Are You Getting the Most Out of WhatsApp Commerce?

Are you a brand that is still using WhatsApp for customer support? With WhatsApp's recent feature updates, it's time to level up and use it to its truest potential. From handling customer support queries to processing transactions, WhatsApp has become the go to for brands.

With WhatsApp, you can engage with your customers on a personal level, resolve their queries and incentivize them to make a purchase. Brands need to be where customers are. In fact, a report found that 175 million people message a business on WhatsApp every day. And it's no surprise that 47% of marketers plan to increase their investment in WhatsApp in 2022.

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Benefits of Using WhatsApp as a Customer Support Channel

WhatsApp Business API allows brands to integrate with business systems to unify customer data and ensure a smooth customer experience. Using this as a part of your customer service strategy can have a major impact on your brand. It poses a lot of benefits, some of which can include:

✅Immediate and personal assistance

✅Real-time assistance

✅24/7 assistance

✅Secure conversation

WhatsApp for Customer Support

Customer service is a crucial part of any business. Whether a customer wants to file a complaint or book an appointment, WhatsApp can be an app proxy for your brand. Here are some use cases for customer support:

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#1: Order Status Alert

Isn’t it amazing when you can get order updates directly on your phone without having to download another app? WhatsApp acts as an app proxy and allows brands to reach directly on a 1:1 level. Brands can send order status notifications when a customer places an order or completes a transaction. You can also send notifications on shipping updates, delivery updates, and more.

#2: Appointment Reminders and Bookings

A great way to use WhatsApp is to send appointment reminders and also take bookings for future appointments. WhatsApp can be the center for sending and storing confirmation updates. You can also offer customer support in the event of cancellation, upgrade or modification requests.

For instance, Indigo Airlines uses WhatsApp to send booking details, boarding passes, and notifications.

#3: Feedback Alerts

Feedback is an important element for any business. In fact, 65% of all consumers find a positive experience with a brand to be more influential than great advertising. Good customer experience leaves people feeling heard and appreciated. And without feedback, a brand cannot provide an excellent customer experience.

WhatsApp is a useful resource to collect feedback from customers post-purchase. You can also conduct surveys to understand what your customers actually want from your brand. A complete analysis of your customer’s experience will allow your brand to improve and deliver an experience worth remembering.

#4: Resolve Queries

WhatsApp allows brands to be available 24/7. Hence, whenever they have a question they can directly ask the WhatsApp chatbot to get answers in real-time. Using WhatsApp’s rich media features, customers can send screenshots if there is a product issue or brands can send video instructions to assemble a product.

#5: Instant Customer Support

If customers ask similar questions frequently you can create message templates that automatically answer their queries with interactive AI-assisted conversations. This can prove to be beneficial for your customer support team since they can resolve more dire issues.

WhatsApp for Commerce

The number of WhatsApp users is projected to grow to 85.8 million users in 2023. That's a huge number. Leverage WhatsApp to reach this huge userbase. Here are some use cases for WhatsApp commerce:

#1: Promotional Alerts

Stay in touch with customers by sending promotional alerts amount new product launches, new collections, seasonal sale updates etc. Here’s an example

#2: Cart Recovery

The average abandoned cart rate was a whopping 69.57% across all sectors in 2021.  A customer may have intended to purchase a black sweater but dropped off due to lack of convenient delivery options or high shipping costs. Thus, resulting in cart abandonment.

You can use WhatsApp promotional messages to send abandoned cart alerts whenever a customer abandons their cart. For instance, a customer adds a dress to her cart but abandons it due to additional charges. You can send automated messages reminding the customer of her recently added items and offer an additional discount to incentivize her to make a purchase. Here’s an example:

#3: Digital Payments

Consumers value convenience over everything else. A report found that 97% of consumers abandoned a purchase because the service wasn’t convenient enough, showing that ecommerce needs to compete on more than the price. In fact, some consumers are more willing to pay for the luxury of convenience such as Amazon Prime.

You can use WhatsApp to accept digital payments on the go. For instance, a customer adds a dress to their cart. You can directly send a payment link while conversing with them. Once the customer completes the purchase you can also send the confirmation of their purchase.

#4: Product Recommendations

What’s a good way to boost your average order value - product recommendations. You can use WhatsApp to send recommendations while your WhatsApp chatbot is still conversing with the customer. For instance, a customer enquires about your newly launched summer collection on WhatsApp.

She wants to know whether the dress is available in size M. The bot answers her query and can send product recommendations based on her query. The bot can further recommend matching shoes that go with the dress. The customer may like the recommendation and add those to their cart thus increasing your AOV.

#4: Customer Loyalty

A report found that business profits go up by 25% to 95% when customer retention rates are increased by only 5%. A good customer experience with a brand will ensure repeat purchases. Run loyalty programs on WhatsApp and incentivize them to sign up. Send alerts after a customer has spent a certain amount inviting to your exclusive customer loyalty program. This program can offer a range of benefits such as early access to new collections, fast delivery, cheaper prices, and others.

Unification of Commerce and Customer Support

Over 100 billion messages are sent via WhatsApp. With such a massive reach WhatsApp has the potential to be your true ally to build stronger connections. An effective channel that unifies both customer service and commerce use cases. Whether it's answering common queries or processing a transaction, WhatsApp has become the ideal platform for all your business needs.

Are you ready to build a strong connection with your customers using WhatsApp? Book a demo with Vizury today.