If you’re wondering whether to use WhatsApp message flows or Spur’s AI agent for a particular use case, or you’re confused about what each one does, you’re not alone. Many customers ask this when deciding how to set up automation on Spur.
Here’s a simple breakdown to help you understand the difference and make the right choice:
WhatsApp Message Flows (Also called Automation Flows):
These are pre-defined, rule-based conversation paths that are initiated with a trigger.
You design them step-by-step in advance: questions, quick replies, responses, conditions, buttons in response to a trigger being fired.
Ideal for structured use cases like:
Confirming COD orders
Sending tracking links
Address confirmation
Pushing discount offers as part of COD to prepaid flows, for example.
You control everything — what to say, when to say it, and what happens next.
The flow always runs in a set sequence based on customer interaction.
AI Agent in Spur:
This is a smart chatbot that understands and replies to free-text queries.
It reads and replies using trained data like your website, FAQs, product info, etc.
Great for handling open-ended questions like:
“Where is my order?”
“Do you have a size guide?”
“How do I return this?”
“Tell me about this product”
Can perform actions like:
Opening a support ticket
Transferring to a human
Collecting leads
Helping track an order
Responds across multiple platforms: WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, and Live Chat.
When Should You Use Each?
Use Flows when:
You have a specific process or action you want the customer to complete in response to a trigger being fired. (For example; an order being created, a shipping update coming through, etc.)
You have a pre-designed message (template/free-form) to deliver in response to a trigger being fired (For example, an order gets cancelled and the customer gets an order cancellation template message through the flow)
The responses are fixed and you need control over the interaction.
Use AI when:
You want the customer to type freely and still get helpful answers.
You want to reduce manual support and still offer smart replies.
Do note: Keyword trigger based flows on a channel won't work when AI is already handling queries on that particular channel. Since AI is more than equipped to answer any open ended question anyway, you won't need keyword based flows in the first place. Just set up the AI to know what to do in the case of each keyword being used, if there's any you want to set up.
In short:
• Flows are manual, rule-based message trees.
• AI is smart, flexible, and replies based on understanding and context.
Pro Tip: You Can Use Both Together!
A lot of Spur customers set up flows for specific business goals (like COD confirmation) and have AI running in the background to handle general questions.
This hybrid setup ensures you’re not only automating tasks but also responding intelligently to every customer.
Need help setting it up or figuring out what works best for your brand? Chat with us, we’re here to help!