WhatsApp is no longer just a tool for connecting with friends or family. With changing customer dynamics and the increasing use of chat and other direct marketing channels to communicate with customers, WhatsApp has become an asset for businesses. With WhatsApp Business automation, companies can streamline their marketing outreach and provide stellar customer support, using the power of automated chat to their advantage.
With more than 2 billion users in 180+ countries, WhatsApp is a popular choice for sending instant messages and voice calling. This is an excellent option for businesses to connect directly with their customers and provide timely updates. According to Facebook IQ, 53% of users would buy from a company offering customer service via chat on Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp. Since many users are already familiar with its interface, it not only helps businesses reach their audience, but with the help of WhatsApp APIs, chatbots, and other automation tools simplifies the entire process.
Keep reading to learn what WhatsApp Business automation is and how it can be used for your business needs.
To understand how WhatsApp Business automation works, we first need to understand what an automated message can do. WhatsApp automated messages use AI chatbots to reply to the user and provide information based on the keyword or instruction in the message. The replies are sent out instantly and do not need a dedicated human resource, making it easy for your customers to get immediate responses to their queries.
In addition, the bot can be programmed to share resources and FAQs or even raise tickets in case the customer query is not addressed, making the entire customer experience seamless and efficient.
WhatsApp Business automation is essentially two specialized services: the WhatsApp Business app and WhatsApp API. In the WhatsApp Business app, a company can set up its unique profile with basic automation features.
The WhatsApp Business API, on the other hand, is packed with advanced messaging automation capabilities and can be integrated with WhatsApp bots to make the customer experience more streamlined.
Some of the best examples of WhatsApp Business automation are for specific workflows, such as:
You can automate the first interaction with your customer and trigger an instant response whenever they reach out with a query. This helps the customer feel heard, and you can also provide specific choices for the customer to take the conversation ahead.
WhatsApp bots can be easily set up as your 24/7 online reception desk, enabling customers to get all the information they need. The bot can provide a product catalog, offer assistance on customer issues, and facilitate instant check-out to ensure that the customers get a seamless experience.
Customers are always curious about their shipment details when placing orders and often get anxious due to the wait time. But notifications need not only be specific to shipment or order tracking.
For example, for B2B SaaS companies, business notifications can help the customer confirm they have successfully purchased or upgraded to a particular plan. In addition, WhatsApp Business automation can be set up to provide timely information to the customers, which also helps them since they have the information handy whenever they need it.
When customers are provided with instant responses and timely updates to their specific requests, they are less likely to raise a complaint and, in many instances, want to resolve the issue quickly. Therefore, businesses with product brochures, guides, how-to, FAQs, and related materials have a substantial advantage, as they can offer customers instant resolutions to their issues.
Not only does this ensure a better customer experience, but it also significantly lowers the pressure on your customer service teams, as only those customers who are unable to get an answer to their question will raise tickets.
Before you get started with automation, it is essential to apply with the WhatsApp Business API with BSPs to get started.
Wondering why you should be spending time and effort on WhatsApp Business automation? Some of the significant benefits you can gain are:
In today's fast-paced world, 75% of consumers expect a resolution to their query within 24 hours, and most will not even wait that long. So it is ideal to have 24/7 chat support enabling the customer to get a quick response, and in case the issue is not resolved, it can help set up a call with an agent. This ensures that customers are satisfied and get timely support in times of need.
Since WhatsApp automation helps answer common questions and queries, your customer service team can focus on urgent matters or cases that need human intervention. This helps make the entire process seamless and efficient.
About 56% of customers are willing to pay a premium price if the brand provides outstanding customer support. In addition, if you have good customer service interaction, 94% of customers are more likely to repurchase from the brand than go to a competitor. So indirectly, WhatsApp Business automation has improved customer satisfaction, retention, and conversion rates.
WhatsApp Business automation offers businesses the opportunity to connect with their customers, provide timely updates and ensure that they get quick responses when the need arises. While the examples and use cases mentioned here can be used as a starting point, there is much more you can explore depending on your business requirements and objective.
In a constantly evolving world, WhatsApp Business automation offers a fantastic opportunity for businesses to tap into and ensure that their customers and prospects get the attention they need. If you are looking for ways to automate and scale up your customer experience, book your demo with Vizury today.