How businesses can use WhatsApp for customer support solutions?
WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps for communicating with one another. With 7 in 10 Malaysians more likely to do business with a company they can contact via messaging along with WhatsApp’s growing presence in Malaysia, WhatsApp for customer care is an ideal choice for brands with an omnichannel strategy since it allows their customer service team to communicate with consumers privately and securely.
WhatsApp can be used to improve a company's customer experience, from answering customer queries to exhibiting items, delivering alerts, and providing updates. The end-to-end encryption capability can benefit your business and help you rethink customer communication.
Benefits of using WhatsApp for customer support
You can improve customer service and take customer interactions with the company to a new level of engagement by providing customer service through WhatsApp. Using WhatsApp for customer service may benefit the company in a variety of ways:
1. Large active users
WhatsApp has the most monthly active users across all age groups and geographies, making it the most popular messaging app. As a result, it may help your company grow its reach and fulfil its full potential, especially when it's likely that most of your customers are already on WhatsApp.
2. Team inbox
When you use WhatsApp for business, you have the benefit of a team inbox, which allows you to allocate client messages to numerous customer support agents at the same time, improving the service quality.
3. AI Chatbot capabilities
Using a chatbot template for WhatsApp customer service can improve your company's skills and automate answers. You can even integrate AI-driven chatbots and deliver 24/7, automated customer support, enabling your customers to get the information they need or resolve basic issues independently. Beyond that, agentic AI tools like SleekFlow’s AgentFlow can qualify contacts, nurture leads, and retain customers.
4. API accessibility
WhatsApp Business API is easily accessible and can assist your company with third-party integrations such as Google Sheets and Shopify. This can assist in bringing all customer data together in one location and using it to improve customer service.
Read more about the Essential Guide on WhatsApp Business API.
5. Rich media support
With Whatsapp offering more than just text, rich media material, such as photographs, videos, or documents and contracts, may bring a new layer to client interaction. You may also create a catalog to display your items and services. Businesses can also provide customers with tutorials and video guides, simplifying complex instructions and allowing for faster and more efficient issue resolution.
6. Secure customer experience
With consumers growing more and more concerned about their data privacy, WhatsApp itself assures consumers that their interactions are secured and protected. When you message someone using WhatsApp Messenger, end-to-end encryption ensures that data is transferred securely between endpoints and cannot be accessed by anyone else, not even WhatsApp.
How to set up your Whatsapp for customer service?
To start using WhatsApp for customer service, it's best to set up the WhatsApp Business API. Unlike the standard WhatsApp Business account, the API includes a verified business profile with a green tick, which helps establish trust and shows customers you’re a genuine business.
With the standard account, you might face limitations, and the WhatsApp Business API offers more stability and support. You can easily access WhatsApp Business API through an official WhatsApp Business Solution Provider (BSP) like SleekFlow.
Here’s how you can get started with SleekFlow to set up your WhatsApp customer service:
1. Log into your SleekFlow account, go to "Channels," and click on the WhatsApp Official API settings. Select "Connect."
2. Proceed to purchase a WhatsApp Business API add-on via Stripe for $15/month per number. Complete payment by entering your credit card information.
3. Once redirected to SleekFlow, under "How to connect," select "Connect Cloud API using a new phone number." Click "Next."
4. In the pop-up, sign in to your Facebook account with access to Facebook Business Portfolio, then continue with your credentials.
5. Read and accept the permissions SleekFlow requires, then click "Get started."
6. Fill in or confirm your business details. Select your business portfolio, then click "Next."
7. Choose "Create a WhatsApp Business API Account" and "Create a new WhatsApp Business profile." Click "Next."
8. Enter the WhatsApp Business API account name, public display name, and business category, then proceed.
9. Input your phone number with the country code and select your preferred verification method (text or call). Enter the code when prompted.
10. After verification, your account is connected. Select the newly created WhatsApp profile in SleekFlow, fill in a private "Channel name" for internal use, and finalise by going to "Channel settings" to create templates related to customer service.
Why use WhatsApp for customer support ?
