Are you feeling the crunch of missed customer messages or a slow response rate?
Are you encountering a high volume of customer inquiries that are difficult to address?
If the answer to them is YES, then you're not alone!
In a world where customers crave a more personal, convenient and quick way to connect with businesses, businesses are also constantly looking for the edge that keeps them connected with their customers.
And that’s where WhatsApp Business API comes in!
By leveraging this solution, you can offer real-time support, send timely updates, and even close sales, all within a platform your customers already love.
Intrigued? We thought so!
Let’s dive into the top 20 benefits that make WhatsApp an essential MarCom tool for modern businesses looking to streamline customer support, business communication, and enhance customer engagement.
Let's dive right in!
Top 20 WhatsApp Business Account Benefits
Introducing WhatsApp as your new customer support channel into your business or adding WhatsApp marketing to your existing marketing strategy is a big decision.
Transition is always overwhelming so it's only normal to be sceptical about the worth and ROI of transitioning your existing customer support system or marketing strategy to any new channel, for say WhatsApp.
So, if you're the one who's still not sure if your business is ready for it, then here are 20 benefits of using WhatsApp for business.
Note: A majority of these benefits are particularly relevant when using WhatsApp Business API. However, several advantages apply to the regular WhatsApp Business app as well.
1. Send Unlimited Bulk WhatsApp Messages
The WhatsApp broadcast is one of the main and most exciting features that also gives it an edge over other marketing channels. With open rates of over 90% and click-through rates of 35%, it lets you reach thousands, even lakhs of customers more effectively.
However, the free WhatsApp Business app has its limitations: you can only send bulk broadcasts to 256 contacts, and each contact must have saved your number in their phonebook. That's quite restrictive, isn't it?
Also, be cautious not to exceed this limit! WhatsApp is very strict about preventing spam, and if you go overboard, they may stop your campaign or even block your business account.
But You don't have to worry about these restrictions in the WhatsApp API Platform.
With WhatsApp API platforms like DoubleTick, you can send unlimited messages to saved and unsaved contacts. You can start your campaign with a minimum of 1,000 messages and gradually increase your messaging tier limit over time by maintaining a good rating.
This scalability is invaluable for rapidly expanding your campaigns and reaching more users. The use cases of this incredible feature are nearly endless—you can update customers about ongoing discounts and offers, alert them when specific products are back in stock, and provide any other relevant updates.
And the best part? When you broadcast messages via WhatsApp API, each recipient receives them as if they were personalized, private messages. This enhances the personalized experience for your consumers.
With DoubleTick, the possibilities expand even further. You can send unlimited broadcast messages to both saved and unsaved contacts (subject to tier limitations), schedule your WhatsApp marketing campaigns as you see fit, automate your campaigns, track broadcast analytics in real time, retarget your audience, and much more. We've got plenty more features to share, so stay tuned!
2. Realtime Broadcast Campaign and Team Performance Analytics
Keep your finger on the pulse of your WhatsApp marketing efforts with real-time analytics and detailed reports. These features allow you to track essential campaign metrics and refine your marketing strategies on the fly.
Monitor key indicators and gather crucial insights into how your team is performing and how quickly they are responding to chats.
With DoubleTick, you gain immediate insights into various aspects of your marketing campaigns. Track metrics such as messages sent, delivered, read, unread, replied, ignored, and failed. Additionally, analyze the effectiveness of your CTA (Call to Action) button integrated with your broadcast messages.
DoubleTick further enhances your oversight with team performance analytics. Here, you can monitor each team member's engagement, including the number of messages they've replied to, pending responses, and the average time taken to address customer queries. Visual charts depicting your team’s performance data simplify the task of assessing their effectiveness and efficiency, making it easier for you to manage and optimize your team’s output.
3. Cloud-Based Centralised Team Inbox
Imagine managing customer conversations seamlessly with a single WhatsApp number for your entire company, thanks to a cloud-based team inbox.
Normally, the WhatsApp Business App is used on a smartphone, just like the personal version. This is fine for customers but can be hard for customer service agents to manage all the inquiries on one phone. It's easy to lose track of requests unless the right person has the phone in hand.
