Kaleyra understands the need for 2-way messaging and has always encouraged businesses to leverage it. With WhatsApp Business API, Kaleyra takes its 2-way communication capabilities a step further. Apart from the several advantages, WhatsApp Business solution brings for businesses, it also allows businesses to engage in real conversations with over 2 billion users all around the globe, on an app they are already familiar with. It serves as the optimal platform to continuously engage customers by sending them alerts, notifications, company updates, or any other information they need.

WhatsApp clearly dominates all major regions around the world and is the most preferred messaging app. To begin 2-way messaging with customers and continuously keep them engaged in the process, it is important to communicate with them through a platform of their choice. If you are not reaching out to customers through the apps they use every day, you are not only losing out on a clear opportunity but, are also making it harder for them to stay in touch with you. Messaging has emerged as the most convenient and necessary means of two-way communication for all types of enterprises to communicate with their customers. Thus, by connecting with your global customers in the same personal manner in which they communicate with their friends and family, you can build great relationships.

With WhatsApp Business API, companies can engage in high-quality conversation, which can be enriched through photos, videos, documents, etc., to provide more detail and make each interaction more engaging. Businesses can now have one-on-one conversations and chat directly with customers, which was never possible with one-way SMSes.

Here are some ways in which your business can leverage 2-way messaging through WhatsApp Business solution:

Humanize the communication process

Yes, automation is cost-effective, quick, and easy, but, to leverage a platform like WhatsApp, that provides an opportunity to directly connect with customers, it is vital to humanize at least some of your communication process. Apart from using it as a channel to send notifications, which is a largely automated process, it is important to have a real human being running the other side of your conversations. Especially if you are communicating to boost sales or the customers has contacted you to resolve an issue or get further details about a product/service.

Be creative

As WhatsApp enables you to add photos, videos, documents, slides, and more to your otherwise plain message, brands can attract customers through their communication and also build a strong brand image through the platform. Through features like display pictures, statuses, stories, and more you can incorporate your brand identity into your everyday communication. In such a way, your brand values are reiterated to customers, with every conversation you have with them.

Personalize messages

WhatsApp is a platform all your customers usually stay in touch with their friends through or talk to their family on. So, it is important for businesses to personalize their message for every customer, to instill a sense of trust and familiarity. By being a little casual, while you remain professional, you can ensure that your communication is parallel to the tone of the platform. In such a way you can cater to the different needs of every customer and get a level closer to them in the process.

Avoid spams

Customers are continuously attacked with a dozen of promotion promotional SMSes every day. Optimize your WhatsApp channel by sending interesting updates, alerts, or engage customers through effective one-on-one conversation. In such a way you can stand out from your competition and create an atmosphere in which customers look forward to hearing from you or even take the first step to get in touch with you.

Ensure consistency

By creating a unique business profile for your company on WhatsApp Business account with all your information including business name, address, important URLs, and more, you are indirectly creating an element of trust among your customers. By keeping your messages, attachments (photos, documents, slides, etc.) and everything else in your profile consistent with your brand image, you create a sense of familiarity. Customers are more likely to respond to and interact with a familiar face or recognizable profile.

Real conversations don’t include asking customers to ‘reply with “TRACK” to 3476’ to be able to track their package. To ensure that businesses and customers have a great experience when interacting with each other, WhatsApp Business API provides several features to ensure that their two-way communication is effective and interactive. By enabling short responses and allowing businesses to keep conversations to the point and interactive through several possible attachments, it ensures that customers who are always on-the-go can easily read, comprehend, and reply to the messages. WhatsApp Business API is exactly what businesses need to attract new customers, build the relationship, and enjoy the benefits of having loyal customers.

WhatsApp Update – With more consumers turning to chat with businesses on WhatsApp, the instant messaging service provider recently announced updates to the WhatsApp Business API that will make it quicker for businesses to get started and for people to easily chat with these businesses. As per the latest update received from WhatsApp, all the existing businesses on the WhatsApp Business API from the following countries, i.e., Singapore, Malaysia, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Israel, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Germany, Nigeria, Egypt, Brazil, Colombia, Jamaica, USA, Indonesia, and Mexico will be able to send non-transactional notifications to their opted-in customers.

With this new update, businesses can drive many new use cases on the platform, such as sending product recommendations, promotional offers, and most importantly, re-engaging with their users by sending regular reminders and updates related to their products and services. All the businesses that belong to one of the countries listed above as the country setting in Business Manager can send non-transactional notifications. There won’t be a need for any additional integration.