TekkChat · WhatsApp
WhatsApp shared inbox for multiple agents
One business number, a team that can see and own every conversation
A WhatsApp shared inbox lets several agents work the same business number without answering the same customer twice. Conversations arrive in one workspace, are assigned to a person or a team, and keep their notes and history when someone else takes over. TekkChat provides the inbox. Meta’s WhatsApp Business Platform carries the messages.
- One business number
- Assign and reassign
- Shared history
- Handover with context
TekkPak Technologies is based in Lahore, Pakistan, and delivers TekkChat remotely for teams in Pakistan, the USA, the UK, the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
The basics
What a WhatsApp shared inbox is, and what WhatsApp alone does not do
WhatsApp moves messages between your business and a customer. It does not decide who replies, what happens when that person is on leave, or where the history lives when a conversation changes hands. Those are inbox decisions, and they are the reason teams outgrow a single phone.
One number, many agents
Customers keep messaging the same business number. Each agent signs in with their own account, so replies are attributable and access can be removed cleanly when someone leaves.
Ownership instead of a shared phone
Every conversation has an owner. Assignment can be manual, by team, or by routing rules agreed during setup, so an enquiry cannot sit unread on a device nobody checked.
History that survives handover
Notes, earlier replies and customer context stay with the conversation, so the next agent starts informed instead of asking the customer to repeat the story.
WhatsApp Business app or WhatsApp Business Platform? A shared team inbox normally connects through the WhatsApp Business Platform. Some eligible businesses may also use Meta’s coexistence option to retain supported WhatsApp Business app access on the same number. Eligibility, limitations and the safest migration route should therefore be checked before changing the live number.
The daily problem
Where a shared WhatsApp number usually breaks down
Most teams do not move to a shared inbox because of a feature list. They move because a single phone has become a bottleneck that customers can feel, and nobody can measure it.
Two people answer the same customer
Without an owner, two agents can reply to one enquiry with different answers, and neither knows the other has already responded.
Enquiries go quiet
A number that lives on one desk stops working at lunch, at the end of the day, and whenever that person is on leave.
Handover happens by screenshot
When a conversation moves to a colleague, the context is forwarded as a screenshot or a voice note, and the customer repeats the story to the next person.
Nobody can see the queue
Managers cannot tell how many conversations are waiting, who is carrying them, or where response times slip during the week.
How it works
From first message to a conversation someone owns
The flow below is the common configuration for a sales or support team. Routing detail, business hours and assignment policy are agreed during setup rather than assumed.
The customer messages your number
They use the WhatsApp they already have. Nothing changes on their side, and the business number stays the one they saved.
The conversation enters a shared queue
Instead of landing on one handset, the thread appears in the team inbox with the customer’s number, previous history and any earlier conversations.
Routing assigns it to a team or agent
Enquiries can be routed by team, by a rule agreed for your business, or manually by a supervisor. The owner is visible to everyone working the queue.
The agent works with context
Saved replies cover the questions you answer every day, internal notes record what the customer must not see, and the history sits beside the reply box.
Handover keeps the thread together
When a conversation moves to a colleague or another department, ownership changes on the same thread, so the customer is not asked to start again.
Follow-up and review
Workload and response patterns can be reviewed through the reporting included in your deployment, instead of being estimated from memory.
Example
One enquiry, three agents, no repetition
An illustrative business-to-business purchase enquiry. The point is not the product. It is what each person can see at the moment they take over.
Customer · 09:14Do you have the 24-port managed switch in stock? We need six units delivered to Clifton this week.
Sara · Sales · 09:16Yes, six units are available. I am sending the quote now. Is this for a project or for stock?
Customer · 09:22Project. Delivery to Clifton, invoice to the company.
Internal note · Sara to Bilal · 09:31Taking over delivery and invoicing. Quote sent at 09:20. Please confirm the purchase order before dispatch.
Illustrative example only. Assignment, internal notes and routing behaviour depend on how your inbox is configured.
Before you start
What has to be in place before a number goes live
Part of this list is Meta’s requirement, part is your business decision, and part is configuration inside the inbox. Mixing the three up is the most common reason a WhatsApp project stalls after the demo.
A Meta business portfolio and WhatsApp Business Account
The number has to belong to a WhatsApp Business Account under your business portfolio. That account owns the number, the message templates and the messaging limits.
A verified business number and a planned connection route
The number must be controlled by your business and complete Meta’s onboarding checks. Depending on account eligibility, the project may use migration, a new number or supported coexistence with the WhatsApp Business app. TekkPak confirms the route before any live cutover.
Display name review
The name customers see is submitted to Meta and can be approved, declined or left pending. Choose a name that matches the business rather than a campaign, and allow time for review.
