WhatsApp for Business
By Debbie Gregory.
WhatsApp Messenger is a freeware and cross-platform messaging and Voice over IP service owned by Facebook. The application allows the sending of text messages and voice calls, as well as video calls, images and other media, documents, and user location.
Now the company is launching a programming kit that makes it easy for businesses to use WhatsApp messaging for info and support.
WhatsApp Business was built with the small business owner in mind. With the app, businesses can interact with customers easily by using tools to automate, sort, and quickly respond to messages. Businesses can provide customers helpful information such as the business address, description, email address, and website. Different chats can be labeled for organization, such as new customers, returning customers or orders completed.
Small business owners are also able to set away messages and create quick replies to frequently asked questions. And just like the normal WhatsApp, conversations are always encrypted, and businesses can be blocked just like individual contacts.
For medium and large businesses, the WhatsApp Business API powers your communication with customers all over the world, so you can connect with them on WhatsApp in a simple, secure, and reliable way.
The company is both charging WhatsApp Business kit users a “fixed rate” for notifications (like those passes and confirmations) and, crucially, charging them if they don’t respond to customers within 24 hours. This ensures that businesses will have a strong motivation to respond quickly to questions.
The platform is primarily suited for businesses with a very familiar or regular customer base. If you are located in a touristy area with few regular customers, for example, the app may not be the best for you. After all, the main goal should be to deepen bonds with your customers and develop brand loyalty, which is extremely difficult to do over a short period of time. However, you can still utilize the app to communicate with customers and give them more information about your business. They may return to the area or recommend you to friends who visit in the future.
WhatsApp has been testing the framework for the business application with over 90 larger companies, including Uber, Singapore Airlines and Wish.
If you’re using WhatsApp for your business, please let us know what you think.
