Introduction
Whether you like it or not, the connection between customers and businesses is changing. Customers increasingly have the power to select when, when, and how they connect with companies, thanks to the influence of socially and publicly accessible applications.
Customers anticipate being able to interact, enquire, and make service requests anytime, wherever, and however they like. But dealing with this paradigm change in a way that ensures consistent company-customer interactions across channels and throughout each engagement has an effect on the whole organization.
One of the most widely used messaging platforms worldwide is WhatsApp. It boasts 450 million daily active users and over 1.5 billion monthly active users. And those figures are predicted to rise.
By 2023, there will be 25.6 million WhatsApp users in the US. It isn't simply a texting service for buddies, though. Businesses have also started incorporating it into their service, sales, and marketing plans.
Three million businesses use WhatsApp Business, and 84% of SMBs believe it improves customer communication.
Let's explore WhatsApp in more detail below and discover Customer Care via WhatsApp: The upcoming revolution in customer service!
Customer service
Customer service is the assistance you provide to your clients to make their interactions with you simple and joyful before and after they purchase and utilize your goods or services. You must provide outstanding customer service to keep clients and expand your business. Customer service today offers much more than the standard telephone support representative. It's accessible through social media, text messages, email, and the web. Many businesses also provide self-service assistance, allowing clients to research solutions day or night. Customer support is a crucial component of your company's promise to its consumers and involves more than just delivering answers.
Why Consider WhatsApp For Customer Service?
WhatsApp is a popular messaging service that allows people to send free text and voice calls. It is available for Android, Windows Phone, iPhone, and BlackBerry.
Facebook purchased the app for $19 billion. The app has over 1 billion users, making it one of the most popular apps on the planet.
WhatsApp has also become a customer service channel for many businesses. Here are some reasons why:
It's free
WhatsApp does not charge its users fees for sending messages or making calls. It is especially attractive to small businesses with limited budgets who want to offer a customer service channel without spending money on hardware or software licenses. It makes WhatsApp an attractive option for businesses that sell products through e-commerce websites like Amazon and eBay and those that sell physical products through online marketplaces like Etsy or Shopify.
It's easy
WhatsApp is easy to use, and anyone can sign up for an account in minutes. There are no complicated forms to fill out or registration emails that need to be sent back before using the app. All you need is your phone number, and you're good to go!
It's secure
WhatsApp uses end-to-end encryption so your messages cannot be intercepted by third parties while traveling over the internet.
Customer service via WhatsApp
Let's look at some instances of using WhatsApp for customer support now.
Constantly update your clients on the progress of their orders.
Sending alerts to inform your clients of the status of their orders is one method to utilize WhatsApp as a customer service channel. You may use WhatsApp to communicate purchase confirmations, shipment updates, tracking details, anticipated delivery dates, and anything else once a consumer puts an order.
Manage reservations and bookings
WhatsApp may be a central center for transmitting and storing confirmations, updates, and travel documents for appointments, bookings, and reservations. Additionally, you may answer inquiries about reservations and handle requests for modifications, upgrades, and cancellations. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines uses the WhatsApp Business API to deliver alerts, boarding passes, notifications, and flight status updates to consumers. Additionally, they are reachable 24/7 for inquiries or adjustments to reservations.
Maintain contact with clients after the sale
Using WhatsApp to communicate with clients after they've made a purchase is a brilliant idea. You can leverage their purchase history to provide proactive communications and individualized recommendations for prospective upsell or cross-sell possibilities.
They can also use your assistance in account management.
For Example, The direct-to-home broadcast satellite service provider Tata Sky offers WhatsApp customer care for account information checks.
Use WhatsApp messaging automation for instant answers.
With WhatsApp, you may program automatic messages to welcome clients or send responses after hours, letting clients know when to anticipate a live agent's response.
Even better, you could automatically program a chatbot to respond to common queries. It not only enables you to offer help round-the-clock, but it also frees up customer care representatives to deal with trickier inquiries.
The Virtual Allstar (AVA) AI chatbot for AirAsia responds to frequent WhatsApp inquiries. Customers may inquire about everyday issues like luggage regulations or adjust their travel plans using AVA's multilingual communication channels.
Use affluent media to improve your client service.
WhatsApp allows users to share a variety of file kinds, including PDF documents, photos, audio files, and videos. Additionally, agents can join audio or video calls if certain situations are better addressed in person.
Customers may WhatsApp with chefs during the Hellmann's Whatscook event. Through the app's multimedia features, users would share images of the items they had on hand, and the chef would walk them through a dish.
Get information from feedback.
WhatsApp is a conversational platform so that you may ask for comments there in a more logical, organic way. It's a terrific chance to find out how satisfied your consumers are with your business and where you can improve your customer service, goods, or services.
You may, for instance, send a customer satisfaction survey or ask a consumer to review their contact after it has ended.
Add WhatsApp to an omnichannel strategy.
WhatsApp ranked fourth in terms of downloads in September, only behind TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram. If you currently offer customer assistance through Facebook and other social media platforms, adding WhatsApp to the mix broadens your options and improves consumer accessibility.
Make sure your WhatsApp number is displayed on your website, contact pages, and social media accounts. It will let your clients know that you are available on WhatsApp. Additionally, you may make it even simpler for clients to contact you by providing a button or QR code for the app's download on your website, social media, or app. Beyond multi-channel customer service, you can build an omnichannel customer experience by consolidating all of your interactions into a single platform and customer profile. Regardless of the channel via which a client requests assistance, agents may start the discussion immediately since they know the customer's data and history. It enables consumers to contact you quickly across all your communication platforms.
One of the numerous businesses adopting WhatsApp as their omnichannel customer care is the South African online grocery company Yebo Fresh. Customers can place a delivery order for groceries and contact customer service through text, voice, or directly through WhatsApp on the company's website.
Conclusion
WhatsApp enables agents to comprehend the client's needs and choose the most appropriate course of action. It is an effective way to communicate with consumers on a platform they are already familiar with, using, and trusting.
Hence, your customer service team should take advantage of it. However, this has a lot to offer from a customer service perspective, just like other communication channels.
Companies may provide everything from straightforward order updates to individualized one-on-one shopping experiences using WhatsApp for customer service.
We can be sure of WhatsApp as an emerging platform for consumer service, and you must learn it to develop your business further.
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