Did you know that WhatsApp has more than 2 billion monthly active users and that the average user opens the app up to 25 times a day? It’s no wonder that organisations are increasingly turning to WhatsApp Business Platform to help boost customer engagement and build long lasting relationships.
Here are some more reasons why you should be incorporating WhatsApp Business Platform into your customer communications strategy.
5 benefits of WhatsApp Business Platform
- Natural conversations on a familiar platform
- Richer interactions
- Faster, higher quality conversations
- Improved resource allocation and internal efficiency
- Faster engagements
- Omnichannel customer communication strategy
1. Natural conversations on a familiar platform
WhatsApp is the world’s most popular messaging app, thanks to its ability to not only send messages but also send media (images, videos, voice notes, GIFs etc) for free. And that is exactly why businesses should be using this channel. Your customers are already using it to connect with their friends and family. So, why not allow them to connect with their favourite brands too?
Conversations are two-way and don’t time out, so unlike live chat, customers don’t have to worry about their chats disappearing. They can reply as and when it suits them – just like a conversation with a friend.
2. Richer, personalised interactions
Features like the ability to send images, GIFs, videos and interactive buttons (e.g. suggested/quick replies) via WhatsApp Business Platform allow you to ensure every interaction is engaging and memorable right from the start. This can enable you to have conversations that sound like the ones customers are already having with friends, helping you to build stronger relationships.
It also gives you a chance to show off your brand personality and deliver a positive experience that your customers will remember.
3. Faster, higher quality conversations
Once users have opted in to receive communications via WhatsApp from you, you can create message templates which make sending messages faster and easier. To prevent users from being spammed, Meta has strict policies to maintain content quality. So, with their built-in user feedback controls so you can monitor engagement and ensure it stays high.
There are three quality states – high, medium and low – and they are determined by how the messages have been received by your recipients over the last seven days. Use this knowledge to continuously improve your message content.
Read more about quality ratings and tier rates in WhatsApp Business Platform here.
4. Improved resource allocation and internal efficiency
Use WhatsApp for customer service and improve internal efficiency. For example, simultaneously manage multiple conversations from within the Esendex platform. Various users can be attached to an account to reduce customer queues, allow for speedy response rates and reduce inbound calls and emails, freeing your teams up to focus on higher value tasks.
If you’re finding customers are asking similar questions, why not set up automated responses via WhatsApp Business Platform? This can help point customers in the right direction and give your team more time to spend on the queries that require a human touch (for example, bespoke pricing quotes).
5. Omnichannel customer communication strategy
According to PwC’s The Future of CX report, nearly half (42%) of all customers globally would pay more for greater convenience. That includes being able to speak to businesses via the channel of their choice.
At Esendex, we can help ensure your WhatsApp Business Platform is seamlessly integrated with your existing comms channels (e.g. SMS, email etc). So not only can customers choose their preferred channel to connect with you, but even if they start on one channel and decide to continue on another, their experience remains the same.
WhatsApp Business Platform can help you boost customer engagement and form stronger relationships
Whether customers are trying to reach you or vice versa, using the world’s most popular messaging app makes sense if you want to connect with customers – fast. So, when you use WhatsApp to communicate with your customers, you’re meeting them where they already are. Connecting with customers can become much faster and more convenient which can help you boost loyalty and retention.
Are you ready to get started with WhatsApp Business Platform? Or perhaps you’re already on your WhatsApp Business journey and are wanting to get more out of your channel investment.
In our guide to WhatsApp Business Platform, we cover everything you need to know to get started. From benefits to best practices, if you’re ready to dive deeper, click the button below.
Prachi Bametha
Marketing Coordinator, Esendex Australia