There’s also no easy or automatic way to reply to the many customer questions or integrate the app with a CRM system to pull up customer enquiries. But, the WhatsApp API Platform lets you handle all these tasks smoothly. You can assign messages to the right team member through the team inbox, either manually or automatically.
With DoubleTick, you can set up your system to automatically assign customer questions based on your team's roles, making sure messages go to the right person every time.
This means no question gets missed, and your team can easily use the DoubleTick WhatsApp API to better serve your customers.
4. Seamless Third-Party Platforms Integration
WhatsApp API allows you to integrate your business platforms and apps, so you can manage all your customer conversations in one place.
With DoubleTick, you can easily connect your favourite tools like Shopify, Zapier, Google Sheets, Tally and WooCommerce. It’s simple to set up, just a few clicks, and you’re good to go. This integration streamlines your workflow, letting you handle everything from a single dashboard.
5. Advanced Chat Automation and Lead Generation
WhatsApp automation is a game-changer for businesses, making communication much more efficient. Instead of manually replying to each message, you can set up automatic responses for frequently asked questions. This not only saves time but also ensures quick and consistent replies to customers.
Integrating WhatsApp with your CRM system like Zoho means you don’t have to manually collect leads that come through WhatsApp. Automated messages and chatbots can gather necessary customer information, which is then stored in the CRM for future use and marketing activities. This helps personalize your marketing efforts based on the data collected.
DoubleTick offers comprehensive WhatsApp automation features. For example, you can set up quick replies for common queries and a chatbot to simulate real conversations. With DoubleTick you can automatically hand off the critical queries to real agents making customers feel personally attended to. This can significantly reduce customer support costs by up to 30%.
Here’s why messaging automation is beneficial:
- Targeted Messaging: You can send messages tailored to specific customer segments based on their preferences or behaviour, enhancing engagement and response rates.
- Consistent Communication: Regular automated messages help maintain customer connection, build brand awareness, and keep your business top-of-mind.
- Lead Capture and Nurturing: Automated messages can answer questions, provide information, and guide customers through the buying process, increasing conversion rates and sales.
- Efficiency: Automation saves time by replacing manual messaging tasks with automated workflows and templates, allowing your team to focus on other strategic tasks.
With DoubleTick, you automate the entire customer communication flow. You can preset answers to common questions and direct critical inquiries to live agents. Capture customer details to target them in future campaigns with personalized product suggestions or offers, based on their interests or stage in the sales journey.
In e-commerce, automate the entire purchase process from order confirmation to shipping updates and delivery notifications. Post-delivery, you can automatically request feedback, provide product usage guidelines, and more. This seamless automation enhances customer experience and efficiency, showcasing the versatility of DoubleTick in enhancing business operations.
6. Advanced WhatsApp Chatbots
If you've set up WhatsApp as a communication channel, you've probably noticed that customers love it. But, this popularity can mean your team gets more messages than they can handle.
This is where the WhatsApp Business API comes in handy. It lets you set up chatbots, which can be a game-changer. Even a simple FAQ chatbot can handle most of the repetitive questions, giving your team a much-needed break.
Chatbots can speed up how quickly you solve customer support issues. Customers can either get quick answers through self-service options or they can choose to chat with a live agent for instant help.
DoubleTick offers AI-powered, no-code WhatsApp chatbots that can handle multiple customer support tasks and drive sales automatically. These include qualifying leads, answering customer questions, sending birthday wishes, notifying about abandoned carts, reminding about unpaid bills, and sending other important alerts.
You can easily create chatbots using DoubleTick’s chatbot builder. It’s really simple! Just drag and drop what you need using the simple interface. This makes it easy for anyone to set up and start improving customer interactions right away.
7. Official WhatsApp Green Tick Account
A verified WhatsApp Business Account means getting a little green check mark next to your brand name. This tells your customers that you're an authentic brand and your messages are legitimate, helping to clear any doubts about spam. Companies that have this green badge are instantly recognized as trustworthy by users.
At DoubleTick, we handle the process of getting your WhatsApp Green Tick, making it easy for you to gain this mark of trust and authenticity.
