WhatsApp has been an immense medium of connecting people, friends and family. Now, many small businesses have also started using WhatsApp as amedium of communicationwith their buyers. Merchants like boutiques, cakes shop owners, are benefiting their business by generating more potential through WhatsApp.
But WhatsApp team found that people also connect to those merchants whom they have visited once, or they know them. So it becomes challenging for other businesses to build their presence on WhatsApp as people are unsure of their authenticity.
In Sep 2017,WhatsApp in its blog brought up that they will be testing the new feature in WhatsApp which will overcome the challenges of the people connecting to the businesses they want to reach. They also wrote they are building a new and free WhatsApp Business tool for small companies and an enterprise solution for big-ticket companies. By using the App industries like Airlines, E-commerce sites & Banks will be able to provide solutions to their customers regarding flight details, delivery confirmation, and many other services.
Recently, On 17 Jan 2018, WhatsApp has launched the WhatsApp Business App. This App is currently available on the Play store for Android user, and the stats show that more than 100,000 downloads have already happened for the App, people have also shared their review, and the App has received 3.9 ratings on the store.
How does WhatsApp for Business work:
- Business Profile:In the setting sections you can create your business profile by filling the information like business location, website URL,contact information or business hours.
- Business messaging tool: Using the tool you can send away messages to your customer when you are unable to connect. You can also create greeting messages for the customers when they join you for the first time, or it can be sent to the customer after 14 days of no activity.
- Business Statistics: the stats will help you analyze how many people have read your messages, how many messages you have received from your customer.
- Landline or fixed number support: You can use your business landline no. to connect with your potentials, you can verify your business by using call me option you to make it authentic. WhatsApp will provide Green Badge to the businesses to confirm the verified business account.
- Run Both WhatsApp Business and WhatsApp Messenger: You can now run both WhatsApp Business and Messenger from your smartphone at the same time, But each App must have its unique number.
- WhatsApp Web: LikeWhatsApp messenger, you can now control your business similarly using WhatsApp web.
Currently, the WhatsApp Business verification is only limited to the small number of businesses participating in the pilot program, But in case of enterprises want to become a part of the program they can fill the survey. The Tools is currently available in US, UK,Italy,Mexico, and Indonesia.