WhatsApp Inc has finally launched its much-awaited business app in India. The app is free to download and has many features which businesses will find useful. It allows customers to stay in touch with businesses and vice versa.
WA Business was launched on January 17, 2018. The app has registered half a million downloads within 6 days. It has a similar user interface as the official WhatsApp app. It is easy to use.
How to use?
Users cannot use WhatsApp messenger and WhatsApp Business apps with the same number. The user must register his phone number to use the application. Once WAB creates your account, it will ask you to enter the name of your firm. The app will also prompt you to upload a display picture.
Check the name you’ve entered in the text field twice before tapping on the submit button. WhatsApp won’t allow you to change the firm’s name in the future.
Top Features of the WhatsApp Business app
Statistics: WAB allows users to see the number of messages they’ve sent and received. Businesses can use this information to see whether they’re communicating with the clients/customers or not.
Business Profile: WhatsApp allows you to create a business profile. Your business profile can have the following details:
- Business address, location on Google map.
- Business category, description, working hours.
- Website URL, photo.
Users of the WhatsApp application can add up to two websites to their business profile.
Quick Reply: This feature of WAB can save your time. You can add as many quick replies as you want in the WhatsApp Business app. To send a quick reply, enter the slash character in the text field of the app’s chat interface.
Away Message: When you’re not using the app or when you’re offline, WhatsApp can automatically reply to your client when you configure the “Away Message” feature. The “Away” message is sent from your phone. It won’t work if you turn off the data or WiFi connection.
Greeting Message: When a new customer sends you a message, WhatsApp Business will automatically send the greeting message to the customer.
Voice/video calls: WAB lets users make VoIP and video calls to their customers. The calls are free and they can last for any duration.
Quick search: WB allows users to find messages containing a specific word.
The best thing about this app is that you can convert your WhatsApp account into a business account free of cost. Also, you can use WA Business to chat with your friends.
If customers don’t want to receive messages from specific businesses, they can block it in the WAB application.
Who can use WhatsApp Business?
Anyone having an Android phone can use this application.
Also see: Best dating apps for Android and IOS
Should Justdial, Seulkha and other business listing websites worry?
There’s is a big reason for the business review websites to worry. WhatsApp has about 200 million users in India and 1.3B users globally. Apart from chatting with friends, people use WhatsApp to communicate with the clients. If Facebook unleashes web variant of WA Business, it will pose a serious threat to business listing portals.
Availability
As of now, WhatsApp business is available for Android users only. IOS variant of the app is expected to hit the Apple App Store this week.
