WhatsApp Business appeared at the beginning of the year, but it is already obvious that the application will become a real find for companies that communicate with clients using instant messengers.
WhatsApp Business vs. WhatsApp: what’s the difference
First, let’s look at the differences between the application for business and the standard WhatsApp messenger version.
- WhatsApp for business is intended solely for companies. It allows them to better interact with customers, using an application that almost everyone has. Customers can communicate with you through the standard WhatsApp, even if you are using a business version.
- Your clients in the correspondence will be able to distinguish messages from a verified WhatsApp business account from spam messages sent from a private phone number.
- You have the opportunity to create a company profile that will help your customers to obtain such additional information about you like e-mail address, website, physical address, list of services.
- WhatsApp for business supports the version for the desktop. You can respond to customers via WhatsApp for PC version of the messenger with Windows or Mac. It is very convenient if you use WhatsApp as a support for fast contact with customers.
Also, the business version includes a statistics section: how many messages have been sent, delivered and read. These data can be used to analyze the effectiveness of mailings. You can set up automatic messages like greetings, reminders or notifications about when your service operators are online and ready to talk. In addition, you can set up quick answers to frequently asked questions.
What you need to know before activating a WhatsApp Business account
- WhatsApp for business is now available for Android and in the web version. At present moment the application is not available for iOS.
- You will not be able to use the same phone number that is connected to your existing mobile phone number in WhatsApp. But you can set your company’s landline number, and also work with WhatsApp and WhatsApp for business from one device.
- To start using WhatsApp Business, download and install the application from Google Play and confirm the phone number of your company. Receive a confirmation code if the phone is mobile, and confirmation by an incoming call, if it is stationary.
- Each company can open a business account and receive a distinctive sign of the confirmed profile: a green tick next to the company’s name.
- Be careful when filling out the “Company Information” section. You will not be able to change the name of your company after saving.
Now WhatsApp for business does not support the company’s search function. You need to know the customer’s number to start communicating with him. Or use a platform for instant messaging marketing, helping to build a database of subscriber clients.
WhatsApp Business Account Types
- Business account. A registered account of the company that uses WhatsApp Business.
- Verified. Account marked with a gray tick. A verified account means that its phone number registered in WhatsApp matches the official phone number of the company.
- Such accounts have a green check mark in the profile. Confirmation of companies depends on many factors, for example, how well-known is the company. To date, account verification is at the discretion of WhatsApp, you do not need to specifically send an account for moderation.
Advantages of WhatsApp application for business
- The possibility of binding of stationary numbers of the company for convenient communication with clients.
- The opportunity to receive statistics on sent, delivered and read messages.
- Ability to send auto-responses that you can configure inside the application. This is convenient if the customer writes to you during off-work or lunch time.
- The ability to use the messenger together with the already installed WhatsApp, because Business is a separate application.
- Unification of the communication channel with clients. Knowing the operational phone number of your company, the customer can either call you in the office or store or write to WhatsApp on the same number.
Disadvantages of WhatsApp Business
- Unregulated rules for obtaining a confirmed account. There is no clear understanding of the receipt of a green tick at the moment.
- The high chance to get the number blocked after mass mailing to users.
How to get WhatsApp Business account confirmation
At the moment there are no official rules from Facebook. At the request for moderation rules, WhatsApp technical support replies that WhatsApp has its own process to determine which business account can be verified or confirmed. This way there is no need to take any additional actions since the messenger’s administration automatically updates your business information.
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