WhatsApp Automation and Why it Matters – NeoDove

Are you aware that over 5 million businesses actively connect with their customers over WhatsApp? 

Moreover, 80% of these businesses believe that the platform has helped them grow. 

With WhatsApp having such significant impact, you should definitely consider incorporating WhatsApp automation into your business processes.

After all, what is that one thing you cannot imagine your day without?

Undoubtedly, it is checking one’s WhatsApp.

In current times, using WhatsApp and WhatsApp automation has become an important tool for businesses everywhere. For comparison, the platform is considered as important as oxygen for large and small businesses alike. 

In this article, let’s examine why exactly WhatsApp automation is so important alongside its benefits. Furthermore, we will also examine what WhatsApp Business automation has to offer.

What does WhatsApp automation mean?

In recent times, WhatsApp has become the preferred method of communication amongst customers. 

With the introduction of business-friendly and smart automation, you can significantly enhance quality of customer service. This leads to faster resolution of problems.

Out of various options, WhatsApp is by far the most widely used messaging platform. In fact, it has over two billion users worldwide. All of this demonstrates the incredible reach you can achieve with the platform.

Moreover, with WhatsApp API, WhatsApp Business and bots, your business can now automate entire conversation processes alongside message flows.

Setting up your business’ auto-replies can be done in two ways:

1) Using WhatsApp Business

Through the WhatsApp Business App, connect with customers more. You can deliver important notifications as well as collect feedback from them. 

It even functions as a live chat tool. You can even use it to set up ‘away messages’. In this way, you can inform customers that you’re unavailable but will get back to them shortly.

2) Using WhatsApp’s Business APIs 

WhatsApp Business APIs enable you to send timely messages as well as automate your conversations. 

With the help of a WhatsApp Chatbot, you will be able to automate responses to FAQs. Alongside this, you can also stay connected with customers 24/7.

How do you automate WhatsApp messages?

When WhatsApp Business was introduced, it brought with it the concept of Whatsapp automation. Additionally, two major methods of utilizing this automation feature became quite popular.

• WhatsApp Business Automation APIs 

WhatsApp Business API is aimed at medium as well as large-sized business owners. This helps them reach out to customers around the globe. 

With the help of WhatsApp Business API, WhatsApp chatbots can instantly address queries from customers at scale as well as increase your brand’s reach.

WhatsApp Business chatbots are mainly used to hold automated conversations with your customers. Thereby, mimicking a regular human interaction. 

Nowadays, businesses are popularly using business chatbots to increase their own engagement rate. Furthermore, brand visibility is also improved alongside stellar customer service.

The WhatsApp API lets you utilize WhatsApp Business app’s automation tools. In addition to this, you can completely enjoy more advanced capabilities such as automating the entire flow of a message through bots.

Some of the main functionalities of WhatsApp APIs are as follows:

1) Automating the entire flow of messages

WhatsApp API allows you to set up custom message flows. As well as covering the length of a normal conversation, this will also cover different stages of a conversation.

It is mainly useful when dealing with repetitive tasks and frequently asked questions. Customized message flows will cut response time and improve customer service.

2) Ability to automate the sales process via WhatsApp bots

The entire selling flow can be automated and made human-intervention-free with the help of WhatsApp bots.

In addition, the bot can be programmed to display catalogues alongside questions about the customer’s needs. In fact, it can even help you select the right product and allow you to check out instantly.

Most importantly, with the help of chat bots, you can offer 24/7 customer service to your customers.

3) Automating proactive notifications is possible

You can connect with your customers proactively through WhatsApp API. Set up proactive message templates to accomplish this.

It is possible to use this feature after a customer has opted in to receive such communication from you. Once confirmed, you can use this to send updates on orders, appointments, service requests and payments. 

This greatly reduces the number of follow-up questions customers need to ask. As a result, agents have fewer repetitive queries to handle.

Keep in mind that message templates can only support images, text, and PDFs.

4) Automating IVR call rerouting

It is an automation feature that only WhatsApp API offers, allowing you to reduce agent workload by directing phone calls to WhatsApp.

Additionally, your IVR (Interactive Voice Response) system allows you to choose a particular number. Afterward, you can set it to ask the user if they would like to continue their conversation through WhatsApp.

Upon opting in, the customer will be automatically redirected to WhatsApp. From there, they can continue the conversation with a bot or an agent.

This feature has been shown to significantly reduce wait times for customers who need fast resolution. In addition to this, the business also benefits from reduced operational costs.

• WhatsApp Business App Automation

The WhatsApp Business app is a free-to-use option that is equipped with the basic features of the WhatsApp API. However, the API promises more advanced features as well as WhatsApp automation capabilities.

Three of the main features in WhatsApp Business include:

1) Automated greeting message

With this feature, you can set a triggered response to customers’ messages as soon as their query is received.

Not only does this make your first interaction quick, but also lets customers feel seen and heard. This message can be set from the business tool section via the WhatsApp Business App.

2) Automated away messages

Automated away messages can be curated to trigger whenever an individual reaches out to you post office hours. 

