What if your business could receive an order, record the customer's information, notify your team and prepare a customer response without you manually handling every step?
That's the advantage of building an automated business workflow.
For many small businesses, managing orders is not necessarily the difficult part. The real challenge is keeping track of everything that happens after a customer shows interest.
Who placed the order? Has payment been confirmed? Is the product available? Has the customer received an update? Has the delivery been arranged?
When all this information is scattered across WhatsApp messages, emails, notebooks and spreadsheets, mistakes become easier to make.
This is where Make automation and Artificial Intelligence can help.
1. What Is Make Automation?
Make is a visual automation platform that allows you to connect different applications and create workflows called scenarios.
Unlike manually moving information between applications, Make allows you to design a process where one event can trigger several connected activities.
For example, a new customer enquiry could trigger a workflow that:
- Receives the enquiry.
- Extracts relevant customer information.
- Sends the information to Google Sheets.
- Uses an AI service to categorise the enquiry.
- Notifies the appropriate team member.
- Prepares or sends an appropriate customer response.
All these steps can be connected within a visual workflow.
You can explore the platform at:
https://www.make.com
2. Why Make Is Useful for Small Businesses
Make is particularly interesting for businesses that need more than a simple notification.
Imagine you run a restaurant that receives orders online and through WhatsApp.
You want to manage customer information, order details, delivery arrangements and payment status.
With a properly configured automation system, you could build different workflows for these activities.
Customer Order Collection
When a customer submits an order through your website, the system can collect the available information.
This could include:
- Customer name.
- Phone number.
- Selected products.
- Quantity.
- Delivery address.
- Order reference.
The information can then be transferred to your business records.
WhatsApp Customer Notifications
You could connect WhatsApp Business Cloud to Make and create automated customer communication workflows.
For example, after an order has been accepted, the system could send an appropriate confirmation message.
When an order status changes, another notification could be triggered.
Google Sheets Order Management
Google Sheets can serve as a simple starting point for maintaining business records.
Make can connect WhatsApp Business Cloud with Google Sheets to record incoming messages and process information.
Your spreadsheet could contain:
- Order ID.
- Customer details.
- Product information.
- Order date.
- Payment status.
- Delivery status.
This gives the business owner a clearer overview of daily activities.
3. Adding AI to Your Business Workflow
Now imagine taking the system one step further.
Instead of simply recording customer enquiries, you introduce AI to help interpret them.
Suppose a customer sends:
"Good afternoon. I need three office chairs, preferably black, and I want them delivered to Port Harcourt next week."
An AI-assisted workflow could identify:
- Product: Office chairs.
- Quantity: Three.
- Colour preference: Black.
- Delivery location: Port Harcourt.
- Requested delivery period: Next week.
The information can then be organised for your sales team.
AI can also help generate responses using your actual product catalogue and business information.
You could use it for:
Customer support: Answering frequently asked questions.
Lead management: Categorising potential customers.
Order processing: Extracting useful information from enquiries.
Business reporting: Summarising daily or weekly orders.
Customer communication: Preparing personalised responses for review or delivery.
However, the system should not automatically assume that an enquiry is a confirmed order. Payment confirmation, stock availability and important business decisions should be verified through reliable records.
4. How to Connect WhatsApp Business Cloud with Make
Make provides an official WhatsApp Business Cloud integration.
A typical setup involves the following:
Step 1: Create a Make account
Visit https://www.make.com and register.
Step 2: Open a new scenario
A scenario is the visual workspace where you build your automation.
Step 3: Add WhatsApp Business Cloud
Search for WhatsApp Business Cloud in the available applications.
Step 4: Establish your connection
Follow the connection process to link your eligible WhatsApp Business account.
Step 5: Add a trigger
You can use the Watch Events module to start a workflow when a new message is received.
Step 6: Add other applications
Connect Google Sheets, an AI service, email or another supported application.
Step 7: Configure your actions
Choose what should happen when the workflow receives new information.
Step 8: Test the entire process
Send test messages and confirm that the correct information is recorded and the expected actions occur.
Once everything works correctly, activate your scenario.
Remember that WhatsApp Business Platform access, message templates, customer consent and applicable messaging charges must be considered before launching a customer-facing system.
5. Example: A Complete Automated Business Order System
Let's bring everything together.
Imagine you own an online business selling household appliances.
Your customer visits your website and places an order for a refrigerator.
Here is how your system could work:
Stage 1 – Website
The customer submits an order through your website.
Stage 2 – Automation
Make receives the order information and starts the workflow.
Stage 3 – Database
The customer's details and order reference are saved in your business records.
Stage 4 – AI processing
An AI service can help classify the order, summarise special instructions or identify missing information.
Stage 5 – Business notification
You receive an internal notification about the new order.
Stage 6 – WhatsApp
The customer receives an appropriate confirmation or update.
Stage 7 – Order tracking
Your team updates the payment and delivery status, and the relevant workflow can send another customer notification.
You now have a more organised way to manage your business.
6. Does Every Business Need Advanced Automation?
No.
A startup with five customers per week might not need an advanced automation system.
A small business can begin with WhatsApp Business, a professional website and a simple spreadsheet.
As customer enquiries increase, you can introduce automation gradually.
The goal is not to use technology simply because it is available.
The goal is to solve real business problems.
Start with the tasks that consume the most time, identify where mistakes happen and introduce automation where it makes practical sense.
7. The Website Is Where Your Digital Business Begins
Automation tools are powerful, but they need reliable systems to work with.
A professional website can become the foundation of your business operations.
It can provide product listings, service information, customer forms, booking systems, online ordering and connections to external applications.
For a growing startup, a custom web application may even provide a central dashboard where the business owner can monitor orders, customers and daily activities.
This is why investing in a good website is more than just having an attractive homepage.
It is about creating a digital platform that supports the way your business operates.
Need a Professional Website or Custom Web Application?
Smart Magics Media provides web development services for Nigerian businesses, entrepreneurs and startups.
We can help you establish your online presence with mobile-friendly websites and web applications designed around your business requirements.
Whether you need a company website, an online store, a service platform or a custom digital solution, let's discuss your project.
Visit our Web Development Services page:
https://www.smartmagics.com.ng/p/web-development-services.html
You can request a free quote and explain what you want your business website to achieve.
Your business deserves more than scattered messages and manual records. Build a smarter digital system with Smart Magics Media.