Business verification, quality and messaging capacity
Meta applies account, quality and messaging controls that can vary by business history and portfolio status. Verification and consistently compliant messaging help establish trust, but current limits should be confirmed inside Meta Business Manager rather than assumed from an older published figure.
Opt-in you can evidence
WhatsApp requires opt-in before you message someone. Record how and when each contact agreed, and honour opt-outs when they arrive.
Templates for business-initiated messages
Outside the 24-hour customer service window, only pre-approved templates can be sent. Decide which confirmations, reminders and updates your team will need.
An agreement on who owns what
Which team owns sales enquiries, who covers after hours, and who may reassign work. The inbox can enforce a structure. It cannot invent one.
A budget for Meta’s message charges
Meta’s charging model is based on delivered messages, message category, recipient market and the rules in force at the time. These charges can change and remain separate from TekkChat implementation, subscription and optional integration work.
Keep the budgets separate. TekkChat implementation and subscription are quoted by TekkPak. WhatsApp messaging charges follow Meta’s current rate card and the billing arrangement used for your WhatsApp Business Account. Current charges should be checked again during scoping.
Rollout
How the rollout usually runs
TekkPak implements the inbox. The sequence below is the working pattern, not a fixed timetable, because eligibility checks and Meta reviews sit outside anyone’s control.
Review how WhatsApp is used today
Which number customers message, who answers it, which questions repeat, and what happens outside working hours.
Confirm the connection route
Check that the number and business account are eligible, and agree how the inbox will connect before anyone commits to a launch date.
Configure teams, assignment and replies
Set up agents, teams, routing rules, saved replies and the notes your team will actually use in a shift.
Pilot with a small group, then expand
Start with one queue and a handful of agents, fix what the pilot exposes, then add channels or automation.
Scope
What is standard, what is configured, and what comes from Meta
TekkChat is not a single switch. The list below separates what the product does by default from what depends on your setup, so expectations are clear before implementation begins.
Standard in TekkChat
Shared inbox, individual agent access, conversation assignment, internal notes, saved replies, conversation history and the reporting included in your deployment.
Configured for your team
Teams, routing rules, business hours, assignment policy, saved reply libraries and the labels your team uses to organize work.
Optional automation
AI assistance and chatbot flows are separate building blocks. They are scoped per deployment and are not part of every plan.
Integrations
CRM and business-system connections are agreed per project. They depend on the systems involved, their APIs and the data you want to exchange.
Meta-side requirements
Business account eligibility, display name approval, template approvals, quality rating and messaging limits are controlled by Meta, not by TekkChat.
Outside the scope
Telecom contracts, phone hardware, WhatsApp message charges and any third-party subscription remain your own arrangements.
Write it down. If a requirement is not confirmed in the scoping document, treat it as out of scope for the first phase.
Connected automation
A shared inbox becomes more valuable when conversations connect to business workflows
Start by making ownership and handover reliable. Then connect qualified enquiries, support requests and follow-up actions to the systems that already run your business.
Questions
Questions teams ask before moving WhatsApp into a shared inbox
Can several agents use one WhatsApp number at the same time?
Yes, when the number is connected through the WhatsApp Business Platform to an inbox such as TekkChat. Each agent works from their own account, and the customer still sees one business number. The WhatsApp Business app on its own does not provide shared assignment or a team history.
Do agents need their own WhatsApp account or phone?
No. Agents use the inbox rather than the WhatsApp app, so they need a login with the permissions you assign rather than a SIM card each.
Can we keep our existing WhatsApp number?
Often, yes. The correct route depends on the number’s present setup, the WhatsApp Business Account and whether Meta makes coexistence available for that account. TekkPak checks eligibility first, then plans migration, coexistence or a new number without promising an unsupported same-day cutover.
What happens after the 24-hour window closes?
Free-form replies are allowed while the customer service window is open, and each new customer message resets it to 24 hours. After it closes, only pre-approved templates can be sent until the customer writes again.
Are Meta’s message charges included in the TekkChat price?
No. Meta’s WhatsApp charges are separate and can depend on message category, recipient market and the current rate card. TekkChat implementation, subscription and any optional integration are quoted separately by TekkPak.
Does TekkChat replace WhatsApp?
No. WhatsApp remains the channel and Meta remains the provider. TekkChat is the team workspace on top: assignment, internal notes, saved replies, history and reporting.
Can the inbox connect to our CRM or ERP?
It can be scoped. Integration depends on the system, its API and the records you want to exchange, so it is treated as a project decision with its own testing rather than a default switch.
Is this only for large teams?
No. The workflow matters most when more than one person answers customers, or when enquiries arrive outside the hours one person can cover.
Plan your team inbox
Turn one WhatsApp number into a properly managed customer workspace
Tell TekkPak how your sales or support team handles messages today. We will help you define ownership, routing, business hours, migration requirements and the right level of automation before implementation begins.