The restaurant brand turned an everyday friction—switching apps to buy—into a business opportunity. With Kobito, the assistant built together with Jelou, customers get recommendations, place orders and pay from the chat.
The problem wasn't the craving, but the steps to buy
KOBE found its consumers in the same place where they already talked with friends, family and businesses: WhatsApp. But when it came time to order, obstacles appeared. Entering details, opening another app or leaving the chat to pay added steps to the experience.
The team reviewed its conversion funnel with a specific question: which friction needed to be removed? The answer guided the development of a purchase channel that brought the conversation closer to the transaction.
An assistant that helps customers choose and buy
Kobito, built by KOBE and Jelou, guides the customer with artificial intelligence during the order. It understands text and voice requests, recommends products and lets customers move on to payment inside WhatsApp.
If someone is looking for a meal to share or a dish with salmon, they get menu suggestions based on their intent. They can also check restaurant locations and opening hours. That way, the experience responds to what the consumer needs at every moment.
The channel is also integrated with coupons, discounts and promotions. For KOBE, this connects customer service with its commercial strategy and makes it possible to offer differentiated deals to its customers.
WhatsApp gains ground among its own channels
The results reported by Mauricio Delgado, head of Business Intelligence and Digital Channels at KOBE, show the weight the experience has gained: WhatsApp with Jelou accounts for 45% of its own channels.
The brand keeps the app, the website and the restaurant as purchase options. The goal is for each consumer to choose the channel that is most convenient for them, with a conversational alternative able to accompany them until they complete their order.
The experience, in KOBE's words
“Jelou allowed us to increase our transactions by 28%.”
