It’s almost needless to state the obvious impact social media had on our everyday lives. The past couple of years stands as proof that we’ve found so many ways to use these platforms, something that seemed impossible to an average person growing up in the 2000s. WhatsApp (Wazzup) was just a famous overly-used movie line, but today?
WhatsApp is arguably one of the most popular and fastest-growing communication platforms. Recent numbers show a staggering 2 billion active worldwide users. Long gone are the days of SMS messaging, now that WA has taken over. But what does that mean for business?
As the most used messaging mobile app globally, it should surely grab your attention as a business owner. But what can you do with it? Let Ben Givon show you how to make the most out of the all-star app and make your business grow by doing so.
Internal Communication
The most obvious way to use WhatsApp as a means of business improvement is internal communication. History shows that people aren’t always eager to learn and accept new things. Resistance is usually the employee feedback when it comes to implementing communicational changes.
The good thing about infusing WA into your business is that it is familiar to virtually anyone. No training is required. Another good thing is that you don’t have to remind your employees to check for messages, as it is already a part of their hourly routine.
Many of you will agree – emails can be extremely outdated and unpractical. Sometimes, all you need is an instant message to get to certain information. You probably came across the “this meeting should have been an email” meme. Well, in our case, this email could and should have been a message.
WhatsApp is fast, fun, and you can even make a company sticker pack, all customizable and creative. Why should your internal communication be boring when you can make your workplace amusing while practical.
Customer Communication
When looking at communication tools, it’s certainly not all fun and games, arranging happy hours, and team buildings among employees. The main reason for using WhatsApp as a business is for customer communication.
A study has shown that if you do your follow-ups via Whatsapp instead of direct phone calls, you will get an astonishing 40 percent more responses. Ever heard of phone call anxiety? It’s a thing, and you’re probably one of many experiencing it.
Contacting your clients via WhatsApp can have its advantages, one of them being that you might get the opportunity to get closer to your client, being a little informal. Getting quick responses is also a thumbs-up feature.
Customer Support
The broader reach of this app is the only reason you need to begin using it for customer support. Any given customer would surely prefer sending a WA message rather than calling a helpdesk line. We’ve all had negative encounters with those.
However, not all types of businesses should opt for this kind of solution for customer support. Larger companies that get hundreds, even thousands of calls per day will definitely have trouble answering every single customer complaint, all the while trying to fix it.
Ben Givon Pro Tip: WA customer support is best for small businesses trying to establish themselves or the companies with fewer customer requests.
Marketing and Promo
We’ve already concluded that WhatsApp is the new SMS, and as such, it can be a powerful marketing tool. Experience has proven that it is an excellent one-to-one app for direct, business-related communication.
You can use the app to send out images, short videos, audios, all product-related, of course. Users across the world will be able to get a sneak peek at your services. SMS and email have certain restrictions. But with WA, there are no format limitations, and the delivery chances are significantly higher.
Using WhatsApp for your business doesn’t mean you should spam customers with messages. The ideal case would be this; using it to stay in touch with loyal, existing customers. If you try reaching out to new ones, you won’t get many results. Because let’s face it, everyone dislikes messages from unknown numbers.
Being Creative with WhatsApp
Last but not least, you can use WA messages as you please. There were a lot of creative cookies out there that practically invented new uses for the app. Heck, some are using Whatsapp as a concierge service. Book flowers, a cake, a babysitter, whatever you please.
Food ordering with WhatsApp? Say no more. Plenty of restaurants and cafes have this option nowadays. Customer food preferences and special requests can be communicated instantly.
In these pandemic times, even doctors came up with a new way of using WA. Some family doctors offer consultations via WhatsApp. Although nothing beats an in-person visit, asking about common medical queries won’t be an issue and will save you the trip. Another pro argument – some pharmacies now accept prescription photos.
Conclusion – That’s What’s Up!
To summarize, simplicity beats any complex solution that might pop up. This is why WhatsApp is enjoying the mass usage and popularity that it owns. Not just regular people can take advantage of its features. Businesses, too, can utilize it in multiple ways.
After carefully reading the Ben Givon WhatsApp for businesses guide, you’ll get a much clearer picture of how you can fuse it with your business. If you decide to use it, remember: it’s cost-effective, and you can begin the implementation quickly. For more related pieces of writing, follow Ben Givon’s blog.
