Soon, you will be able to chat or get useful information or connect with businesses that are important to you, right from your WhatsApp. After various rumours and leaks of WhatsApp building a business friendly edition of the messaging platform, we now have an official confirmation from the company itself. The Facebook owned messaging platform is currently testing a free WhatsApp Business app for small-scale companies. You would have already come across some business accounts like BookMyShow, who are active in WhatsApp with the new verified business account.
Larger companies operating at a large scale with a global base of customers may need to get an enterprise solution of the business app. This may include enterprises like global airlines, banks and e-commerce sites. This also opens up a monetization opportunity for the messaging app, which still now a free platform from ads or subscription. WhatsApp may start charging big enterprises to use its business specific tools. Like, multiple staffs of a company managing an account, sending the bulk of messages, automated transaction messages etc.
“Our approach is simple – we want to apply what we’ve learned helping people connect with each other to helping people connect with businesses that are important to them” as per a blog post from WhatsApp.
Currently, there are businesses who use WhatsApp to stay in touch with hundreds of customers from a single smartphone. Also, people who are unsure about whether or not a business on WhatsApp is authentic. With the new WhatsApp for Business, the messaging platform wants to solve this issues. Businesses can have an official presence on WhatsApp with a verified profile. This allows you to easily communicate with the businesses you want to reach on WhatsApp. Businesses, on the other hand, will able to easily respond to customers message.
Businesses on WhatsApp can use new tools to better communicate with their customers. They will be able to provide customers with useful notifications like flight times, delivery confirmations, and other updates. For example, if you have added BookMyShow in your WhatsApp, then when you book a movie ticket, the ticket information will be sent directly to your WhatsApp.
WhatsApp has already started testing new Business tools and verifying accounts for Business through a closed pilot program. You can easily identify a business account on WhatsApp with a green tick badge next to the business contact’s name. All conversations with the business are end-to-end encrypted, just like your normal chat. You can even block the business from further messaging you. Most probably, to get a conversion started with a business, users need to contact and add the business first. This allows business to respond back or message you with relevant information.