AI Chatbots for E-commerce: Telegram vs. WhatsApp

AI chatbots are essential tools for e-commerce, helping businesses automate customer service, increase engagement, and boost sales. When choosing a platform, ease of setup and feature integration are crucial factors.

Telegram chatbots using SUCH offer a quick setup in minutes, with all features integrated directly within the platform. In contrast, WhatsApp chatbots can have many of the same features but require a more time-consuming setup with third-party API integrations. Understanding these differences can help businesses make the right choice for their e-commerce needs.

Features Comparison: Telegram vs. WhatsApp Chatbots

Telegram Chatbots with SUCH:

• Quick and Easy Setup: Create and launch AI bots in minutes without complex approvals, difficult setup, or external APIs.
• Fully Integrated Features: Can include broadcasts, custom commands, inline replies, quick replies, buttons, and seamless transition between AI and human interactions, all within Telegram.
• Seamless Integration of Web Apps: SUCH for Telegram allows you to add mini web apps directly to your bots, such as help centers, feedback forms, or product wikis.
• Group Support: Effective for managing large groups and communities directly within Telegram, making it ideal for e-commerce customer support and engagement.
• Not Affiliated with Meta: Reduced privacy concerns and fewer risks of service outages compared to WhatsApp, which has faced scrutiny over data practices and high-profile outages​.

WhatsApp Chatbots:

• Extensive User Base: Access to over 2 billion active users, making it one of the most widely used messaging platforms globally.
• API Connectivity: Can achieve advanced features when connected with various business platforms like CRMs, order tracking systems, and helpdesks through APIs, though this will require custom coding or setup.
• Business Profiles and Catalogs: Allows businesses to create detailed profiles, upload product catalogs, and engage directly with customers through WhatsApp Business (requires additional setup).‍
• Multi-Platform Reach: Due to a strong integration within Meta’s ecosystem, allows for cross-platform engagement.

Getting Started with SUCH on Telegram

Unlike having a chatbot in WhatsApp, setting up an AI chatbot for e-commerce support on Telegram using SUCH is a straightforward process. Here's how to get started:

1. Creating a Telegram Bot

• Step 1: Open Telegram and search for the BotFather bot.
• Step 2: Use the /newbot command to create a new bot, and follow the prompts to name your bot and generate a unique bot token.

2. Connecting the Bot to SUCH

• Step 1: Open the @SUCH bot on Telegram, send /new, and send it the bot token you received from BotFather.
• Step 2: Log in to the SUCH web app to complete the integration and access your bot's configuration settings.

3. Configuring Basic Settings

Welcome Message: Set up an engaging welcome message that introduces your bot and guides users on interacting with it.

Custom Commands: Define custom commands to provide answers to frequently asked questions or handle specific customer inquiries, such as /order or /status.

Quick Replies: Set up predefined responses that your support team can quickly insert into conversations. This streamlines interactions, allowing team members to provide instant, consistent answers to common questions.

4. Setup AI Instructions and Knowledge

• Step 1: Enable Bot AI
  • Go to “Project Settings” in the SUCH web app.
  • Toggle the “Bot AI” switch to ON.
• Step 2: Enter AI Instructions
  • Open the “AI Instructions” section for your bot.
  • Choose a model: GPT-4o for best performance or GPT-4o-mini for cost efficiency.
  • Enter clear, concise, and specific guidelines for the bot's tone, response style, and allowed topics.
  • Click “Save.”
• Step 3: Add Bot Knowledge
  • Open the “Bot Knowledge” section.
  • Add separate text blocks with concise information about your business.
  • Click “Save.”

5. Optimizing Your Bot’s Interactions

• Continuous Improvement: Update the bot’s AI knowledge base and instructions based on customer feedback, monitoring your bot interactions in the Closed folder of your SUCH web app. Make changes as your business evolves to ensure it remains effective and relevant.
• Support Teams: Set up different support teams with multiple bots to handle specific types of inquiries (e.g., sales, technical support). Once you set up AI, be sure to include the function of each support bot in the Instructions so the bots can redirect users as needed. This allows your support to route customer queries to the most appropriate team automatically.
• Broadcasts: Use the broadcast feature to send targeted messages to customers directly through the bot. This can be useful for announcements, promotions, or updates, and can be customized to reach specific segments of your audience.

For creators, developers, and e-commerce businesses looking to implement AI-powered support on Telegram using SUCH, the platform offers ready-to-use AI support bots and fully customizable AI bots. You can easily configure your bot by accessing the comprehensive guides available in the SUCH Help Center. 

Conclusion

When choosing between Telegram (via SUCH) and WhatsApp chatbots for e-commerce, the decision boils down to set up ease and feature integration versus user reach. Telegram SUCH chatbots offer a quick, integrated setup with robust features, ideal for developers seeking efficiency and less privacy risk. WhatsApp chatbots, while providing access to a larger audience, require more complex setup time and third-party integrations. 

Both platforms have unique strengths, but for those prioritizing simplicity, security, and integrated capabilities, Telegram with SUCH stands out. 

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