WhatsApp is a top player in business messaging with over 2.5 billion active monthly users in 180 countries, sending over 100 million messages every day. With more than 100% penetration in some markets, WhatsApp is the second most popular messaging app worldwide, making it a valuable tool for businesses to engage with customers and build relationships through messaging.
In this article, we'll explore the reasons why incorporating WhatsApp into your business's messaging strategy is worth considering, and discuss top WhatsApp Business tips from SleekFlow's Founder and CEO, Henson Tsai, and Meta's Regional Strategic Partner Manager, Norman Kuo, to help businesses stay ahead.
WhatsApp Business vs. WhatsApp Business Platform: which one is right for your company?
WhatsApp is a valuable tool for businesses to engage with customers, but what is the WhatsApp API, and how does it benefit medium and large enterprises?
Before we dive into it all, it's important to note that the WhatsApp Business Platform is referred to as WhatsApp API in the B2B SaaS solution. Let's take a closer look at its features and how they differ from the SMB App.
Image Courtesy: WhatsApp
First up is functionality. The SMB App is limited to basic messaging, but with the API, you can integrate with other partner platforms, like Sleekflow, to offer additional features such as in-thread shopping, catalogs, and payment options. These value-added features can be a game-changer for enterprise clients.
Next, multi-agent support. While the SMB App only allows up to four agents, the API can be accessed by thousands of people via individual phone numbers, making it more scalable and reducing manpower time and costs. Internal data has shown an average increase in productivity and efficiency by two times!
The Green Tick verification is another advantage that only API partners have. This official verification from Meta helps with branding and prevents spam, giving businesses a trusted and secure way to communicate with their customers.
With message delivery, the SMB App can only send out messages one by one, which can be time-consuming. The API, on the other hand, can use a system to send out bulk and automatic messages, saving businesses time and streamlining their messaging processes.
Finally, let's talk about cost. The SMB App is a great entry point for businesses as it's free of charge. However, as messaging volume grows, the API becomes a better approach. Although there is a charging model, we have seen a significant increase in ROI and a decrease in manpower costs for our enterprise clients over the years.
[New] SleekFlow for developers: Messaging API for WhatsApp
Drive business success with WhatsApp API through SleekFlow: connecting meaningfully at every stage of the customer lifecycle
Image Courtesy: WhatsApp
Meta's holistic user experience approach centers around four major stages: discovery, consideration, purchase, and retention, and how everything can be seamlessly completed within the WhatsApp platform.
Discover: The first stage of Meta's vision for WhatsApp is discovery. Imagine a customer receives an ad from a popular clothing brand and clicks on it to discover a catalog of products. This allows customers to browse through and find products they like, all within the WhatsApp platform.
Consideration: The next stage is consideration. Once the customer has found a product they like, they can consider it by asking the brand questions or viewing additional product information within the thread in WhatsApp.
Purchase: After consideration, the customer can make a purchase with ease, all within the WhatsApp platform. This creates a seamless and convenient shopping experience for customers.
Retention: The final stage is retention. After the purchase, the brand can offer delivery services, provide reminders for shipping updates, and even suggest similar products with promotions. All of these personalized interactions can be communicated within the thread in WhatsApp, making it easy for the customer to stay engaged with the brand.
By using WhatsApp for e-commerce, businesses can offer a convenient and personalized shopping experience for their customers, leading to increased satisfaction and loyalty. For example, a popular clothing brand can offer a catalog of products, allowing customers to browse, purchase, and even receive delivery updates and personalized suggestions within the thread on WhatsApp. With this approach, businesses can build stronger relationships with their customers by providing personalized support and recommendations, ultimately driving long-term success.
Meta's vision for WhatsApp offers a revolutionary approach to e-commerce and shopping. By covering the entire customer journey within the platform, businesses can provide a seamless and convenient shopping experience, ultimately driving customer satisfaction and loyalty.
SleekFlow is one of the most agile companies I have seen so far. It offers very good user experience and we do look forward to work with SleekFlow more often and on a longer term to bring in more partners and then grow the business together.
Norman Kuo
Regional Strategic Partner Manager, Meta
Get started with WhatsApp API: why choosing the right BSP is crucial
The content provided in the above image is provided by WhatsApp
Working with a BSP is crucial for businesses that want to build a successful enterprise business on WhatsApp. As a BSP, our trusted partnership with Meta enables us to provide additional features and functionality to supplement the overall user experience and offer go-to-market support, resources, and programs co-curated with Meta to drive new user acquisition.
On the other hand, Meta leverages its BSPs to add more value to the platform and recommends enterprises work with a trusted BSP directly. SleekFlow is one of the most agile companies in the market, offering an excellent user experience, and Meta looks forward to working closely with them for a longer-term partnership to grow the business together.
One of the ways we do this is by providing a powerful Omnichannel Inbox that allows businesses to manage different types of channels, including WhatsApp, in a single view. This makes it easier for businesses to stay on top of customer inquiries and conversations, regardless of the platform they're on.
We also offer multi-agent workflow access, which means that based on the type of inquiry, we can route the conversation to the appropriate agent, support, or sales team to handle it. This ensures that each customer inquiry is handled by the right person, leading to a more efficient and effective customer experience.
But it's not just about handling customer inquiries - we believe that automation is key to building effective marketing campaigns. That's why we've developed features that allow businesses to build a full customer journey to engage with customers at different points in time. For example, businesses can send abandoned cart messages on WhatsApp to boost conversions or engage with customers with a festive campaign with a 20% off Christmas promotion.
Finally, we offer features like payment links, commerce, and check out that are integrated with platforms like Shopify and Salesforce. This allows businesses to track orders while chatting with customers and even allows customers to check out right away on WhatsApp.
At SleekFlow, we're committed to helping businesses leverage the power of WhatsApp to engage with customers in a more personalized and efficient way. Whether it's for sales, marketing, or customer support, we've got you covered.
Need help applying for WhatsApp Business API? Get a consultation and onboarding session for free.
Upcoming features and developments to watch out for on WhatsApp API
Read more: SleekFlow WhatsApp Catalog
At WhatsApp’s recent regional product roadshow, Norman shared that there were two new features caught the attention of many: the catalog and send user location.
The catalog feature allows merchants and e-commerce businesses to integrate their solution into WhatsApp, enabling customers to view their products and descriptions through a cart icon.
The send user location feature is great for e-commerce and delivery services, providing a more personalized experience for customers based on their geographic location.
These new features are just the tip of the iceberg, and there are more exciting things to come from WhatsApp. As a trusted BSP partner, SleekFlow will continue working closely with WhatsApp to ensure that these features can help businesses grow through conversational commerce. It's an exciting time for businesses looking to leverage the power of WhatsApp to engage with customers in a more personalized and efficient way.
Stay tuned for here more updates on WhatsApp's new features and how SleekFlow can help businesses make the most of them.
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