8. Add Product Catalogues on Your Profile and Sell on WhatsApp
Turn your WhatsApp Business Profile into a bustling marketplace with an attractive and detailed product catalogue. This feature makes shopping enjoyable by letting customers browse and buy your products without leaving the app.
Your product catalogue allows both current and potential customers to quickly see what you offer, complete with photos, prices and important details. For instance, if someone bought something from you a month ago and liked it, it's much easier for them to reorder through WhatsApp than navigating your website again.
Each item in your WhatsApp catalogue can include a unique name, description, website link, and product codes. This makes it easy for interested customers to add products to their cart and make purchases directly from WhatsApp.
With WhatsApp, you don’t wait for customers to come to your marketplace; you bring your marketplace to them. This, combined with effortless conversations and product recommendations, allows retailers to also highlight their most popular items effectively.
With DoubleTick you can send multiple product images integrated with pricing and details about the article to your customers, and they can add the product to the cart by simply replying to it or can do it manually by clicking on the "add to cart" CTA provided. Not only that, they can even make the payment on the same platform and get the order confirmation and shipping details immediately.
9. Interactive Messages with CTA Buttons
WhatsApp API enriches the way businesses interact with their customers by offering diverse and interactive content formats. These options enable businesses to engage creatively and effectively:
- Images and Videos: Share images of products, services, or promotions to visually display what you offer. Use videos for product demos, tutorials, or personalized messages from business owners.
- Audio Messages: Send greetings, voice-guided instructions, or detailed explanations via audio.
- Documents: Distribute important documents like brochures, catalogues, price lists, user manuals, or flyers directly through WhatsApp.
Beyond sharing content, WhatsApp API allows businesses to create interactive campaigns like polls, quizzes, contests, or surveys. These activities encourage customer participation and feedback, helping businesses gain valuable insights, boost engagement, and strengthen relationships.
To make interactions even more efficient, WhatsApp offers features like quick reply buttons, allowing customers to respond easily without typing long messages. List messages are particularly useful for repeat orders or booking appointments, as they streamline the customer journey on WhatsApp. Customers can select from a list of products or available time slots directly in the chat, tailored to their preferences. This setup simplifies decision-making and enhances the overall customer experience.
With DoubleTick you can send a variety of messages such as list messages, and messages with CTA that comes with tracking analytics. send images, documents, audio notes, carousels and much more.
10. Create Workflows
WhatsApp API enables you to create customized, 'app-like' experiences directly within the platform, allowing customers to complete tasks or make purchases without ever leaving WhatsApp. By incorporating different components such as text fields, audio buttons, checkboxes, and menus, you can design interactive screen flows that guide customers through their entire journey seamlessly.
Use these flows to capture leads, take orders, gather feedback, book appointments, or complete purchases. This approach not only streamlines the customer experience but also enhances efficiency, making it easier for customers to interact with your business in a way that feels intuitive and straightforward.
11. WhatsApp Payment
WhatsApp now supports seamless in-thread payments, allowing customers to use their preferred payment methods to complete purchases directly within the chat. This feature simplifies the buying process, letting customers track their orders all in one place.
*Note: This feature is currently available only in Brazil, Singapore, and India.
12. Bring in Customers from Various Entry Points
Customers can start conversations with your brand through multiple entry points, catering to both online and offline interactions. These avenues include:
- QR Codes: Simple and effective, customers can scan a QR code to initiate a conversation. Here is your FREE WhatsApp QR code generator!
- wa.me Links: Direct links that lead customers straight to your WhatsApp chat. Here is your FREE WhatsApp link generator!
- Direct Number Entry: Customers can save and use your number to message you anytime.
- Business Search: Available only in Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Indonesia, and the UK, this feature lets customers find your business right in WhatsApp.
- Click-to-WhatsApp Ads: Fully trackable ads on Facebook and Instagram that direct customers straight to a WhatsApp conversation with your business.
These various methods provide flexible and accessible ways for customers to reach out to you, enhancing engagement and improving customer service.
13. Sparking Two-Sided Conversations
WhatsApp isn't just for alerts like delivery updates; it's a place for real conversations. Think of it as chatting over the counter or on a call. You get to handle everything from product advice to customer support right in the app.
