Outline
Many outbound programmes plateau after a maximum number of call attempts, leaving a large portion of eligible customers unreached. In this programme, the client’s traditional approach reached around 55% of the audience — leaving ~45% unreached and the booking opportunity unrealised.
ATM Group proposed an alternative engagement strategy using WhatsApp as a customer‑preferred channel, supported by an AI‑powered bot and an automated journey that could scale safely while maintaining controls. The programme re‑engaged previously unreachable customers and converted interactions into completed bookings.
Key results
- 10,500 customers contacted; 4,800 engaged.
- 95,000 total interactions.
- 1,100 bookings generated; 950 bookings completed.
- Estimated £330,000 incremental revenue (based on an assumed average spend of £350 per customer).
At a glance
| Client | Optician / eye‑care retail brand (anonymous) |
| Programme type | Proactive outreach to recover unreachable customers |
| Channel strategy | WhatsApp message journey + AI bot, with human escalation where needed |
| Primary objective | Increase reach and bookings beyond phone-only outbound limits |
| Core capabilities | Digital DX + Growth RX + Connected CX |
| Primary problems solved | Low outbound reach; missed booking opportunity; scalable engagement; measurable conversion via a customer‑preferred channel |
The challenge
Outbound calling can stall when customers screen calls, ignore unknown numbers, or are unavailable during working hours. When a programme stops after maximum attempts, a significant segment remains unreached — even when they are eligible and likely to convert.
The client needed a channel customers would actually engage with, and a way to scale conversations without inflating cost‑to‑serve.
What success looked like
- Increase reach and re‑engage the previously unreachable segment.
- Deliver a customer‑friendly journey that drives bookings.
- Operate with brand and customer protection controls (opt‑out, message cadence, escalation).
- Track performance end‑to‑end (reach → engagement → booking → completion).
What ATM Group did
1) Designed a customer‑preferred messaging journey
- Selected WhatsApp as a high‑propensity engagement channel for the unreached segment.
- Designed a short, helpful journey that guides customers toward booking in minimal steps.
2) Deployed an AI‑powered WhatsApp bot with safe escalation
- Implemented an AI‑powered bot to handle high volumes of interactions consistently.
- Introduced automation to support FAQs, eligibility, and booking prompts (journey‑dependent).
- Enabled escalation to a human advisor for exceptions and complex needs.
3) Measured the journey from contact to completed booking
- Tracked contacted customers, engaged customers, interaction volumes, bookings generated, and bookings completed.
- Used reporting to identify drop‑offs and optimise journey steps.
Governance
- Controlled message templates and tone to protect the brand experience.
- Customer protection controls including opt‑out handling and escalation paths.
- Ongoing monitoring of interaction patterns and conversion performance for continuous improvement.
Results
Adding a customer‑preferred messaging channel recovered a segment that phone-only outbound could not reach, creating measurable incremental bookings.
| Outcome | Result |
| Customers contacted | 10,500 |
| Customers engaged | 4,800 |
| Total interactions | 95,000 |
| Bookings generated | 1,100 |
| Bookings completed | 950 |
| Estimated incremental revenue | £330,000 (assumes £350 average spend per customer) |
Why ATM Group
- Channel innovation with measurable outcomes: recover unreachable segments with customer‑preferred channels.
- Automation with controls: AI/bot journeys designed to scale while protecting customer experience.
- Operational delivery + optimisation: we run the programme and continuously improve it using evidence.
- Clear measurement: visibility from first contact through to completed booking.
Where this approach is a strong fit
- Your outbound contact rate stalls and you need to reach the remaining customers cost‑effectively.
- You want to use WhatsApp or messaging to drive bookings and reduce missed opportunity.
- You need an AI‑assisted bot journey that escalates to humans safely.
- You need clear measurement and attribution for performance.
Next step
If you’re losing value because your outbound programmes can’t reach enough customers, ATM Group can design a controlled messaging journey that improves reach and conversion — with clear measurement and optimisation.
ATM Group — Smarter tech. Real people. Better outcomes.
