WhatsApp automation for business is a solution to avoid losing sales, provide 24/7 customer support, and offer personalized assistance. With over 3 billion monthly active users, WhatsApp has become one of the most popular instant messaging platforms, and it's used worldwide to connect companies with their target audience.
Customers are looking for quick and efficient ways to contact businesses, with immediate responses. The time of communicating only through email or phone calls is gone; the omnichannel approach includes chat messages and social media channels to suit customer needs as well as possible. Automating WhatsApp messages will help with that.
What is WhatsApp Automation?
WhatsApp automation can be described as using software to automate the process of sending messages on WhatsApp. This way, when someone gets in contact, they will receive an instant answer that could be written by you or generated by artificial intelligence, depending on the automation solution you choose to implement.
You can also make the first contact by automating WhatsApp to send messages to leads and proactively engage with them. For example, you can automate welcome messages to people who register on your website or send abandoned cart reminders.
The main goals of WhatsApp automation for business are reducing the response time, improving customer satisfaction, enjoying opportunities to engage with your target audience, and closing sales.
How Does WhatsApp Automation for Business Work?
The main way to automate WhatsApp is by using an application programming interface (API), in this case, the WhatsApp Business API. It enables companies to connect their WhatsApp with third-party solutions that provide multiple services, such as:
Chatbots
WhatsApp automation for business - chatbot
70% of businesses using chatbot for WhatsApp saw improvements in customer satisfaction. When you connect a chatbot application to your WhatsApp Business, the chatbot can be in charge of replying to every message you receive.
Many of them use artificial intelligence, empowered by machine learning and natural language processing (NLP), to analyze and answer each message individually and provide efficient answers. If necessary, the chatbot can transfer the conversation to a live agent.
Personalization
You can also use WhatsApp automation to send personalized messages to your customers. For example, an AI chatbot analyzes the customer's previous interactions to not only address them by name, but to answer their requests considering what solutions they have tried before, and also send personalized suggestions.
Workflow Automation
It's also possible to automate workflows on WhatsApp by creating paths, with rules and triggers based on user behavior. This way, you can lead the person to take the actions you desire and reach your goals.
For example, you can define that if someone asks for a product, its link will be sent automatically, and if the product is unavailable, a message with product alternatives will be sent instead.
If the person clicks on the link, another message will be triggered asking if they need help with something else. If they don't click on it, you can automate a coupon discount message to encourage them to move on with the purchase, or one asking if they have any doubts about the product.
Notifications and Updates
You can also enjoy WhatsApp automation tools to send notifications and updates to your customers. For example, you can keep them updated about their shipping product status or notify them when a product is available.
WhatsApp Automation Benefits
Reduce Response Time
Automating WhatsApp replies enables you to diminish response time to zero. Companies that integrated WhatsApp with a chatbot saw a 35% response time reduction. This way, you avoid losing business opportunities, improve customer experience, and enhance your brand's credibility by showing efficient customer service.
Enhance Productivity
When you use WhatsApp automation tools, you reduce the load of messages that your sales and marketing team needs to reply to. They will have to deal only with customer queries that couldn't be solved by the chatbot or AI agent, which allows them to dedicate their time to more challenging tasks and developing strategies to reach their company goals.
Provide 24/7 Customer Support
You can offer assistance to your customers at any time they need, even if it's in the middle of the night or on a Sunday afternoon, for example. With the use of the right automation tools, empowered by AI, your customers' needs will be met without any complications. The AI can perform complex tasks, analyze a large amount of data in a short time, and deliver the best solutions to your customers' requests.
Personalization
Another advantage of automating WhatsApp for business is that you can provide personalized assistance, which is something customers value and look for. With the use of AI, it's possible to automatically generate highly personalized messages that consider customer behavior, preferences, and context.
Increase Engagement Rates
Instant reply, 24/7 customer support, and personalized messages contribute to increasing customer engagement. It enhances their experience and motivates them to interact more with your company and develop a long-lasting relationship with your brand.
WhatsApp Automation Use Cases
1. Welcome Messages
You can use WhatsApp automation to send a welcome message when someone makes the first contact with your company. For example, if they sign up on your website, you can send a message through WhatsApp to show your appreciation and encourage them to interact more with your brand.
The message can contain not only a warm welcome but also the next steps they should take, or a sign-up gift such as a coupon discount. Highlight that they can send messages anytime and that your company is available 24/7 to help them.
2. Payment Reminder
If you have a subscription-based service, sending automatic payment reminders through WhatsApp is a useful way to prevent customers from forgetting to pay their monthly fee. By sending the reminder, you make it easier for them to complete the payment, as you can include a link for them to quickly solve this issue.,
You can automate the message to be sent one day before the due date or on the due date itself. Insert details like payment options, the fee price, and what the person is paying for.
3. Recover Abandoned Carts
According to a Baymard Institute research, the average online shopping cart abandonment rate is 70.19%. They also pointed out that the extra costs, like shipping rates, are one of the main reasons people give up on buying something during checkout.
WhatsApp messages can help you retrieve these customers. It's essential to understand why your customers are leaving their carts, so you can send messages that are effective and will convince them to finalize the purchase. For example, you can offer free shipping or give them a discount.
4. Update Delivery Status
Another very useful case for automating messages on WhatsApp is to keep your customers updated with the delivery of the products they bought on your website. You can notify them of every step from the moment the product is shipped to the day it is due to arrive in the customer's home. This gives your company credibility and shows your service is trustworthy.
5. After-Sale Support
You can also provide after-sales support. After the product is delivered, send a message asking how the purchase experience was and offering to assist if they have any doubts. This is a valuable strategy to nurture the relationship with your customers and make sure your brand is remembered by them when they need to make another purchase.
6. Marketing Campaigns
WhatsApp automation for business - marketing campaigns
Another possibility is to create and automate WhatsApp campaigns for different purposes. For example, you can make a campaign to launch a product or service, promote a reward program, foster brand awareness, and much more.
The first step to plan a WhatsApp marketing campaign is gathering information about your target audience. You must understand what their needs are to write effective messages that will guide them to take the action you desire.
Then, you can automate a WhatsApp workflow, set up the number of messages that will be delivered, make a schedule, and define the rules and triggers. Pay close attention to how people respond to your campaign, so you can adjust to enhance performance and reach your goals.
7. Scheduling Appointments
Enabling customers to schedule appointments through WhatsApp simplifies this task and enhances the user experience. They won't need to call your company to make an appointment; all they need to do is send a message, and the chatbot will take care of the rest. You may even program it to send reminders, so the person won't forget the date.
8. Survey Collection
Use WhatsApp automation to collect feedback from your customers. You can send surveys asking your clients to rate your services or how satisfied they are with a product, for example. Express how you value their opinion; you may even give rewards, such as points in a rewards program or a discount coupon.