Using WhatsApp can make your business feel more personal. It’s like texting a friend, which can make customers stick around and spend more. Plus, it’s easy for customers to reach out directly if they need help, making them more likely to stay loyal.
14. Establish Your Brand Voice
Your brand voice is like your brand’s personality—how customers would see you if your brand were a person. Establishing this voice helps make your brand more relatable and familiar, which is key in marketing.
WhatsApp automation plays a big role in this. It lets you communicate on a personal level. For instance, you can address customers by name in messages, send special coupons for birthdays or anniversaries, and alert them about sales or events early. All these actions help shape your brand voice and personalize the experience.
Having a Green tick badge on your WhatsApp API account adds to your brand's visibility. Your account features a branded profile complete with your logo, website URL, and address, making every conversation seem more legitimate and reinforcing your brand image.
Plus, you can showcase some or all of your products right in the app. This not only gives people a quick glimpse of what you offer but also enhances your brand image by linking your communications directly to your products.
15. Better Customer Engagement
Compared to traditional channels WhatsApp offers a higher response rate. Most customers prefer texting over calling, with 66% favouring messaging for business communication.
Unlike emails, which may be put off until the next day, WhatsApp messages are checked promptly. An impressive 80% of WhatsApp messages are opened within the first five minutes of being sent. With such real-time responsiveness, using WhatsApp for business is a smart move that's bound to yield results.
16. Better Customer Support
Have you ever delayed responding to emails? Me too.
When it comes to helping customers, using WhatsApp is simpler and quicker than emails or phone calls. People are more likely to check and respond to WhatsApp messages promptly. This means faster resolutions and happier customers.
Sending a quick WhatsApp message can wrap up a conversation in minutes, saving time for both parties. Long phone calls can also be time-consuming.
Research shows that most people respond within 30 minutes on WhatsApp, compared to only 17% on email. WhatsApp's easy-to-use interface makes it efficient for customer support teams.
With WhatsApp, response times are faster, and you can collect feedback and provide self-service resources easily. This helps in resolving issues promptly and leaving a good impression on customers.
17. Know Your Customer's Behaviour
WhatsApp is great for connecting with customers and collecting feedback quickly. Although it doesn't have built-in analytics, with WhatsApp API platforms like DoubleTick you can track customer interactions and behavior.
This setup helps track open rates, click rates, and response times, allowing you to measure customer satisfaction and engagement effectively.
By analyzing these statistics and direct feedback, you can understand customer preferences and satisfaction levels, track purchase intent and conversions, and identify trends. This comprehensive view helps in refining strategies, enhancing engagement, and achieving better business results.
18. Highly Secure Platform
Security is a top concern for businesses when it comes to communication channels, particularly those involving customer data. Here again, WhatsApp stands out.
It is one of the most secure platforms for the following reasons:
- End-to-End Encryption: Ensures that only the communicating users can read the messages.
- Security Alerts: Notifies users of potential security risks.
- Advanced Security Measures: Blocks harmful links and attachments, and regularly updates to improve security.
- Two-Step Verification: Adds an extra layer of security with a PIN requirement for new device setups.
Privacy and Compliance:
- Cookie-Free and GDPR Compliant: Offers enhanced privacy and ensures messages are only sent to opt-in contacts.
- User-Controlled Feedback: Users can report or block, helping maintain a trusted environment.
No one else, not even WhatsApp, can access the content. This level of security builds customer trust as they know their communication with your business is private and secure.
19. Easy to Use
Using the WhatsApp Business API doesn't require any special IT skills or a company cloud infrastructure. Solutions like DoubleTick are user-friendly and designed for immediate use. If your team can use a messaging app, they'll be able to operate DoubleTick effortlessly. This ease of use makes it accessible for anyone in your team to start engaging with customers right away.
20. Cost-Effective Solution
WhatsApp Business API offers a cost-effective pricing model that benefits even small and local businesses. Charges apply only for the messages you send or receive, with no additional fees. All business features are available regardless of the number of messages sent. Moreover, if your messages are of high quality and engage well with customers, your sending quotas increase automatically, rewarding your effective marketing efforts with more opportunities for interaction.
