Example
The workshop manager receives "Is my car ready yet?" right away and replies "You can pick it up at 4 pm". The customer gets this from the business number.
What changes
- The front desk is no longer the bottleneck.
- Mechanics answer from their own phone, without seeing every chat.
- Customers keep one number for everything.
Typical WhatsApp messages at a garage
Garage customers mostly ask short questions, and the answer is usually in the workshop rather than at the front desk. These are common messages and who usually knows the answer.
Front desk or workshop: one coworker per customer
Each customer conversation goes to one coworker at a time; on Pro or Pro+ new customers are offered to all your coworkers. Many garages choose the workshop manager during working hours, because most questions are about cars that are already in. When the workshop manager is off, switch the coworker in the dashboard to the front desk or the owner. After closing time, use Pause: messages wait until you switch forwarding back on. If several service advisors must see and answer the same chats, a team inbox fits better. If you mainly want to tell customers your opening hours, the free away message in WhatsApp Business may be enough.
Customer numbers, apprentices and the next service
By default the mechanic sees "Customer 1", "Customer 2" instead of phone numbers, so customer numbers do not end up on the private phones of apprentices or temporary staff. Photos, voice notes and documents still come along, so the mechanic sees the warning light or hears the noise. The customer keeps one number for the pickup, the invoice and the next MOT or service. For body work and damage photos, see WhatsApp forwarding for auto body shops. For your privacy notice, see WhatsApp Business and the GDPR.
How it works, in 3 steps
- Create an account at app.in-between.tech with your email address and a password. No card needed.
- Connect WhatsApp: scan the QR code or enter the pairing code, exactly like WhatsApp Web. Your phone keeps working as normal.
- Enter your coworker's number. From then on every customer message reaches your coworker. When they reply, the answer goes back to the customer from your business number.
Photos, locations, voice notes and documents come along. With Pause you stop forwarding temporarily, for example in the evening. Messages wait until you switch it back on.
Forward customer messages automatically. Replies go back from your number.
Try free for 30 days| Customer message | Who usually knows the answer | What helps |
|---|---|---|
| "Is my car ready yet?" | Workshop manager | Only the workshop knows whether the job is finished. |
| Photo of a warning light on the dashboard | Mechanic or service advisor | The light shows whether the car can still be driven to the garage. |
| Voice note about a strange noise when braking | Mechanic | A sound is easier to judge than a typed description. |
| "Can I book my MOT or service next week?" | Front desk or planner | A booking needs a free slot in the workshop schedule. |
| "Yes, go ahead and replace the brake pads" | Mechanic working on the car | The job continues without waiting for a phone call. |
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a new WhatsApp number?
No. You connect your existing WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business number, the same way you would connect WhatsApp Web. Customers keep messaging the number they already know.
Can my coworker see customer phone numbers?
Not by default. Your coworker sees "Customer 1", "Customer 2" and so on. You can choose to show numbers in the dashboard.
How much does it cost?
New accounts get 30 days of Pro+ free without a card. After that you can stay on free Basic (25 customer messages per month), or choose Pro at €87 per month (2,000 messages) or Pro+ at €142 per month (unlimited). Cancel monthly.
Can the front desk and the workshop receive the same message?
Only the offer of a new customer goes to all coworkers. Once one answers Yes, that customer's messages go only to that coworker. You can switch a customer in the dashboard, for example when the workshop manager is off. If several people must answer the same chats, a team inbox is the better fit.
Does InBetween connect to my garage management software?
No. InBetween only forwards WhatsApp customer messages to one coworker and sends the reply back from your business number. Bookings and job cards stay in your own system.