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SubscribeLooking to use WhatsApp automation for business? A smart move. In 2022, the number of downloads for WhatsApp Business globally stood at approximately 283.5 million, up by 35% from 2021.
In this comprehensive guide, we will look at WhatsApp automation from every angle—understanding its core benefits, how to use it, and best practices to keep in mind when using an automatic WhatsApp message sender. Let’s get started!
What Is WhatsApp Business Automation?
WhatsApp business automation refers to using a third-party tool to automate your business communication on WhatsApp.
Your end goals of using WhatsApp automation might be to streamline customer service, drive promotions, send reminders, or automate repetitive tasks to save the agent’s time.
What Are the Benefits of Automated WhatsApp Messages for Business?
Using automated WhatsApp messages for your business offers 360-degree benefits:
| Benefits of Using WhatsApp Automation | Actionable Tip | Ask Yourself |
| Instant Customer Engagement | You can reach out to customers promptly and engage them in real-time. | How can you leverage in-the-moment engagement to elevate customer service? |
| 24x7x365 Availability | You can ensure your business is accessible around the clock and without any communication hiccups. | How will 24/7 availability benefit your customers (and your employees)? |
| Personalized Communication | You can customize messages to match the user’s preferences and boost engagement. Remember, a generic template will do more harm than good. | How will you tailor your messages to resonate with your target audience’s core needs, end goals, aspirations, and more? |
| Cost-Effectiveness | You can reduce operational costs by employing a bot and save both time (and money). | Which specific business areas can benefit from saved costs and time? |
| Efficient Task Automation | You can automate redundant tasks to supercharge efficiency and let the agents handle complex tasks. | What specific tasks can you automate to improve employee productivity? |
| Data Analysis | You can gather real-time data relating to the customer’s behavior, pain points, preferences, and the like. | What data points do you wish to collect along the customer life cycle? |
| Scalability | You can easily handle growing traffic as your business expands. | Will you need to upgrade automation as your business scales? |
| Reduced Errors | You can minimize mistakes in customer communication and boost credibility. | What errors are you facing in your customer communication? How can automation resolve them? |
| Multichannel Integration | You can maintain a consistent brand presence across various platforms. | Which other channels can you integrate with WhatsApp to enhance your business presence? For example, do you integrate SMS, email, etc.? |
What specific tasks can you automate to improve employee productivity?
WhatsApp Business Automated Messages: 3 Examples Worth Considering
Wondering how WhatsApp automation works in real life? Look at the following use cases:
Use-Case 1: How Banco Bolivariano Handles 98% of Customer Inquiries using WhatsApp!
Banco Bolivariano, a financial institution in Ecuador, wanted to offer versatile and efficient customer experiences while increasing credit card additional services sales.
The solution: The bank decided to expand its robust omnichannel strategy (it already uses the website, mobile app, SMS, email, and social media) to WhatsApp, a popular app in Ecuador.
The bank set up a customer communications channel powered by the WhatsApp Business Platform:
This automated digital assistant called “Avi” can:
- Greet customers with personalized messages
- Assist customers via a predefined menu of frequently asked questions (such as branch hours and locations, account balances, etc.)
- Offer consultations on loans/investments based on customer’s current account data
The results:
- 98% of inquiries were handled by WhatsApp
- 56% of credit card additional services were purchased via WhatsApp
- 46% decrease in call center volumes attributable to WhatsApp
- 70% of customers prefer WhatsApp to other digital channels
Use-Case 2: Two Brothers Organic Farms Uses WhatsApp for Instant Customer Communication
A small business, Two Brothers Organic Farms gets many best practices right when using WhatsApp automation:
- The introductory message is personalized with the customer’s name
- The content is useful and appealing, thanks to the use of emojis and formatting
- The message has predefined useful sections such as ‘Track Order,’ ‘Shop Bestsellers,’ etc., to help customers get started in an instant and without much effort:
Use-Case 3: How Nissan Drove 34X ROI in Revenue within Six Months Using WhatsApp Business Platform
Nissan Saudi Arabia wanted to provide always-on customer service and implement an automated, 24×7 communications channel to handle inquiries as well as nurture sales.
The brand used WhatsApp to create a 24×7 intelligent virtual assistant who could:
- Route customers and offer real-time help—from filing a technician request to shopping for cars
- Provide customers the freedom to access services they need at their convenience
- Help customers get useful information such as viewing different car colors, downloading brochures, and submitting requests.
The results:
- 34X ROI in revenue in six months
- 33% reduction in call center volumes
- 390% increase in leads
How to Automate Messages in WhatsApp? Expert Tips
Every brand, big or small, wants to automate messages on WhatsApp, but doing it the right way is key.
Use these tips and best practices on how to automate WhatsApp to your advantage:
- Know what you’re trying to achieve: Are you using WhatsApp business for automated messages? Do you want to improve the customer experience? Or maybe you want to keep the customers in the loop about the brand’s current promotions, deals, etc. Clarifying your business goals is the first step to nailing your WhatsApp automation strategy.
- Make sure your content is personalized and prompt: Nestasia, a lifestyle and home decor brand, makes the mistake of not personalizing its messages when a customer reaches out:
Sadly, customers are left ‘waiting’ for the brand to respond, making the experience poor and annoying. To counter this, brands must set ‘away’ messages at the very least and have call-back options to elevate the customer experience. They must also curate a customized welcome message to greet customers/leads and provide an overview of the business’ offerings.
Instead, embrace what Indigo does with its WhatsApp messaging chatbot, Dottie:
The app is available at the customer’s disposal 24/7×365 (even on holidays). Plus, users can get their booking details as well as the latest offers and discounts at their fingertips.
- Segment your broadcast list: You want to reach the right target audience with appropriate messaging based on their age, demographics, interests, behavior, likes, and more. So, use broadcast lists to address your audience’ specific needs with accurate content.
- Use your WhatsApp status as a CTA button: Want to promote time-sensitive deals and offers? Why not use your WhatsApp status as a clickable CTA button? You can include a QR code, URL, contact number, etc., and drive better engagement.
- Leverage WhatsApp chatbots: If you wish to elevate your lead nurturing efforts, leverage the power of WhatsApp chatbots. These intelligent bots can answer questions your leads may have. They can do follow-ups and send reminders, help customers make bookings/cancellations, etc.
- Ensure your communication is instant: WhatsApp has a 98% open rate. Brands must use this platform to talk to and engage customers every chance they get. If the chat volume is high during a season time, businesses must set auto-replies if they are busy. Another advantage of using WhatsApp is asynchronous messaging—where both parties may not need to be available to chat and exchange messages.
JustCall’s WhatsApp Automation Tool: To Manage Conversations at Scale
When you automate WhatsApp messages, you enter a sweet spot of business communication: Agents can save time as repetitive tasks get automated. They can use this ‘saved’ time to better address unhappy customers.
On the other end, customers can get quick service, personalized experience, and the convenience of interacting with their favorite brands.
If your business is scaling and you want to preserve the quality of customer support provided, try JustCall’s WhatsApp Inbox functionality.
You can integrate JustCall SMS and WhatsApp Inbox to:
- Text effortlessly using a single, shared inbox
- Efficiently manage your phone and chat support and drive prompt communication
- Streamline daily chats and use this all-in-one platform for messaging across channels
- Send updates, reminders, and appointment notifications to customers using pre-designed WhatsApp message templates
To leverage JustCall’s WhatsApp automation features, talk to sales and book a free trial right away.
