Why is a WhatsApp Business account on the WhatsApp Business API worthwhile? Isn't a regular business account enough? Spoiler: no! In the following, we'll show you six reasons for getting a professional WhatsApp Business account.
Did you know that WhatsApp is currently the most popular social media app in the world? Meta's green messenger app amasses two billion active users in countries from India to Brazil to England. And even in the US, WhatsApp is becoming more popular.
So it's only the next logical step that companies should also integrate WhatsApp into their customer communication. But what's the best (and safest) way to do it?
Companies have the choice between the free app "WhatsApp Business" and a business account via the "WhatsApp Business Platform" (formerly: WhatsApp Business API). We explain why the WhatsApp Business Platform is the better choice!
WhatsApp Business vs. WhatsApp API: The differences
As a business, you have two options for using WhatsApp in your customer communication: the WhatsApp Business App and the WhatsApp Business Platform.
🚫 Attention: The private WhatsApp app, that we all use in our daily lives, is off-limits for corporate use!
The WhatsApp Business App
You can download the WhatsApp Business app for free on any app store. It lets you create a business profile and set up some simple features, such as business hours or a product catalog. There are also some limited templates for a maximum of 256 push messages (newsletters).
However, that's already where it ends. If you want to get more out of your customer communication, you need the WhatsApp Business Platform.
The WhatsApp Business Platform
The WhatsApp Business Platform offers companies access to the WhatsApp interface (API) and thus many more options and features.
Access to the WhatsApp API is available either directly on the WhatsApp's cloud (but requires IT knowledge, infrastructure and good connections to Meta) or through Business Solution Providers. Business Solution Providers are official WhatsApp business partners who already provide companies with the corresponding infrastructure.
Sinch Engage, for example, is an official business solution provider of WhatsApp.
Sinch Engage is a software-as-a-service solution that is ready to go, and doesn't require any special IT skills to use.
Get more out of messaging apps for your business, with Sinch Engage, your all-in-one messaging platform for marketing, sales, and customer service.
Advantages of the WhatsApp Business Platform
The following reasons speak for the WhatsApp Business Platform.
1. Sending unlimited bulk messages
The WhatsApp broadcast is one of the most exciting WhatsApp features for businesses. With open rates of over 90 percent and click-through rates of 35 percent, you can reach many more people with it than via e-mail or social media.
But with the free WhatsApp business app, you can only send 256 push messages. That won't get you very far!
Be careful, though, if you think that you can just send out more than the allowed limit! WhatsApp takes very strong actions here to prevent spam. If you send more than the allowed limit, WhatsApp will quickly stop your campaign or even block your business account! You don't have to worry about that on the WhatsApp Business Platform.
Here, you already start with a minimum of 1,000 push messages. With successful campaigns, you can also quickly increase the limit to 10,000, 100,000, or even an unlimited number of push messages.
This is of course much more efficient if you want to scale campaigns quickly and reach more users. And the use cases for marketing campaigns are almost endless, ranging from regular newsletters to special promotions to reactivating contacts.
💡 Reading tip: 6 WhatsApp broadcast examples you should know
2. Chatbot capabilities
Anyone who sets up WhatsApp as a communication channel quickly realizes that customers love it! However, this also increases the volume of messages and the service team can hardly keep up.
This is exactly where the WhatsApp Business API offers the possibility to set up automation solutions such as chatbots. Even a simple FAQ bot can answer the majority of all recurring inquiries and significantly relieve the team.
By the way: WhatsApp chatbots can be created very easily with the chatbot builder from Sinch Engage and can also take on highly specialized tasks from sorting job applications to recruiting members for fitness studios to making service appointments at car dealerships or even emergency call centers!
3. Green tick possible
You can set up an official company account on the WhatsApp Business app as well as on the API. But: only the API offers you the possibility to get a green tick.
Companies with the green badge show users directly that they are trustworthy.
By the way: At Sinch Engage, we'll gladly take care of this process for you, too!
4. Manage all messages through a centralized inbox
The WhatsApp Business App works just like the private app: on a smartphone. While this may be comfortable for your customers, it's difficult for customer service agents to answer inquiries on a single cell phone.
Requests are easily lost, unless the right person has the service phone. There is also no easy way to connect the app to the CRM system and integrate customer data. With the WhatsApp Business Platform, on the other hand, you can process all requests conveniently on your desktop and assign them to the right employee via a central inbox (either manually or automatically).
With Sinch Engage, you can use the same inbox for different messaging apps. So, wherever your customers' messages are coming from (WhatsApp, Telegram, or Facebook Messenger), you'll still be able to manage them through the same inbox.
This means that no inquiry will ever be lost, and your team can also easily access the customer management system.
The best feature for us is the well-organized ticket system of Sinch Engage.
Bastian Fischer TRACTA Mode Outlet
5. No special IT skills required
If you use the WhatsApp Business API with a professional business solution, you don't need any special company cloud infrastructure or IT knowledge. Sinch Engage, for instance, is designed to be intuitive and ready to use.
As far as IT skills go: if your team has ever used a messaging app, they will be using Sinch Engage in no time!
6. 100% data protection
The regular WhatsApp Business app runs on Meta's servers in the US. This means that strict data protection, as required in many countries, is not guaranteed!
With the WhatsApp Business Platform, that's not an issue! The solution from Sinch Engage, for example, runs completely on servers that are located in Europe and i is also a desktop solution. This means that you neither have problems with WhatsApp's data processing in the US, nor with metadata access, as is the case with the smartphone-based WhatsApp Business app.
More than one reason for professional WhatsApp Business account
If you want to use WhatsApp in your customer communication to its full extent and protect your customers' data, there is no way around the WhatsApp Business Platform.
A convenient software solution, such as the one from Sinch Engage makes it easy to get started, guarantees 100% data protection, and you always have a competent team at your side to answer any of your questions.
Get in touch with our Sinch Engage experts, and we'll be happy to answer all your questions.
