How WhatsApp Business delivered the right message in customer engagement

In a digital age where attention spans are fleeting, businesses in India are scrambling to find innovative ways to engage with their customers. Amid this, Meta’s messaging platform WhatsApp has emerged as a game changer, redefining the way businesses interact with their audience.

With 600 million users in India, WhatsApp has become a key tool for businesses, enabling them to communicate, transact and build relationships with their customers.

Users can book flights or trains, get a back-in-stock alert, order meals or trendy clothes, track online deliveries, and even start the day with a fresh newspaper, all without leaving the WhatsApp app.

The WhatsApp advantage

WhatsApp’s reach and penetration make it a popular platform for businesses in India. A WhatsApp spokesperson told exchange4media, that over 60% of Indian WhatsApp users message a business account every week, and more than 15 million small and medium-sized enterprises (SMBs/SMEs) in India leverage WhatsApp Business Solutions.

This surge in adoption is driven by the increasing app fatigue among users, with 65% of them reluctant to download new apps for products and services. A significant 40% of users abandon purchases if required to download an app, indicating a clear shift towards using as few apps as possible.

According to the data shared at Meta’s What's Next event, WhatsApp Business enables brands to reach new audiences and increase their average reach by 61%. It also drives higher order values, with a 22% increase observed. Notably, WhatsApp Business boasts higher conversation rates compared to traditional channels like SMS (53%) and email (61%). Additionally, it helps reduce churn rates, with a 13% decrease observed before and after implementation.

The platform also enables personalised and efficient customer service. By leveraging AI, businesses can automate support, answer queries and even assist with sales. AI-powered assistants within the WhatsApp Business app can help with tasks like creating social media ads or utilizing features like catalogues and quick replies.

South Korean tech giant Samsung, who wanted to optimise its lead generation process and gather feedback from potential customers, turned to WhatsApp-based forms before product launches. It gathered a lot of feedback in a short time, giving Samsung useful insights to improve its products and marketing strategies.

The introduction of Meta Verified for WhatsApp Business helped tackle problems of impersonation, increasing security and convenience for small businesses.

Customized message features such as appointment reminders and holiday sale updates and coupon codes, strengthen customer relationships and drive engagement. To further elevate the user experience, WhatsApp has introduced several innovative features. Custom Flows enable businesses to create rich menus and customizable forms tailored to specific customer needs.

For example, Sapphire Foods, the parent company of popular food chains like Taco Bell, KFC, and Pizza Hut, faced a common challenge: low coupon redemption rates. To address this issue, they implemented a strategic approach combining WhatsApp and voice technology. By sending personalized WhatsApp messages to customers, they effectively reminded them of their unused coupons. To further boost redemption rates, a follow-up voice call was made to each customer, providing additional incentives and personalized assistance. This multi-channel approach proved highly effective, leading to a significant increase in coupon redemptions, from 2% to 4%.

Native Payments, another significant development, allows businesses to integrate secure payment options directly into WhatsApp chats. This streamlined payment process reduces transaction friction and boosts conversion rates.

To ensure a positive user experience, WhatsApp is testing new ways for users to provide feedback on the types of messages they receive. The introduction of "stop/resume" and "interested/not interested" buttons empowers users to control the types of messages they receive from businesses.

WhatsApp Business’ impact is evident in various sectors. For instance, the Gujarat government's decision to release 10th and 12th board exam results via WhatsApp showcases the platform's potential to reach a massive audience. This single initiative generated 4-5 million messages within an hour.

Route Mobile, a CPaaS provider, has been leading innovations in the WhatsApp Business ecosystem. Their "Ocean" platform is a game-changer, integrating various communication channels like SMS, email, WhatsApp and soon RCS and Viber. This unified platform ensures seamless communication throughout the customer lifecycle, from awareness to loyalty.

Another innovation is Roubot, an advanced chatbot builder. "Roubot allows users to build conversational bots for WhatsApp effortlessly. From payments to catalogues and flows, every feature can be built with a simple click of a button," explained a spokesperson from Route Mobile.

Delhi Metro has significantly enhanced its passenger experience by integrating WhatsApp into its ticketing system. Users can now conveniently purchase tickets, recharge smart cards, and receive QR codes directly on WhatsApp. This innovative approach has not only reduced long queues at ticket counters but also streamlined the entire ticketing process. By eliminating the need for physical tickets, Delhi Metro has embraced digital transformation and provided a more efficient and user-friendly service.

Route Mobile is also leveraging Meta's Marketing API with MMI Lite, an API that enables targeted advertising by delivering campaigns to relevant customer segments. "MMI Lite ensures businesses can reach the right audience while optimizing their marketing spend," explained the spokesperson.