Whatsapp for business

Have you considered integrating WhatsApp into your business communication strategy? Perhaps you thought it wasn’t practical or scalable, and that one person would need to handle all enquiries on their smartphone. Or maybe you believed you’d have to publicise a mobile number to use WhatsApp. Think again. Connexis offers a range of products to help you maximise the WhatsApp Business platform.

Launched in 2009, WhatsApp now boasts over 30 million users in the UK. With around 10 million downloads annually, this user base is set to grow. It’s the world’s most popular messaging service, used by 76% of adults in the UK, with 65% of them considering WhatsApp their primary online communication tool.

So, why encourage customers to contact you via WhatsApp instead of SMS?

• Read Receipts: WhatsApp’s tick system lets you see when customers have received and read your messages.
• Cost-Free for Customers: WhatsApp is free for your customers to use, provided they have an internet connection, allowing them to message you as often as they like.
• Verified Business Accounts: Meta verifies your company, and you can upload your logo, making customers feel safer when communicating with you compared to SMS.
• End-to-End Encryption: All communication over WhatsApp is encrypted, protecting the privacy of both you and your customers.

WhatsApp is also a powerful marketing tool. While marketing emails typically have a 20% open rate, WhatsApp messages boast a 98% open rate. Users trust WhatsApp, spam is less common, they can see who is sending messages, and they can easily block unwanted senders.

There are two ways to use WhatsApp Business:

• WhatsApp Business App: Download the app, register it with your mobile phone number, and use it like the regular WhatsApp app. This is ideal for self-employed individuals and micro-businesses but doesn’t scale well.
• WhatsApp Business API: Larger businesses should use the WhatsApp Business API, which allows third-party applications to utilise the WhatsApp Business platform. API stands for Application Programming Interface, and basically enables two applications to communicate with each other.

Connexis offers several solutions to help you leverage the WhatsApp Business API:

• OmniChat: A standalone WhatsApp Business platform, think of it as “Outlook for WhatsApp”. It’s perfect for businesses that don’t already use a system with WhatsApp Business API functionality. OmniChat also features a fantastic WhatsApp widget for your website.
• Wildix: For our Wildix customers, the x-bees application will soon support WhatsApp integration, seamlessly bringing WhatsApp into your existing Unified Communications solution.
• iPECS Cloud: Our new iPECS Cloud telephony platform now supports WhatsApp integration, giving you a unified interface for all your customer communications.

Whichever path you choose, Connexis can assist with setting up the Meta Business Suite, and you can use your main business number or any number of your choosing. To find out more, call us on 01952 528000 or email Sales@Connexis.co.uk.