Business Platform onboarding
Business verification, number registration and display-name approval through Meta, with your number in your own account rather than a reseller’s.
AI & Automation · Australia-wide
WhatsApp automation that works inside Meta’s rules, not around them
Official Business Platform access, template messages approved before you need them, and opt-in handled so your number does not get restricted. Built for Australian customer bases.
Official Business Platform
Opt-in handled properly
Number stays in your name
Every engagement includes
- Business Platform onboarding
- Templates pre-approved
- Opt-in and opt-out compliant
- CRM integration
- Conversation costs reported
Why this goes wrong
What we usually find, and what we do instead
<p>Webcotec helps Australian businesses automate WhatsApp conversations for enquiries, reminders, lead qualification, booking updates and customer follow-ups. We design flows that are practical, trackable and connected to your website or CRM where needed.</p>
What we usually find
- An unofficial gateway — which works until Meta bans the number and takes the customer list with it.
- Templates rejected at the worst moment — submitted the week of the campaign instead of the month before.
- Messaging people who never opted in — which is both a Meta violation and a Spam Act problem in Australia.
- No idea what a conversation costs — pricing is per conversation window, and nobody has modelled it.
- A bot with no way out — customers stuck in an automated loop with no path to a person.
What we do instead
- Go through the official Business Platform — verified business, number in your name, and no risk of losing it overnight.
- Get templates approved early — written and submitted ahead of the campaign, with fallbacks if one is rejected.
- Collect consent properly — logged opt-in with a working opt-out, which the Spam Act requires regardless of channel.
- Model the conversation cost — before launch, so the channel is judged on margin rather than message count.
- Always offer a human — every flow has an exit to a person during business hours.
What's included
What we actually work on
Not a checklist of 200 "optimisations". These are the things that move the result.
Template design and approval
Utility, marketing and authentication templates written to Meta’s categories and submitted early, with fallbacks ready in case of rejection.
Conversation flows
Order updates, appointment reminders, delivery notifications and qualification flows, each with a clear exit to a human during business hours.
Consent and compliance
Opt-in capture and logging, honoured opt-out, and message categories used correctly. This is what keeps the number from being restricted.
CRM and system integration
Conversations, opt-in status and outcomes written back to your CRM or order system, so WhatsApp is part of the record rather than a separate silo.
Cost and delivery reporting
Conversations by category, delivery and read rates and the actual spend, reported against the outcomes so you can judge the channel honestly.
How we work
A sequence, not a black box
You see the plan before we touch anything, and you approve what gets done.
01
Assess
Whether WhatsApp suits your customer base at all, what it would cost per conversation, and what the compliance obligations are.
02
Onboard
Business verification and number registration through the official platform, in your own Meta account.
03
Approve
Templates written and submitted early, because approval takes time and rejection at launch is the common failure.
04
Build
Flows, integrations and opt-in capture, tested against real numbers before anything goes to customers.
05
Measure
Delivery, response and cost per conversation reported monthly against the outcomes it produced.
Pricing
How much does WhatsApp cost in Australia?
Most agencies make you ask before they will quote a starting point. Here it is.
Feasibility and costing
$2,500 – $5,000one-off, AUD ex GST
- Audience fit assessment
- Conversation cost modelling
- Compliance and consent review
- Recommended flows
- Go or no-go recommendation
WhatsApp automation build
$12,000 – $30,000fixed scope, AUD ex GST
- Business Platform onboarding
- Template writing and approval
- Conversation flows with hand-off
- Opt-in capture and logging
- CRM or order system integration
- Cost and delivery reporting
Management and templates
$900 – $3,000per month, AUD ex GST
- Template maintenance and approvals
- Flow updates and new journeys
- Compliance monitoring
- Monthly cost and outcome report
- Meta platform change handling
- No lock-in contract
All amounts are in Australian dollars and exclude GST. These are indicative starting points and assume a scope agreed in writing before work begins. Anything outside that scope is quoted separately and approved by you first. We invoice against milestones, not hours worked.
Who this is for
Australian businesses we do WhatsApp for
Industries where we understand the buying cycle, the compliance constraints and how customers actually search.
E-commerce & retail
Healthcare & allied health
Logistics & delivery
Education & training
Property & real estate
Travel & hospitality
FAQ
Questions Australian businesses ask about WhatsApp
Is WhatsApp actually used in Australia?
Less than in South Asia, Latin America or parts of Europe, but meaningfully among migrant communities, international customers and some younger segments. We will tell you honestly if SMS or email would reach your customers better, because for many Australian businesses they would.
What does WhatsApp Business cost?
Meta charges per 24-hour conversation window, priced by category and by the recipient's country, and Australian rates are at the higher end. We model the expected cost before you commit, because volume that looks fine as a message count can be expensive as conversations.
Can we message anyone who gave us their number?
No. WhatsApp requires opt-in for business-initiated messages, and Australian spam law requires consent for commercial electronic messages regardless of channel. We build the consent capture rather than assuming a phone number is permission.
What happens if a template is rejected?
It gets rewritten and resubmitted, which is why we submit weeks ahead of a campaign rather than the week of. Category matters: marketing templates are scrutinised far more than utility ones.
Can it connect to our CRM or order system?
Yes, where an API exists. Order updates and delivery notifications trigger from your system, and replies and opt-in status write back so the conversation is part of the customer record.
Will we lose the number if something goes wrong?
Not if it is registered properly to your own verified business account through the official platform. The risk of losing a number comes almost entirely from unofficial gateways and from messaging people who did not opt in.
Can customers reach a real person?
Yes, and every flow we build has that exit. An automated loop with no way out is the fastest way to make a support channel worse than no channel.
How is this different to SMS?
Richer messages, read receipts and threaded conversation, at a higher and more variable cost. SMS reaches every Australian handset without opt-in friction. We will recommend whichever suits your customers rather than the one with more features.
Related services
Often paired with WhatsApp
AI Chatbot Development
AI chatbots for lead capture, support, internal knowledge, customer questions and workflow assistance.
Workflow Automation
Workflow automation for tasks, reminders, approvals, reporting, customer follow-ups and internal operations.
Custom Software Development
Custom software built around your operations, users and growth goals.
Mobile App Development
Native and cross-platform mobile apps with smooth UX and secure backend systems.
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