How Modalova Cut WhatsApp Response Time from 4 Hours to 8 Minutes

Modalova is a Jakarta-based online fashion store with more than 35,000 active customers. Before Orqestra, two customer service employees took turns managing WhatsApp Business from a single phone.

This is what changed after the team moved to a shared platform.

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The Problem

Nadia, one of Modalova's co-founders, described the situation honestly: "We basically hoped no messages would arrive while our staff were at lunch."

As the business grew, message volume surged—especially during sales or after an Instagram post went viral. One phone, two people, and hundreds of daily messages meant slow replies. Some customers received no response at all.

The team documented three concrete problems:

• Average first response time: 4 hours 12 minutes
• Estimated unanswered messages each week: more than 60
• No management visibility—Nadia often learned that a question had been missed only after a customer complained on social media

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What Modalova Changed

Modalova joined Orqestra in early 2024. The onboarding process was quick: its WhatsApp number was connected in one session, and the full four-person team could access the inbox that same day.

During the first two weeks, the team focused on three changes:

A welcome flow with automated FAQs. Nadia identified seven questions that appeared every day: shipping status, returns, product sizing, cash on delivery, delivery times, payment methods, and stock confirmation. The flow answered each one automatically and offered access to an agent for more specific questions.

Round-robin assignment. Conversations were distributed evenly across four agents so one person was never overloaded while another waited for work.

Scheduled shifts. Two agents worked mornings and two worked afternoons. Outside business hours, a flow acknowledged each message and set an expectation for a response during the next shift.

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The Results

After the first 30 days:

• Average first response time fell from 4 hours 12 minutes to 8 minutes
• About 64% of incoming questions were resolved by automated flows without an agent
• No messages went unanswered during business hours
• Agents could focus on conversations that needed a person, including complaints, price negotiations, and custom requests

"The biggest difference is the visibility," Nadia said. "I can open the dashboard at any time and see exactly how many conversations are active, who is handling each one, and our average response time. We had none of that information before."

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What Came Next

After three months, Modalova began using Broadcast for monthly campaigns to active customers. Its first broadcast—announcing a new collection with a catalog link—went to 8,400 contacts and achieved an 87% read rate.

The team also began experimenting with more advanced flows, including an order-status flow connected directly to its store management system. Customers could then receive real-time updates without contacting an agent.