Automated WhatsApp win‑back reminders that bring back café regulars after Ganesh Chaturthi

Below is a step‑by‑step walkthrough that mirrors a screen‑recording of a typical owner, Mia, who runs Bean & Bun in Melbourne’s Fitzroy neighbourhood.

1. Import or verify the Customer list

   • From the left‑hand navigation select Customers.
   • Click Import CSV and upload the latest loyalty‑card export (e.g., 2,145 rows with columns for name, phone, email, last order date).
   • Ferbz matches each row to an existing profile or creates a new Customer record. The import screen shows a quick validation summary – 2,140 matched, 5 new.

2. Create the win‑back automation

   • Navigate to the Automation tab.

   • Click New Journey and type the plain‑English goal:
     Win back anyone who hasn’t ordered in 30 days after Ganesh Chaturthi.

   • Ferbz’s AI instantly generates a three‑step canvas:

     Step	Trigger / Wait	Message	Branch condition
     1	30 days since last Order (auto‑calculated)	“Hi {{first_name}}, we miss you! Enjoy a 10 % discount on any coffee this week – just show this WhatsApp.”	–
     2	3 days after step 1 if not opened	“Still thinking about that latte? Here’s a free pastry with your next visit.”	If message not opened
     3	7 days after step 1 if opened	“Thanks for opening! Use code WELCOME30 for 30 % off your next order.”	If message opened

   • Mia reviews the AI‑generated text, swaps “10 % discount” for “Buy‑one‑get‑one free on any flat white”, and updates the placeholder codes to match her POS.

3. Select the template and WhatsApp sender

   • In the canvas toolbar, click Templates.
   • Choose the pre‑approved “Promotion – Discount” template that complies with WhatsApp Business policy.
   • The template fields (header image, body, footer) are edited directly; Mia uploads a photo of her café’s interior.

4. Activate the journey

   • At the top right, toggle Activate. Ferbz now monitors every Customer’s “days since last Order”.

5. Verify the reminder schedule

   • Switch to the Reminders board.
   • The board shows a filter bar – Mia selects Automation = Win‑back after Ganesh Chaturthi.
   • She sees a list of upcoming reminders, each with columns: Customer, Scheduled time, Status, Credits used.

6. Simulate a test run

   • Click Run Test on step 1, pick a dummy Customer (e.g., “John Doe – 0400 123 456”).
   • The test reminder is sent instantly; the Reminders board updates to Sent → Delivered → Read as soon as John opens it on his phone.

7. Monitor performance

   • After a week, Mia opens the Reports tab, selects Automation > Win‑back after Ganesh Chaturthi, and sets the date range 1 Oct 2024 – 31 Oct 2024.
   • The report shows:
     • 312 reminders scheduled
     • 274 delivered (88 %)
     • 198 read (72 % of delivered)
     • 57 orders placed within 14 days of the first reminder (average ticket $12.73)

8. Adjust based on data

   • Seeing a high open‑rate but modest conversion, Mia adds a fourth step: “Enjoy a free upgrade to a large size on your next coffee – just reply ‘UPGRADE’”.
   • She drags a new node onto the canvas, sets the wait to 2 days after step 3 if opened, and saves. The journey re‑calculates credits needed for the extra reminder.

9. Top up credits

   • Because each reminder consumes credits, Mia checks her wallet balance in the Billing header.
   • She clicks Top up, enters $250 (AU$), and confirms. The prepaid wallet is instantly credited, and future reminders will draw from this pool.

10. Handle a failed reminder

    • One Customer, “Lily Chen”, has a phone number that is no longer active. The Reminders board flags her reminder as Failed with error “Number not reachable”.
    • Mia clicks the row, selects Resend with updated number, edits Lily’s contact in the Customers profile, and re‑queues the reminder.

Through these actions, Bean & Bun runs a fully automated, compliance‑checked win‑back campaign that starts the moment the 30‑day silence threshold is crossed, runs without manual messaging, and logs every interaction for future analysis.

Before Ferbz, Mia relied on a handwritten spreadsheet to note the last order date for each loyalty‑card holder. When Ganesh Chaturthi ended, she manually filtered the list for anyone who hadn’t visited since 15 Oct, drafted a bulk WhatsApp message on her personal phone, and sent it one‑by‑one. The process took ≈ 4 hours and produced only 12 repeat visits (≈ $152 revenue).

With the automated win‑back reminder:

• Time saved – The entire set‑up (import, journey creation, activation) took ≈ 30 minutes. Ongoing monitoring is a few clicks on the Reminders board, cutting weekly admin from 4 hours to ≤ 10 minutes.
• Revenue recovered – In the first month after Ganesh Chaturthi, the campaign generated 57 orders, a + $727 lift compared with the manual approach. That is a 3.8 × increase in revenue per hour of effort.
• Higher consistency – Every Customer who crossed the 30‑day threshold receives a reminder automatically; there is no risk of “someone slipped through the spreadsheet”. The Reminders board guarantees visibility – no silent failures.
• Accurate credit‑based costing – Each reminder draws from the prepaid wallet, so Mia knows exactly how many credits were spent (312 reminders × 1 credit each = 312 credits). This replaces vague monthly subscription fees and aligns cost with actual usage.
• Data‑driven optimisation – The Reports tab shows open‑rates, read‑rates, and conversion per step. Mia could see that the second‑step “free pastry” had a 48 % conversion boost, prompting her to promote that offer more heavily.

Overall, the win‑back reminder turns a reactive, labour‑intensive task into a predictable, measurable engine that protects Bean & Bun’s regular‑customer base during the post‑festival lull.

Ready to stop losing regulars after the festive rush? Sign up for a free trial, import your café’s customer list, and launch a win‑back reminder in minutes. Visit the dashboard at https://dashboard.ferbz.com/ and start building your first Automation journey today. If you need help tailoring the messages or topping up credits, drop a line to support@ferbz.com – the team is on hand to walk you through every step.