Build your first flow around one question you get every day. What you need: an opening message, a menu with three options, one answer path per option, and a way out to a team member. That takes an hour to build and test. Only expand once this flow has been in real use for a week.
Step 1 — Pick one question (5 minutes)
Look at yesterday's inbox. Which question showed up three times or more? That's your first flow. Not “all customer questions,” but something like “where's my package” or “can I move my appointment.”
Step 2 — Write out the conversation (10 minutes)
Write out the conversation the way you'd have it yourself, in short lines. This is the real work: if the written-out conversation reads awkwardly, the flow won't improve on it. Keep messages to two lines.
Step 3 — Put the blocks on the canvas (20 minutes)
Step 4 — Test every path (15 minutes)
Walk every path in test mode, including the one where someone types something you didn't anticipate. That last path matters most: it's where you lose customers.
Step 5 — Publish and keep an eye on it (10 minutes)
Publish, send a message yourself from your own phone, and have a colleague do the same. Then watch it for a week before you expand anything.
The four pitfalls
- Too many options in the first menu. Three is enough; more makes choosing harder.
- No way out to a person. Always put one in the first menu, not after two failed attempts.
- Long messages. What you can say in two lines, say in two lines.
- Trying to cram everything into one flow. One flow per process is clearer and easier to change.
More examples are on the use cases, each with ready-to-use message copy.