Through this feature, your customers can rest assured that their query has been received. Additionally, they can also know about when they should expect a response.

As a result of this innovative feature, they will not be left feeling neglected and unhappy.

3) Quick replies to answer FAQs at a faster rate

With this handy feature, you can save and reuse messages repeatedly. 

After assigning a unique ‘tag’ to the messages, you can access them by typing ” / ” followed by a certain keyword. 

By utilizing these messages, you can respond to queries fast as well as save agents’ time and energy.

Benefits of WhatsApp Auto Message and Chatbots

WhatsApp automation, especially chatbots offer a range of benefits and can help your business run a lot more efficiently. Chatbots offer the perfect opportunity for businesses to reach out to a newer and wider audience.

Additionally, they also allow businesses to provide the best quality of customer service. This ensures that customers keep coming back to your business.

Here are some of the various benefits of WhatsApp auto message and chatbots for different groups of individuals:

• Benefits For Clients 

Clients reap the following benefits from a business utilizing WhatsApp chatbot:

• Your clients can initiate conversation with businesses whenever they want. Moreover, they can also receive instant solutions to their queries.
• Receiving instant replies means that they’re able to have two-way conversations with businesses.
• As a result of 24/7 support, there are higher customer satisfaction rates.
• Businesses are accessible on an already-available platform so their customers don’t need to download new apps.
• In addition to this, users would already be well-acquainted with the functioning and layout of WhatsApp.
• Two-factor authentication, end-to-end encryption along with business verification offers  protection of your users’ data and identity.
• AI-enhanced chatbots are capable of making conversations more personalized. Overall, this adds to the value as well as quality of interaction.

•  Benefits For Business Owners

Business owners benefit from using WhatsApp automation in different ways. Some of them include:

• Any business size from small, home-run businesses to even larger corporations can make use of it.
• Makes your business available and easily accessible from a range of platforms and channels.
• The richer customer experience provided by chatbots enriches customer interactions. Thus, this helps with your customer engagement and retention.
• Has the ability to send broadcasts along with outbound notifications to your clients.
• They enable improvement of brand awareness and loyalty while enhancing your brand-customer relationships.
• It facilitates businesses by allowing them to reach out and connect with individuals through a visual and interactive medium. 
• Furthermore, the almost global availability of WhatsApp allows you to create and program a customer-centric chatbot. This bot is then capable of catering to international audiences.

Additionally, they also allow businesses to provide the best quality of customer service that will ensure customers keep coming back to your business.

Here are some of the various benefits of WhatsApp auto message and chatbots for different groups of individuals:

• Benefits for marketers

The ability to auto send WhatsApp messages has brought about a lot of new opportunities for marketers. Some of these opportunities include:

• WhatsApp chatbots can be used to carry out repetitive tasks otherwise done by marketers. In this way, marketers will have more free time for strategic work.
• It allows your business’ team to navigate as well as direct customers down the marketing funnel.
• You can make use of Broadcast lists to execute marketing campaigns on WhatsApp.
• It also assists in setting up an effective channel for generating as well as contacting leads.
• The use of personalized chats allow for chatbots to offer intriguing discounts to certain frequent users/potential leads.
• Moreover, there is the presence of various formatting options and the ability to include multimedia. This enables the marketing team to be much more creative with their own skills.

• Benefits For Sales Executives

After leads have been generated, the sales team can enjoy the following benefits from WhatsApp auto messaging:

• You can run promotions for leads that are growing cold.
• The 24-hour WhatsApp status feature is a very innovative way of announcing flash sales and deals.
• Quick replies are useful in keeping your customers engaged during the entirety of their purchase.
• You can also share updates on customer orders as well as other important notifications.
• It allows your business to up-sell. This is done through recommendations of relevant and suitable products along with the links to buy them.
• Chatbots can help customers make sales-related decisions. They can help with anything from locating products to directing to payment gateways.’

• Benefits For Customer Support Representatives

• Complex queries can automatically be transferred from bot to a customer support executive if necessary using chatbot-to-human handover.
• Your WhatsApp chatbots can be customized to deal with FAQs.
• It allows for two-way conversation to occur between your business and customers. Moreover, customers can receive instant responses.
• If unable to provide satisfactory solutions, you can redirect customers to service centers/ nearby stores. They can even share the location pin of these outlets.
• With WhatsApp chatbots, your organization can set up surveys for clients. Collecting and examining these can help enhance your products and services.

Also read – Why is whatsApp Business important for small and medium sized businesses? 

 Conclusion

Businesses today understand the importance of reaching out to customers in new and innovative ways. Moreover, reaching out to them on platforms they’re already active on can play a vital role.

The greatest advantage of WhatsApp automation is perhaps the opportunities it offers for your business. Through WhatsApp Business and WhatsApp Business chatbots, you can build a stronger and more stable relationship with your customers. 

Furthermore, your business can gain an increasingly loyal customer base alongside higher engagement rates on WhatsApp. Thus, with WhatsApp automation and chatbots, your customer care operations can be completely streamlined. 

As a result, your customers will enjoy a more responsive experience, and your business will reap all the benefits.