A WhatsApp dedicated to business users was announced last week but wasn’t available in India. On Tuesday, the company announced availability of the platform on our shores.
This dedicated business version of the platform will enable small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to interact with their customers. The SMEs will now be able to service their customers, providing them with answers to queries and get feedback.
Businesses will start off by creating a business profile on WhatsApp with general information such as address and contact details. They can even create preset replies to queries which cuts down on the time required to answer.
WhatsApp Business also allows users to set automated messages. Greeting messages welcoming a customer to set an away reply when unavailable, the business app allows more personal communication between consumers and enterprises.
The app will also provide companies with metrics based on the messages exchanged between a customer and company along with support for WhatsApp Web.
During the launch, WhatsApp also revealed that they will be making businesses accounts “Confirmed” which is their way of letting users know that a particular business is verified. This verification tag will be enabled once the contact details match the business.
A survey by the Morning Consult revealed that 80 percent of businesses in India and Brazil see WhatsApp as a helpful entity when it comes to interacting with their customers. The app provides a more personal touch to the communication which helps SMEs strengthen their base in the market.
Other features of WhatsApp remain the same for the Business app as well such as sharing pictures, videos, live locations among others.
WhatsApp crossed the 200 million monthly active users mark last year and has been growing exponentially. Launching a dedicated Business app brings a lot many enterprises under its umbrella which will help them grow as well.
