Project Overview
This project focused on enhancing customer experience and operational efficiency by integrating AI and automation tools into a CBD eCommerce business. The implementation centered around automating customer service, streamlining sales reporting, and introducing a Point-of-Sale (POS) inventory system compatible with both online and offline retail channels
Objectives
- Deploy AI-powered customer service on Instagram and Facebook Messenger.
- Automate the flow of WooCommerce order data into Google Sheets using Make.com.
- Report real-time sales and inventory data in Looker Studio dashboards.
- Implement Square POS to unify inventory tracking across online and offline sales.
- Maintain regulatory compliance and ensure a discreet, customer-friendly experience.
Scope of Work
In-Scope:
- Integration of ManyChat AI chatbot (Step AI) for Instagram and Facebook Messenger.
- Setup of Square POS for in-store sales and inventory synchronization.
- Make.com automation to transfer WooCommerce order data to Google Sheets.
- Dashboard creation in Looker Studio for unified sales and inventory insights.
- Mapping automation flows between WooCommerce, Square, Sheets, and Looker.
Out of Scope:
- Physical device setup for POS hardware.
- Custom code development outside of supported APIs.
- SMS-based communication for customer service (future phase).
Implementation Summary
1. ManyChat AI Integration (Customer Service)
- Channels: Instagram DM & Facebook Messenger
- Platform: ManyChat with Step AI plugin
- Functions Covered:
- Order tracking
- FAQs and product education
- Returns & refund instructions
- Subscription & refill reminders
- Fallback: Escalation to human support for complex queries
- Compliance: Automated disclaimers for age, health, and legal notices
2. Square POS System (Inventory & Retail Integration)
- Purpose: Centralized inventory management across online WooCommerce store and physical retail (pop-up booths or dispensary partners).
- Capabilities:
- Real-time stock updates
- Barcode scanning & SKU assignment
- Seamless reconciliation of online/offline orders
- Benefits:
- Prevents overselling or stockouts
- Simplifies inventory audits
- Sales data can be synced to Google Sheets via Square’s export or API
3. WooCommerce + Make.com + Looker Studio (Sales Analytics Automation)
- Workflow:
- New orders in WooCommerce trigger a scenario in Make.com
- Data (order ID, date, total, customer info, items) is pushed to Google Sheets
- Google Sheets serves as a source for Looker Studio dashboards
- Reports Generated:
- Daily, weekly, and monthly revenue
- Product performance and trends
- Channel-based breakdown (WooCommerce vs. Square POS)
Tools & Platforms Used
Tool/Platform | Function |
ManyChat + Step AI | Customer service automation via Messenger/Instagram |
WooCommerce | Core eCommerce system |
Square POS | Inventory management and retail sales |
Make.com | Workflow automation & data transfer |
Google Sheets | Intermediate data hub |
Looker Studio | Business intelligence & reporting |
Challenges & Solutions
Challenge | Solution |
Integration latency between WooCommerce and Square | Used Make.com’s scheduling buffers and sync frequency controls |
Limited CBD advertising tools in chatbot flows | Created compliant AI responses with clear disclaimers |
Unified reporting from multiple platforms | Centralized all sales data in Sheets before feeding into Looker Studio |
Implementation
ManyChat AI Workflow
Make.com Integration
Sample Google Sheets for Inventory Tracking
Outcomes (First 30 Days Post-Implementation)
- 80% of customer inquiries handled via AI bot without human support
- 100% inventory sync success rate between WooCommerce and Square POS
- Real-time reporting dashboard updates with <2-minute latency
- 40% reduction in manual order reconciliation time
- Positive customer feedback on 24/7 bot availability
Next Steps & Recommendations
- Integrate customer purchase behavior data into email marketing CRM
- Add SMS notifications for order confirmation and shipping updates
- Begin training internal team on customizing automation scenarios
- Review quarterly sales data to refine Looker dashboards