Update: since the publication of this article, Meta CEP Mark Zuckerberg announced the launch of WhatsApp Cloud API, a free service open to businesses of any size with reduced integration time. Watch the announcement by, clicking here.
WhatsApp Business is gaining massive popularity among users for its high impact communication abilities. You can integrate WhatsApp with a virtual phone (VOIP) number to attract a large client population. The app with it’s advanced algorithms keeps communication safe and fruitful. Having a virtual phone number linked to the WhatsApp app helps you get more from your VOIP solution. In this article, we will share insights into using WhatsApp business with a VOIP number and why you should consider it for your business.
What is WhatsApp business?
WhatsApp Business is a free business communication tool that allows seamless interaction between businesses with their prospective and existing clients. The application makes it simple to directly connect with your customers, outline your products and services, and answer clients’ questions regarding the services while giving them a platform for a one-on-one conversation. Although WhatsApp Business and WhatsApp personal look similar, both versions are completely different and are positioned differently in the market. Consumer WhatsApp has a simple interface with generic features. On the other hand, WhatsApp business has two types of accounts that are created for different natures of businesses:
WhatsApp Business App:
It is free of cost and aimed at small to medium sized business with its simple interface and business information section. It is perfect for its target market that don’t have a need for a more complicated communications solution. The app intends to provide a direct and immediate line of communication to a small group of customers. Therefore, it cannot handle large-scale business requirements and hefty linking processes.
WhatsApp Business API:
This version of the WhatsApp business is meant for large-scale businesses. WhatsApp Business API enhances the company’s communication with clients globally, allowing it to link up with its wide range of customers.
Comparison between WhatsApp Business App and WhatsApp Business API
| WhatsApp Business App | WhatsApp Business API | |
| Aimed at | Suited for small to medium-sized businesses for one-to-one communication or group messaging with templates. | Suited to medium to larger sized businesses for automating communication processes using an API. |
| How to use | Individual users on Apple or Android devices | Call centres and automated systems for larger scale deployment |
| Cost | Free | Possible setup fees charged by WhatsApp Partners and the first 1,000 conversations each month are free and the subsequent will be charged, details can be found here. |
| Team Inbox | Cannot be shared with others | Easily share with the entire team |
| Content Delivery | Voice and video calls, text messages, audio, and video clips, share location and files up to a 100Mb limit | No voice or video calls but has the rest of the functionality as the Business App |
| CRM Integration | No | Yes |
| Broadcasts | Limited to 256 recipients | Send to 100,000 recipients in one go |
| Chatbot | No | Yes |
Should you use WhatsApp Business?
Now the biggest question is whether WhatsApp business is of any help to your business or not. Following are some direct benefits of using this communication app:
Ever-increasing popularity:
Using WhatsApp business in the era where the use of mobile phones is at an all-time high is always a great idea for supporting marketing and business growth.
In 2021 WhatsApp had 40.23 million users in the UK and according to the Gartner 2021 report, about 80% of customer service organisations will be leaving native applications for messaging services with the mindset of a better customer servicing experience by 2025.
Verified communication:
Using WhatsApp business is the best way to demonstrate your business’s transparency and accessibility to the clients. The customers can access your business information, thus verifying it upon registration. In other scenarios, privacy and compliance legislation can be a minefield for business owners as it requires a lot of time and consideration; WhatsApp Business App is GDPR compliant and gives the business and its customers assurance of privacy. More information can be found here.
One step ahead of customer service:
The global reach of WhatsApp is outstanding as it covers over 2 billion users worldwide. Many of your prospective and existing clients will therefore be using this platform.
Help you obtain the client’s number:
Having access to the WhatsApp business is a promising way of getting a client’s number and continuing a dialogue.
A medium of showcasing catalogues:
The user-friendly interface makes it straightforward for you to showcase your business, prospect and engage customers. In particularly many people exchange messages with their favourite small businesses on WhatsApp but getting product information requires them to exchange multiple messages and photos and this can be exhaustive. The WhatsApp Business app allows businesses to setup catalogues of products and services they offer so prospects can scan through and see what they want etc without the need for exchanging countless messages that can be frustrating for the client and time consuming for the business.
And many other features:
There are a wide range of other features and functionality that helps improve you communicate and also saves time when using WhatsApp for Business, these include:
- Templates – messages can be pre-written and used to save time, user cases for this can include account updates, auto-replies to new enquiries, shipping updates etc. What’s more they can be personalised using shortcuts you can add the individuals name and other details.
- Automate messages – in cases where you are unavailable or it’s out of hours, you can create an automated message that responds with a message that states you will reply within 24 hours or the like.
- Multi-platform – accessible on phone and computer
- Chat organisation: labels and colours – this can be used to manage leads, group customers to create some order to your messages.
Use the WhatsApp Business app with a VOIP number:
Using a VOIP number for creating a WhatsApp business account is extremely beneficial for your business. Not only does VOIP afford you the flexibility to have a local number irrespective of where you are, and answer calls directly on an internet connected mobile device but you can also connect WhatsApp to that number!
Reasons why you should opt for a VOIP number:
Speedy setup:
Anything a landline can do, VOIP can do and more.
Geographic Number:
One good thing about VoIP numbers is that you can select phone numbers for any geographic location, so you could receive inbound calls for various locations in one place or even make calls.
Confidentiality:
Using a VOIP or virtual number over a mobile phone is a highly recommended practice, particularly for small businesses. These numbers allow owners to keep their personal lives away from their professional lives, thus maintaining the balance. Hence, if anyone wishes to contact you, give them the VOIP number if you do not want to disclose the mobile number you use personally.
One of the many benefits of using a VOIP number is that you can create a schedule for your business hours outside of which any calls get redirected to voicemail. When working in tandem with WhatsApp Business you can do a similar thing and set hours for when you’d like to let people know you are unavailable by sending them an auto-response stating this.
WhatsApp Business makes it easier for prospective and existing customers to connect with you, improving two-way communication will no doubt improve customer service and support business growth.
