❯ Question and answer
How can I reactivate inactive customers using AI?
Find who stopped buying, group them by profile and send each group a message written for it, on the channel they already used with you, with their consent. AI does the segmenting and personalizing at scale. That is what Notkode built in Ativa Clientes, a win-back SaaS that has generated more than R$ 40k in revenue.
Updated on
What are the numbers, with sources?
- Acquiring a new customer is 5 to 25 times more expensive than retaining an existing one, and raising retention by 5% increases profits by 25% to 95%, according to Bain research cited by Harvard Business Review in October 2014. (Source: Harvard Business Review, The Value of Keeping the Right Customers)
- On WhatsApp Business, outside the 24-hour window since the customer’s last message, a business can only send pre-approved template messages. (Source: Meta, WhatsApp Cloud API)
- Since July 1, 2025, Meta charges for every marketing template message sent on WhatsApp. (Source: Meta, WhatsApp Business pricing)
- Meta requires businesses to clearly state that a person is opting in to receive messages from them on WhatsApp, and to comply with applicable law. (Source: Meta, getting opt-in for WhatsApp)
How do I know who counts as inactive?
Pick a time window that fits your buying cycle and match it against sales history. Someone who bought every month and has been gone for 3 months is inactive; someone who buys once a year is not yet.
Where does AI help in a win-back campaign?
In three places, once the customer base is clean:
- Segmenting: grouping inactive customers by profile, ticket size and what they used to buy.
- Personalizing: writing each group’s message with the right product and tone.
- Replying: answering those who write back and handing buyers to the team.
What do privacy law and WhatsApp require?
A legal basis for using the data (consent or legitimate interest, under laws such as Brazil’s LGPD) and a clear opt-in to receive the company’s WhatsApp messages. Outside the 24-hour window, only Meta-approved templates, and every marketing message is charged.
Common mistakes
- Sending the same message to the whole base, so people who bought different products get an offer that makes no sense to them.
- Messaging people who never opted in on WhatsApp, which lowers the number’s quality rating.
- Offering no way to leave the list, which privacy law requires.
- Measuring reply rate only, instead of revenue from customers who came back.
What has Notkode built for win-back?
Notkode built Ativa Clientes, a B2B SaaS that identifies inactive customers, segments them by profile and triggers personalized AI automations to win them back. It uses OpenAI and Gemini and has generated more than R$ 40k in revenue.
Frequently asked questions
Can I message any former customer on WhatsApp?
No. The person must have opted in to receive your messages, and outside the 24-hour window only Meta-approved templates are allowed.
Email or WhatsApp for win-back?
The channel the customer already used with you. Every WhatsApp marketing message is charged; email costs less, with a lower read rate.
Does the AI write the messages on its own?
It drafts them from each group’s profile, but the company sets the tone, the offer and the limits, and reviews them before sending.
How long does it take to build a win-back automation?
At Notkode, an automation is ready in 2 to 3 weeks on a normal timeline and within 1 week when urgent.
Last verified on