There are several benefits to using WhatsApp for customer service. First and foremost, it is an extremely popular app with a massive user base, making it perfect for brands that want to widen their reach. Additionally, the app offers several features that make it perfect for customer service use cases:
Accessible on multiple devices
WhatsApp is a useful customer service tool since it allows you to customise greetings and away messages and provide speedy answers, allowing you to conduct client discussions from your multiple devices.
Makes data available and integrates it
By utilising WhatsApp, you can obtain snapshots of the number of messages sent and read, giving you an idea of how many people you're reaching and how much money you're saving.
Legally compliant
You don't have to worry about disturbing people with cold calls or emails since your users must opt-in to receive communications through WhatsApp API.
Understandable
Rather than giving them "company-line" emails, your audience likes to feel as if they are discussing with you.
Connect to WhatsApp Business API now!
Connect to WhatsApp Business API and get the first 1,000 service conversations free each month.
Best way to use whatsapp for customer service
Your WhatsApp Business API is all setup, and now it’s time to make the most of it! To really elevate your customer service to a 5-star level, here are a few best practices to keep in mind:
1. Set up a self-service chatbot
Give your customers the convenience of quick answers! A self-service chatbot can handle common questions like FAQs, order updates, and more so your team can focus on the bigger issues. Plus, it ensures customers can get help anytime, day or night! Bots can now deliver richer interactions using list messages, quick-reply buttons, and multimedia support—making self-service feel more intuitive than ever.
2. Use chatbot interaction data to assign conversations
Analyse chatbot interactions to determine when an agent should take over. If a conversation seems complex or the customer appears frustrated, automatically route them to an agent who can offer personalised assistance. SleekFlow’s AgentFlow lets you create a team of AI agents to automatically score leads, detect sentiment, and prioritize conversation through automation, letting you score, qualify and nurture leads 24/7 and gently nudges customers to convert.
3. Integrate with a CRM for 2-way data sync
Syncing WhatsApp with your CRM gives you a complete view of each customer—past purchases, preferences, etc. This means agents can personalise their responses, making every interaction tailored to the customer’s needs. With SleekFlow’s Custom Object, it’s easier to sync advanced customer attributes and segment users more effectively.
4. Escalate seamlessly with Business Calling API
WhatsApp’s Business Calling API allows support teams to escalate a chat to a voice call without leaving the WhatsApp thread. This helps resolve complex cases faster and keeps the interaction consistent within a single channel.
5. Gather feedback to improve service
Use WhatsApp to collect valuable feedback directly from customers. After resolving an issue or completing a transaction, send a short, friendly message asking for their thoughts on the service. You can use quick-reply buttons for simple ratings or ask for detailed input if they want to share.
Example - Celcom customer service WhatsApp
In Malaysia, Celcom is one of the first companies to use WhatsApp for customer service. Celcom customers may now communicate with the company through WhatsApp for customer service. Celcom's WhatsApp customer support channel is +60196861111.
Celcom’s WhatsApp customer support features a bot that will answer all messages sent to the channel. Customers can get account information, top-up their credit, or check their internet balances besides telephone bills or fibre internet bills.
Additionally, if you are not satisfied with the service network, you can also make a report directly from WhatsApp. Among other functions, users can make appointments and find out about the latest Celcom promotions through WhatsApp.
Through Celcom WhatsApp, you are also able to see, pay, or download bill statements, check your Internet consumption and verify coverage or submit a report, and be updated about network maintenance, concerns, and remedies regularly advise on how to make the most of VoLTE and the 3G network breakdown.
KHIND customer support WhatsApp
After KHIND Malaysia launched its R2O program to enable customers to buy home appliances, the team streamlined the program by implementing a tailored WhatsApp Business API solution through SleekFlow, a trusted official Meta partner and WhatsApp Business Solution Provider (BSP).
KHIND segments customers with upcoming payments into a list and sends WhatsApp broadcasts for bill reminders through a custom integration with automatically customized messages using variables like first name and payment status, reducing overdue accounts while maintaining a personal touch.
KHIND utilizes Flow Builder to send automated follow-up messages after broadcasts. If a payment fails, customers immediately receive a message with chat buttons to select their bank for payment. Once selected, the chatbot provides the next steps to resolve the payment issues according to their bank's process, increasing recovery rates for failed payments while minimizing manpower.
