Consumers today often prefer messaging over phone calls when it comes to service issues. A recent study found that 52% of customers would rather message than call customer service. The reason seems clear: Messaging is often quicker and more convenient than a phone call. So how can start-ups and scale-ups best adapt to this reality?

Recently, messaging apps such as WhatsApp have added APIs that make it easier for companies to interact with customers and prospects through instant messaging. Start-ups and scale-ups can use WhatsApp Business API to provide customer support, send order updates and tracking information, or even promote new products - all without bombarding users with unwanted calls or ads.

What is the WhatsApp Business API?

The WhatsApp Business API is a verified API that businesses can use to interact with their customers over the popular instant messaging app. The API allows businesses to send and receive messages, track message delivery, and develop chatbots.

It is not the same as the WhatsApp for Business app, which is a separate app designed for small businesses. The WhatsApp Business API is designed for larger companies or start-ups beginning to scale that require more features and integration with other business systems.

The only way to obtain the WhatsApp Business API is to do so through a WhatsApp Business Solution Provider. There are many of these providers, but not all are created equal. Make sure to do your research before selecting a provider, as some providers may not have the necessary experience or technical expertise to provide a high-quality service.

Start Communicating With Customers The Right Way

Using WhatsApp for start-ups is a way to scale customer service operations quickly and as often as required during periods of rapid growth. When a start-up grows, it can simply add more agents to its WhatsApp Business account. This is a much simpler and more cost-effective solution than adding more phone lines or hiring additional customer service staff.

Team Inboxes

Start-ups can also take advantage of team inboxes and multi-user logins to provide customer service on the go. This is perfect for businesses that have a team of customer service reps working in different locations. With team inboxes, all messages sent to the company's WhatsApp number will be routed to the appropriate agent.

Multi-User Login

Multi-user login also allows approved individuals to provide customer service from their personal phones, even when they are on the go. This is a convenient solution for start-ups that do not have a dedicated customer service number.

Build Chatbots To Free Up Your Agents

With chatbots, start-ups can provide customer service and sales support at the same time. For example, a customer service chatbot can be used to answer common questions while a sales chatbot can be used to provide information about new products and services. This saves time and money and avoids spreading customer service teams too thinly.

Broadcast Messages

Another advantage of using WhatsApp Business API in your start-up's call center is that it can be used to send broadcast messages. Broadcast messages are messages that are sent to multiple people at the same time. This is a great way to keep your customers updated on new products, promotions, or any other important information.

Personalized Campaigns

Finally, WhatsApp Business API can also be used to create personalization campaigns that use a customer’s previous buying habits to suggest possible future purchases. By using the API to connect a CRM with a product catalog, you can make recommendations to specific customers and send messages along with product images or even videos of items that are likely to be of interest to them. This is a great way to nurture your leads and turn them into customers.

Conclusion

For start-ups to be successful, they need to be able to quickly and efficiently communicate with their customers. They also need to be able to scale up quickly and grow teams without adverse effects on their ability to serve customers. The WhatsApp Business API is a great solution for businesses looking to scale their customer service operations. With the WhatsApp Business API, start-ups and scale-ups can quickly add more agents to their accounts, take advantage of team inboxes and multi-user login, send broadcast messages, and build chatbots that help take the strain. Doing so will allow start-ups to provide the best possible customer service and nurture their leads into customers.

Unleash the Power of WhatsApp for Customer Service

With Unifonic's WhatsApp API, you can create chatbots that will delight your customers with always-on instant replies for common inquiries and FAQs. You can also use our optional IVR call deflection regardless of working hours or agent availability.

Multimedia messaging allows you to enrich messages with multimedia images, documents, audio, video, and location attachments for a seamless conversation experience beyond text-only restrictions and language limitations. This will enable you to engage customers with personalized offers, timely promotions, and special deals to maximize brand awareness, increase conversions, and boost customer loyalty while improving ROI.

Speak to an expert today to see how we can help you turn your start-up into a customer service powerhouse with WhatsApp Business API.