Balaroti , one of the largest regional chains of construction materials and home centers in Brazil, with a strong presence in Paraná and Santa Catarina, recorded a 25% increase in physical sales conversion after implementing a WhatsApp customer service solution with artificial intelligence from OmniChat , a leading chat commerce platform and WhatsApp Business Solution Provider (BSP). Although its physical stores are concentrated in the South, Balaroti delivers throughout Brazil via e-commerce, expanding the brand's reach beyond its regional base.
The technology implementation occurred gradually, with special attention to channel integration. “E-commerce functions as a showcase and source of information, while WhatsApp serves as a bridge for consultative service, often directing a visit to the physical store to close the sale. This omnichannel strategy was fundamental in overcoming the initial resistance from salespeople, who saw digital as a competitor,” says Mauricio Eduardo Grabowski, e-commerce and marketplace manager at Balaroti, who recently participated in the second episode of Omnicast, OmniChat's podcast. “Today, they recognize the channel as essential for meeting targets, especially in stores with lower in-store traffic. We promote the channel on social media, our website, and through banners with QR codes in the stores themselves.”
Consultative customer service is essential in the construction materials sector, where clients frequently seek technical guidance before making a purchase. WhatsApp, initially used informally by salespeople, was structured as an official channel, integrating CRM, ERP, and the digital catalog, for both online and physical store sales. With 600 salespeople also available for digital support, the company managed to transform WhatsApp into a strategic relationship and sales channel, complementarily integrating the online and offline experiences. Approximately 20% of conversations initiated through the app result in sales in physical stores within 30 days.
The automation of customer service was another significant advancement. Currently, 30% of daytime customer service interactions are handled by Whizz, OmniChat's autonomous sales agent, which uses generative artificial intelligence resources, while at night this number reaches 100%. "AI allows us to scale customer service without losing quality. In some technical aspects, such as material calculations, the technology already surpasses human performance in speed and accuracy," explains the executive.
To strengthen customer relationships, Balaroti implemented a "card-based" system—after the second contact, consumers are always directed to the same salesperson. This strategy increases trust and improves the shopping experience. In addition, the company also integrated automatic notifications about status via WhatsApp, significantly reducing logistics costs and problems with receiving deliveries.
Promotional campaigns via WhatsApp, segmented by CRM, are showing significant results. "Every real invested in WhatsApp campaigns generates 15 reais in sales, a ROAS much higher than that of traditional e-commerce, which usually hovers around 1 to 1.5%," he emphasizes.
“Our work with Balaroti demonstrates how WhatsApp has evolved from a communication channel into a complete sales and relationship platform,” says Mauricio Trezub, CEO of OmniChat. “With the integration of artificial intelligence and e-commerce platforms, we were able to create a seamless customer experience and impressive results, proving that intelligent automation is the way to scale customer service without losing the human touch.”
Among the next steps in the partnership is expanding the use of AI to further optimize customer service, while maintaining a balance between automation and human contact. “Our vision is that technology should support and enhance the work of salespeople, not replace it. We want to use AI to handle simpler, more routine issues, freeing up our team for more complex and strategic interactions,” concludes Grabowski of Balaroti.