Hap Seng Star (Mercedes-Benz Malaysia) customer support WhatsApp
Image by facebook.com
Hap Seng Star used WhatsApp to provide a simple and effective customer communication channel. People could voice and video call the dealer whenever it was convenient for them and have real-time chats thanks to the app, which allowed for speedy and secure two-way communication.
The luxury vehicle dealer sent out emails, SMS, and social media announcements about the new customer care channel and QR codes connected to the WhatsApp channel in all printed advertising materials.
Before connecting with a customer care professional, consumers were allowed to opt-in to the WhatsApp service after visiting the channel. Customers were also reminded to arrange a service appointment and renew their auto insurance via WhatsApp by Hap Seng Star.
Hap Seng Star witnessed a significant rise in the number of consumers utilising the WhatsApp customer service channel after offering the service in December 2019. By May 2020, the dealer had seen an increase in delivery rates by 30% compared to other methods, and read-message rates increased by 55% compared to other routes.
Check out how other brands like JomCharge and Tesco utilised digital technology other than WhatsApp for social CRM.
Difference between WhatsApp Business App and WhatsApp Business API
Now you know that the WhatsApp Business API is the best messaging service for your customer service solution, but what is an API? Just so you know, WhatsApp Business API, another product from WhatsApp itself, differs from WhatsApp Business App.
An API allows programs to communicate with one another, share data, and shield users from the complexities of the backend. It is not a simple operation to apply for the WhatsApp Business API, but with the right supplier, it may be a pleasant experience, especially when Meta has streamlined approval for businesses working with official partners like SleekFlow.
The payoff is significant: by reaching customers where they are most active, businesses can drastically improve engagement and response times. After all, with 65 billion messages sent daily, WhatsApp has the biggest and most active user base of any messaging service. This is where you should send and receive messages and phone calls.
WhatsApp isn’t just another communication tool—it’s the most direct, scalable, and trusted channel for customer conversations, whether for messaging, calls, or even payments.
Enjoy an uninterrupted experience with an official WhatsApp Business API account
The other key benefit is having a stable connection with minimal downtime. alfred24, a green delivery solution provider, had been using WhatsApp via a non-official partner of WhatsApp. The connection was sometimes unstable, and when the phone that hosted the WhatsApp account crashed, they had to reconnect the account using other devices. The whole process could take up to three hours and might happen multiple times a day, causing a delay in the response to messages.
But now, alfred24 enjoys an uninterrupted and seamless experience on SleekFlow, which offers a solution powered by an official partner of WhatsApp. What is better is that they can connect both their existing WhatsApp account and the newly set up WhatsApp Official Business Account to SleekFlow, managing all the conversations in just one place. Owing to its stability, they save considerable time on solving technical issues, reducing response time by 60%.
I think the best feature of SleekFlow is the automated assignment of conversation and automatic replies. We tried other platforms but there were too many restrictions. With SleekFlow, we can configure the settings on our own such as whom to assign the conversation and when to send out the out-of-office message.
Alvin Lee
General Manager
Read how alfred24 creates a stable and effective communication channel with SleekFlow.
SleekFlow, the WhatsApp Marketing solution provider
WhatsApp Marketing has grown to play a huge part in Malaysia’s business and commerce communications. Utilizing WhatsApp blast tools such as SleekFlow allows you to communicate as a customer service platform on a larger scale while minimizing the chances of bans, and you can also automate follow-up messages using AI.
SleekFlow, as an official WhatsApp Business Solution Provider (BSP) assigned by Meta, is the best tool for WhatsApp Marketing because it offers an easy way to create automated messages, track replies, and automate follow-ups with AI. You can set automated rules to assign conversations, send personalized engagement messages and develop chatbots that suit you the best.
With our AgentFlow platform, you create a team of AI agents to score, qualify and nurture leads 24/7 and gently nudge customers to convert. All these help streamline workflows and shorten response time, boosting productivity instantly.
If you want to use WhatsApp to generate leads, give customer care, or boost user interaction using a combination of live agents and chatbots, a WhatsApp integration API is the way to go. Contact us to learn more about WhatsApp Business API.
Want to outcompete your peers with SleekFlow's help?
Book your personalised demo with SleekFlow today and unlock the potential of seamless communication
Frequently Asked Questions
Share Article
