The advantages that messenger applications like WhatsApp bring to modern day communication are unprecedented: It’s global, immediate, free and cross-platform. This makes it a great tool for customers to reach out to businesses.
A quick look at the numbers helps to understand how and why WhatsApp support is disrupting the service industry globally. WhatsApp is still one the most downloaded messaging apps, and has over 2 billion active users across 180 countries. The impact of the messaging app is immense.
Be it handling customer queries to highlighting products, sending notifications, or providing updates, a range of tasks can be done through WhatsApp to enhance customer experience.
Why should I use WhatsApp for customer support?
Today’s customers expect personalized answers and to be engaged in real-time communications. Using WhatsApp for customer support can help your business in many ways:
Most monthly active users
WhatsApp has the highest number of monthly active users globally. Not using WhatsApp for customer service support is simply a lost opportunity to retain happy customers and grow your business.
API implementation
The WhatsApp business API provides your business with more advanced tools and features. Automate tasks, consolidate support queries, and generate sales leads – all in a familiar interface.
Chatbot capabilities
Using a WhatsApp chatbot template for customer support enhance the capabilities of your business. You’ll be able to assist your customers during non-working hours, and handle multiple chats at a single time. It is not only efficient and faster, but will save on support costs.
Rich media
Attach rich media and documents with your chatbot’s WhatsApp messages. Enhance customer engagement by sending images, videos, emojis, or documents.
How to use WhatsApp for customer support
Handle customer queries
Today’s customers demand service how, where, and when they want it. They seek quick responses and their queries resolved in real-time when they reach out to businesses.
– Add your WhatsApp number on your website, social media channels, and email signatures so that your customers can reach out to you.
– Add a WhatsApp chat button to let customers effortlessly access it and start the communication.
Collect customer feedback
The conversational flow of WhatsApp makes it the perfect tool to collect customer feedback, or gauging customers sentiments.
Input from customers doesn’t always require asking for feedback: the conversation itself will tell you what’s wrong.
– If you get the same question over and over again, add it to your website’s FAQs.
– If the same product seems to cause problems, check it out and fix it.
– Or understand what customers are interested in? What would make them buy more, or visit you more frequently?
Seamless reservations
Handling complex processes like bookings ensure quick resolution; saving customers the hassles of emailing and calling the support team for relevant information. It’s a convenient procedure, and immediately puts the customer at ease.
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is a great example of how you can use WhatsApp Business to get closer to your customers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ay-D4XDUe0&t=14s
Send status updates
You can update your customer’s order status or send news about an item on their wish-list that was out of stock but has now arrived. Inform customers about the exact status of their order, its scheduled arrival, and other key information.
– Invoice notification: send a billing invoice or payment request and keep customers timely notified.
– Appointment reminder: send appointment notifications to remind customers of important appointments.
– Delivery status: keep customers informed about the status of an order.