Note: This is only applicable if you get the WhatsApp API directly through Meta. When you get the WhatsApp API from a solution provider a small platform fee is applied as we bring you a ready-to-use solution with so many useful features that save your development and platform integration efforts.
Why Do Businesses Prefer Using WhatsApp Businesses Over WhatsApp?
Here are a few reasons why businesses prefer using WhatsApp Businesses over WhatsApp
- Professional Business Profile: WhatsApp Business allows businesses to create a branded profile with essential details like address, website, and catalogue, making it more professional than a personal account.
- Automated Messaging: Features like auto-replies, greeting messages, and away messages save time and enhance customer interaction.
- Product Catalogs: Businesses can showcase their products/services directly within the app, making it a virtual storefront for customers.
- Enhanced Customer Engagement: Tools like labels, quick replies, and broadcast lists make it easier to manage and nurture customer relationships.
- Dedicated Business Tools: Access to insights like message delivery, read rates, and analytics helps businesses track communication performance.
- Supports API Integration: With WhatsApp Business API, businesses can scale operations, automate workflows, and integrate with CRM for seamless management.
- Secure Communication: End-to-end encryption ensures customer data remains private and secure.
Businesses choose WhatsApp Business because it transforms communication into a streamlined, professional, and scalable process, tailored for growth and customer satisfaction.
A Quick Glance at WhatsApp vs. WhatsApp Business
Feature | WhatsApp Business | |
Purpose | Personal communication | Business communication |
Business Profile | Not available | Includes business details like name, address, website |
Product Catalog | Not available | Available for showcasing products/services |
Automated Messaging | Not available | Supports auto-replies, greetings, and away messages |
Messaging Tools | Basic chat features | Labels, quick replies, and broadcast lists |
API Support | Not available | Supports WhatsApp Business API for advanced features |
Insights and Analytics | No insights | Message delivery, read rates, and engagement metrics |
Bulk Messaging | Limited to 5 chats at once | Broadcast messages to up to 256 contacts per list |
Multi-Agent Access | Not supported | Supported via API with shared team inbox |
Integration Capabilities | None | API integrations with CRMs and other tools |
Target Audience | Individuals | Small, medium, and large businesses |
Pricing | Free | Free app; API costs depend on provider and usage |
What is the Use of a WhatsApp Business Account?
A WhatsApp Business Account is specifically designed to help businesses streamline customer communication and enhance engagement. Here’s what it enables you to do:
- Professional Profile: Showcase your business details like name, address, email, website, and operating hours.
- Product Catalog: Display your products or services directly in the app for easy browsing.
- Automated Messaging: Set up quick replies, greeting messages, and away messages to engage customers instantly.
- Customer Segmentation: Use labels to organize and manage customer chats efficiently.
- Broadcast Messages: Send updates, promotions, or announcements to multiple contacts at once.
- Enhanced Communication: Enable personalized, real-time conversations with your customers.
- API Integration: With the API version, businesses can automate workflows, integrate with CRMs, and send bulk messages to both saved and unsaved contacts.
It’s a powerful tool for businesses to drive sales, improve customer service, and maintain seamless communication.
How to Kickstart Your Journey with the WhatsApp API?
You can get started with the WhatsApp API by directly applying it through Meta or by signing in with a WhatsApp solution provider like DoubleTick.
Going by the Meta path is time-consuming and demands technical skills as you have to build the whole platform by yourself with limited support from Meta. However, a solution provider like DoubleTick will quickly get you the approval from Meta and get the platform ready for you in no time!
You sip your coffee by the side and we take care of all the hassle!
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: What is the disadvantage of a WhatsApp Business Account?
Answer: Limited to one device per account, and some advanced features require the WhatsApp API.
Question: What do you get with a WhatsApp Business Account?
Answer: Features like business profile setup, product catalogue, automated messaging, and labels for organizing chats.
Question: Can I integrate a WhatsApp Business Account with my existing CRM system?
Answer: Yes, integration is possible, but it requires the WhatsApp Business API for seamless connectivity.
Question: Can I use WhatsApp Business for personal use?
Answer: Yes, but it’s designed for business communication, so some features may feel unnecessary for personal use.