WhatsApp Business Customer Service – What, Why and How

WhatsApp Business customer service is currently attracting strong interest from companies. Customers expect fast and agile communication, and as a result, expectations for customer service via social media and instant messaging have increased. WhatsApp is an easy way to reach customers where they spend most of their time – on their mobile phones.

Adding WhatsApp as part of a multichannel customer service setup is straightforward, but how does it work in practice, and why should companies invest in WhatsApp Business customer service?

What Is WhatsApp Business and Why Is It Useful?

Owned by Meta, WhatsApp is one of the most popular instant messaging apps in the world. Through WhatsApp Business, companies can offer customer service directly via WhatsApp.

WhatsApp is a device-independent instant messaging application used on smart devices, enabling users to send messages to one another. In addition to text messages, users can send images, videos, GIFs, voice messages, make voice and video calls, share contact details, and share their location.

WhatsApp is free for consumer use, but for businesses its use involves certain costs.

Why Use WhatsApp Business for Customer Service?

WhatsApp is an easy and natural channel for customers to interact with companies, as the app is actively used by a large share of people in their everyday lives. Its popularity is undeniable – throughout the 2010s, WhatsApp was the third most downloaded app globally.

WhatsApp is an easy and natural channel for customers to interact with companies, as the app is actively used by a large share of people in their free time as well.

WhatsApp Business enables close interaction with customers by offering customer service in the channel where they already spend the most time. This lowers the threshold for contacting a company, as customers do not need to switch to other communication channels to receive support.

Interacting with a company via WhatsApp is perceived as effortless, fast, and convenient. The personal nature of the channel enables conversational dialogue with customers, opening opportunities for upselling, cross-selling, and collecting customer feedback.

Benefits of WhatsApp Business Customer Service

• A direct and effortless channel for contacting the company
• Fast, personal, and seamless communication
• Customers can send messages and files directly from their phone
• Customers can start a conversation and return to it at a time that suits them
• A familiar and trusted application for a broad user base
• Ability to send marketing and bulk messages to customers

What Types of Companies Is WhatsApp Business Suitable For?

WhatsApp Business customer service is an excellent low-threshold additional channel, especially for companies operating in consumer business. It is important to consider whether WhatsApp is widely used among your customer base and whether customers perceive it as a suitable way to contact your company.

WhatsApp Business customer service provides an excellent low-threshold additional channel, especially for companies operating in consumer-focused business.

WhatsApp customer service is suitable for companies of all sizes. In particular, small and medium-sized businesses can benefit from WhatsApp Business as a fast and straightforward way to communicate with customers. However, if message volumes become very high, managing message overflow becomes a challenge. In such cases, it is essential to prioritize the most effective customer service channels and invest in tools that help manage multiple communication channels efficiently.

How to Get Started with WhatsApp Business

The easiest way to connect WhatsApp Business to your customer service operations is through a customer service system or ticketing system that supports WhatsApp integration. This allows WhatsApp communication to be handled in the same view as other service channels, making it easier and faster to respond to messages, manage customer data, and report on customer service performance.

Why Integrate WhatsApp into a Customer Service System?

• No switching between applications
• Access customer history from other channels
• Unified reporting across all service channels
• Manage message volume and ensure all messages are answered
• Centralized storage of customer data
• Easy deployment with an experienced partner

WhatsApp Business can be integrated into the Line Carrier Contact Center and Ticketing system as a dedicated service queue. This allows customer service teams to handle WhatsApp inquiries in the same interface as other channels, such as phone calls, text messages, and email.

Customer service agents gain a comprehensive view of the customer profile and interaction history regardless of the channel, enabling them to provide even better service. All Contact Center functionalities, including reporting, are also available for WhatsApp Business interactions.

Read how A-Katsastus Group, a customer of Line Carrier’s sister company DialOk, has utilized WhatsApp Business for vehicle inspection appointment bookings.

Multichannel customer service via phone, WhatsApp, and chat – the A-Katsastus customer story

Want to Start Using WhatsApp in Your Company?

We’re happy to tell you more. Get in touch and let’s discuss!