How to use WhatsApp messenger in your marketing strategy?

According to Hootsuite, WhatsApp is not just a Facebook company, not just a communication network, but above all a tool. A platform for effective customer care. The application can be the core of the customer care strategy. General availability and automation are qualities that will improve the mood of both BOK departments and customers themselves.

Statista indicates that WhatsApp is in first place in terms of the number of users it has out of all the messengers in the world. The number of users reaches the order of two billion, which surpasses Messenger, which is in second place (1.3 billion) and WeChat in third place with 1.2 billion users.

Statista's research team estimates that this amount will only increase. Currently, more than 3 billion cell phone users use non-standard messaging applications. This number is expected to grow by another 420 million users by 2025.

Problematic Customer Care

Consumers who communicate with brands are inherently engaged. The communication process usually takes place in connection with an inquiry or a solution to a problem. A convenient communication platform to maintain engagement and a high level of service when implemented quickly will help to maintain a positive customer experience with the company, Of course, there are customer service departments that help their customers by contacting them by phone or email.

It should be borne in mind, however, that the sheer volume of calls flowing to the switchboard can significantly increase the waiting time for assistance, not to mention the situation of more complex and complicated issues to be solved, which may be beyond the competence of the consultant himself. It affects satisfaction with the service and reduces its quality relative to the customer perspective.

The email route remains. Mailing with the company has the advantage of a thorough description of the problem and the possibility of attaching relevant organizational authorities to the correspondence, but in this case, too, time plays to the disadvantage of employees, and replies by e-mail may take from several minutes to several hours, days or even weeks.

Why you should use WhatsApp in your communication with customers?

WhatsApp is a convenient messenger – it is valued by billions of people on Earth showing interest in it by having their contact information in it. According to Hootsuite, this is an ideal alternative to standard phone or email communication. Customers can navigate it as if they were in a familiar environment and do so within their own timeframe, without interfering with their plans and responsibilities. Moreover, this messenger can be a convenience not only for consumers themselves, but also for the people who serve these customers. Automated messages can help solve simple issues without wasting time for both parties, and for more complex problems consultants will have more time (saved previously) and energy, which in turn will affect their motivation and efficiency, since most of us do not like monotony and routine and quickly get discouraged in contact with them.

Benefits of using WhatsApp for the brand?

The reach of the messenger itself, currently measured in two billion, or ⅔ of all participants in conversational applications, is very impressive and gives reason to practically use it in your marketing strategy. This is not the only advantage of this tool. The platform allows companies to have verified profiles within their infrastructure, which will affect the speed of finding a contact form and confidence in the profile. WhatsApp also guarantees encryption of correspondence, compliant with RODO procedures, As well as providing an opportunity for heterogeneous communication e.g. through customer service, consulting or marketing. Hootsuite estimates thate replies via WhatsApp are 60 percent. faster than phone calls and emails, and the ability to program automated responses will allow save 80%. effort the work they have put in so far.

It is also important for a company to budget, which can be increased with proper remodeling. Call center departments are usually costly departments, not making a profit on their own. Of course, the role of any provider of products and services is to take care of the comfort of its customers, which is what customer service departments are for, but WhatsApp shows that you can do otherwise – you can save on call centers and outdated CRM systems. It will increase employee productivity and final consumer satisfaction. The company will have a reputation for innovation and reliability, employees will face more challenging issues, and the company will not "burn through the budget", while still making money.

Benefits of using WhatsApp for the customer?

As we can see above, the messenger that since 2014 belongs to Zuckerberg is able to offer quite a few business benefits, but what does it offer directly to the customers of a brand? Firstly, the platform is well known by its users, which will make it much easier for them to navigate the panel and report the matter. The app is safe from malware and ads, which affects the user experience. The waiting time will be reduced to the absolute minimum, which is the time the user spends in front of the screen. A big usability improvement is also the ability to freely switch between devices – computer and phone, as well as the option to send a photo, video, voice message or location pin.

WhatsApp for business!

WhatsApp indicates that with its help business relationships can have three dimensions. The first model is the one between a person and another person, well known from direct correspondence, because this is the type of relationship. The second model is the customer's contact with a small company, which will be different from the contact with a large corporate moloch, which in fact is the third correspondence model.

Hence, in addition to the app for customers, WhatsApp distributes two official solutions for business:

• WhatsApp Business (whatsapp.com/business) – free app for small businesses with up to 5 employees. Its disadvantage is far too little integrity to call it a full-fledged RODO compliant corporate tool.
• WhatsApp Business API interface (developers.facebook.com/products/whatsapp) – a package for medium and large companies enabling communication with customers on a large scale. Through APIs, enterprise customers can connect hundreds of thousands of agents and bots to interact with customers programmatically and manually. Importantly, you don't have to give up your CRM, especially if it is well organized. It can be linked to your app system giving you another data integration tool.

WhatsApp's key business features

The most important feature of the communicator is that it is a communicator. After all, it accompanies a large part of the population in everyday communication, and this makes it something close to many users. Appearing in this space can give a brand a much greater competitive advantage from the get-go over others who abandon this space.

What's more, a way of communicating tailored to the customer, using emoji and appropriate language, combined with a fast and intuitive service process can result in much better results than developing the largest telecommunications platforms. The ability to include media in messages can be quite a convenience for both customer and service, with chat available 24/7. This awareness will give a breather to customers who know that they can return to the conversation in peace, at their convenience.

WhatsApp Marketing

For companies, WhatsApp is above all a huge tool with the potential to build brand awareness, and through which you can do it. After all, how many brands are positioning themselves as those that serve customers through social media. Ability to use chatbots, streamlining payment process i generation of new leads also has the potential to dramatically impact a company's revenue. Some interesting marketing issues include push marketing, which can successfully replace mailing and text messages, through notifications that appear on the consumer's locked screen.

The document produced by Hootsuite is an interesting set of research insights, but also a great promotional tool for WhatsApp’a. It looks like Hootsuite didn't just make it up, the application actually has a lot of potential both in terms of communication and promotion. Whether it will be able to replace entire call center departments is more debatable and depends on many other factors, although innovations in this area may surprise many consultants in the future.