Meta has announced several new features for WhatsApp aimed at enhancing communication between businesses and their customers.
Meta explained that the new features, announced at the company's third annual Conversations conference in Sao Paulo, are part of a strategy to “help people and businesses connect and do business on WhatsApp.”
New tools and enhancements include the WhatsApp AI Assistant, Meta Verified for WhatsApp Business users, calling capabilities for large enterprises, and more.
Spoke at the event CEO Mark Zuckerbergoutlined its vision for how the new AI assistant will improve customer service and experience delivery for WhatsApp Business.
Every business needs to be able to quickly stand up agents who can speak to customers, provide support, and facilitate business transactions.
Meta's decision to put more resources into WhatsApp Business is not surprising, given that it is widely used as a customer service tool.
In fact, a study conducted by What's the Big Data at the end of 2023 revealed that over 50 million businesses are using WhatsApp Business, with the messaging platform increasing sales by 127% and improving customer service levels by 225%.
So, let’s take a closer look at how Meta’s latest enhancements impact WhatsApp Business users and their customers.
AI tools to help businesses better support their customers
The new assistant will be rolled out to customers and businesses in India, Singapore and Brazil, and the AI tool will be trained to answer common business queries on WhatsApp, providing faster customer support.
Meta also uses AI to help businesses create ads on Facebook and Instagram to remind customers of abandoned carts and offer discounts on purchases.
These features are new to users, Zuckerberg He also highlighted the benefits of AI that customers and businesses are already enjoying.
Previously, businesses would typically send messages on WhatsApp to all customers who opted in to receive updates.
“But now, with Ads Manager, our AI system can recommend the right subset of recipients, ensuring your message is delivered to the customers most likely to be interested.”
WhatsApp Meta Authentication
Meta is launching Meta Verified on the WhatsApp Business app in Brazil, India, Indonesia, and Colombia.
The badge indicates that your business is signed up for Meta and provides enhanced account support, including identity theft protection, and allows employees to use WhatsApp on multiple devices.
Businesses will now have access to Meta Verified badges on their WhatsApp channels, customized personalized WhatsApp pages, and improved multi-device support, allowing multiple employees to interact with customers and provide superior service.
Calling on larger companies
The company is introducing one-tap calling feature on WhatsApp for large enterprises.
As Meta explains, whether it's making complicated travel arrangements or discussing opening a new bank account, a quick phone call can be the most effective way to seek assistance.
The feature is currently being tested and will be gradually expanded to more businesses in the coming months.
Is WhatsApp a must-have for CX?
It's clear that WhatsApp will continue to play a key role in the customer service and experience space.
With a monthly active user base of over 2 billion, and Meta dedicating even more resources to the solution, adding it to your omnichannel communications stack is a must for all businesses, big and small.
Recently, Christian Orlandi, CEO of XCALLYdescribed the platform as a differentiator for CX and customer loyalty.
WhatsApp has revolutionized instant communication, allowing people to exchange messages, photos, videos and more, opening up new opportunities for businesses looking to improve customer experience and increase loyalty.
“Plus, most people are already familiar with how to use WhatsApp, so there's no big learning curve for customers or contact centre operators. Using WhatsApp Business for customer service enables businesses to interact in a fast, cost-effective and personalised way.”
“So WhatsApp has become a very valuable tool.”
More WhatsApp news from Meta
As announced last year, WhatsApp Business partnered with Vonage to introduce payments capabilities in Singapore, expanding Meta's presence in the customer purchase journey space.
Vonage Conversational Commerce powers an end-to-end shopping experience, including search and payments, for WhatsApp users in Singapore.
Vonage expects the availability of WhatsApp payments in Singapore to revolutionize how consumers and businesses connect.
Additionally, the company believes the move will enable businesses to deliver real-time customer experiences, differentiating WhatsApp from other messaging platforms and driving increased engagement and loyalty.
