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Did you think chatbots were only on the web or Facebook Messenger? Today I'm here to tell you that there's another option, and a really popular one. I'm sure it'll ring a bell. It's called WhatsApp Business and it's here to revolutionize your customer service.
WhatsApp Business, reloaded and automated
The arrival of WhatsApp Business has caused a sensation. With this app, companies can serve their customers through the messaging channel that's already part of peoples' daily lives around the world.
Of course, more than 3 million companies already do. But not all of them offer an instant and automatic customer experience.
With a chatbot, your customers can receive answers to their queries in real-time. If needed, the session can be transferred to an agent through a Live Chat without leaving the application window.
First of all, if you want to know how to create a bot for WhatsApp and load it with special content for your customers, here is THE best article.
Related article: Chatbot for WhatsApp Business: tips to create the best experience.
Now, implementing new technology can sound a bit complex at times. Codes, programming, scripts? None of that.
In this article, you'll find out how simple it is to automate customer service through WhatsApp.
What nobody told you: The truth behind WhatsApp's green checkmark
"Do I need the green check mark to connect a bot to WhatsApp?"
Maybe you've asked yourself this question, maybe not. But you must have seen that many companies have a green check mark next to their name. This means that WhatsApp has verified that the number belongs to a company's account.
While having an official WhatsApp account improves the brand’s presence, it's not a requirement to automate customer service.
Don't forget: All accounts can implement WhatsApp.
But if you want to get the green icon, keep in mind that you’ll need a minimum of interactions per month to request it.
Automate WhatsApp Business in 3 simple steps
So now these are the steps to implement WhatsApp as an automated customer service channel.
1. Account Approval
In order to know if you can use the official API to connect to WhatsApp, you need to complete a form with information about the company, such as the name and address of the company, the billing email and contact information, etc. Then you’ll have to wait for WhatsApp's decision.
Remember that you’ll need to comply with WhatsApp’s Business Policies for your account to be approved.
In addition, it's important that you use the account only to provide customer support. WhatsApp does not allow for promotional uses.
Other variables are the company's scalability and customer availability. WhatsApp also considers whether the company already fully implements SMS, email and other Marketing channels and if it has an investment history with Facebook Ads.
2. PIN Activation
If your brand is approved, the provider will send the bot owner the information to continue. For Aivo, a representative will contact the customer and, in a brief meeting, they'll exchange the PIN code.
For this step, your phone must be enabled to receive international SMS and calls. If you use an IVR (Interactive Voice Response), disable it during this process.
3. Connection of chatbot to number
Once the PIN is activated, the connection between the bot and the company number is made.
All done! Your bot is now set up to work from WhatsApp.
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Some last tips about WhatsApp Business
To make sure everything goes well, keep in mind the following:
- The number cannot be associated with another WhatsApp account.
- The Facebook Manager ID must be that of the brand interested in operating with WhatsApp, not that of the agency that manages its networks.
If this article left you wanting to know more about how to automate WhatsApp, you can contact one of our executives.
If you're already a customer, the Customer Success team is more than ready to help you implement this channel in your customer service.
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