes a ready-to-use website widget. It adds a floating WhatsApp bubble to your site. When a visitor opens it, they see a help card with a button to start a WhatsApp chat.
1

Open the website widget

Go to Configuration → Connections, open the connected WhatsApp card, and select the website widget link.
2

Copy the script

Copy the one-line code shown in the dialog.
3

Add it to your website

Paste the code before the closing </body> tag on every page where you want the bubble to appear, then publish the site.
4

Test it

Open your website, select the WhatsApp bubble, and use Write us on WhatsApp to check that the correct chat opens.
The widget does not collect visitor data. It only opens WhatsApp when a visitor selects the button.
To remove the widget, delete the script line from your website and publish again. Your WhatsApp connection in Ecco stays active.

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Conversations page

WhatsApp chats appear in Conversations with your other channels. Set the Channel filter to WhatsApp to see chats only. See Conversations for views, filters, and read status.

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Read and reply

Open a chat to read the full thread. To reply yourself, switch Who replies to Operator and write in the composer. Switch back to Ecco when you want the AI to reply again.
WhatsApp only lets businesses write freely within 24 hours of the guest’s last message. When the window is closed, reply from the WhatsApp Business app or start a new chat with an approved template.
Messages that Ecco sent to a group’s contact person, such as group access instructions, appear in the chat with their PDF attachment.

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Message awaiting identity verification

When a guest’s WhatsApp account writes from a different phone number, Ecco keeps the message hidden while Ecco Support verifies the guest’s identity. The existing conversation shows a fixed message awaiting verification placeholder and the AI pauses on that chat.
No action is needed from your team. The message content remains hidden until Ecco Support completes the identity check.

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When the AI cannot reply

If a technical error prevents the AI from replying, Ecco pauses the AI on that chat and emails your staff. The subject is 🆘 Risposta AI non generata — [hotel]. Open the link in the email to go straight to the conversation and reply.
Ecco sends one email when the chat is paused, to the same people who receive escalation emails.

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Separate view

With Separate views selected in Configuration → Conversations, the WhatsApp tab opens the WhatsApp Inbox. Filter by Needs attention or All, and search by name, number, or apartment. From this view you can also attach files to your reply.

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Start a new chat

Select New chat in Conversations to write first to a guest.
1

1. Recipient

Search for the guest by name, phone number, or booking code. Ecco finds the reservation and the right property.
2

2. Template

Choose an approved message. The dialog shows how many templates are sendable and how many are unavailable. Each template has a stage badge, such as Pre-arrival or Stay.
3

3. Language

Check the language the guest will receive.
4

Send

Select Send and open chat. Ecco checks the reservation one last time before sending.

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Why a template is unavailable

Open Unavailable to see each template that cannot be sent and why:
  • Requires a booking — no matching reservation was found.
  • No version for this apartment — the template has no text for this apartment.
  • Not approved by Meta — WhatsApp has not approved it yet.
  • Content differs from the Meta-approved version — the text was changed after approval.
  • Missing data — the dialog lists the guest or reservation details that are missing.
When the reservation check cannot be completed, select Retry verification, or Use the generic template anyway to send the approved generic introduction. Ecco never chooses the generic message on its own.

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Activity hours page

Open Configuration → Activity hours → WhatsApp.
Choose Always on, Follow schedule, or Off. The weekly schedule applies only with Follow schedule.
Turn this on to keep unread badges and notifications in the WhatsApp Business app. The AI keeps replying, but guests do not see the typing indicator.
The Escalation message is sent once when the AI hands the chat to your team. A separate message covers maintenance requests. Write them in your property’s default language: Ecco translates them for each guest.
When an operator takes over a chat and then stops replying, the AI can resume after 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, or 2 hours of the guest waiting. Choose Never to keep the chat with your team. You can also let the AI resume immediately when the operator’s last activity is older than 2, 6, 12, or 24 hours.Auto-resume does not apply when the guest asked to speak with a person.

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Common questions

Yes. Each channel has its own tab in Configuration → Activity hours.
Yes. Add them in Configuration → AI Behavior. Chats from these numbers show AI excluded.
Yes. The list and the open chat update when a new message arrives.