If you have booked a movie ticket in the last couple of weeks using BookMyShow, you might have been pleasantly surprised (or mortified) by receiving your tickets over a WhatsApp chat message. That’s WhatsApp business – a tool designed to help you ‘communicate with businesses that matter to you.
Looks like WhatsApp has already started rolling out WhatsApp Business to select consumers who have shown interest and we do have a first look at what WhatsApp business is all about.
You can Schedule Away Messages
For now, it’s a medium for businesses to directly contact consumers or for them to contact you. If you own a Business, you can import all your Business related chats to your WhatsApp Business account and can schedule customized ‘Away messages’.
So, when consumers try and contact you and you aren’t available, they will get an automated message respectfully acknowledging your absence.
Also Read: How to enable automated reply to WhatsApp Messages
Verified Business accounts
WhatsApp will also verify business accounts and certify them with a blue tick. This way consumers would have some assurance that they are conversing with a legit business and not a rogue account.
Analytics Tool
The App will also have an analytics tool, one that will show basic stats like Messages sent, Messages delivered, messages received, messages read. This is pretty basic, but WhatsApp will expectedly add more helpful options later.
The App is different for big businesses
Yes, only scheduling ‘Away messages’ is a bit limited, but WhatsApp has a different set of unspecified features for large businesses (like BookMyShow). These services are paid, however, and you have to verify your business to use it.
Block Businesses
Businesses will inevitably try to spam you, and so there is a provision that should let you block them. We are not sure how this will pan out, as it hard to decide how frequently (or at all) we would like to hear from businesses.
Also Read: How to send WhatsApp audio messages using Google Assistant
Business users can register using Landline Phones
If you own a local business and the popular number associated with it is a landline number, you can get the same registered for WhatsApp Business. This way, it will be easier for consumers to reach out to you.
You get multiple account options
You can keep your personal and Business WhatsApp App on one phone, but you can’t sign up on both Apps using the same phone number. One phone, both apps have to be registered with a different number (landline or mobile).
If you wish to use both WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business with the same phone number, you will have to use separate phones for each.
Register as a tester first
If you want to give it a shot, you can register yourself by taking a small Survey. And if you are selected, you will see WhatsApp Business App in your Play store.
Also Read: How To Voice Read Text Using S Pen on Samsung Galaxy Note 8
WhatsApp Business Apk Download
You can also download the APK for WhatsApp Business app from APK Mirror, but you can’t sign up or use the app unless WhatsApp approves you as a tester.
WhatsApp Business – Worried about Spam?
WhatsApp Business surely has its advantages. With time, it should similar to WeChat in China. Consumers will be able to communicate with businesses and even pay directly from within the app for goods and services. However, there are chances the Facebook could irrevocably damage the sanctity of a messaging app that soared monumental heights only because of its simple and minimal interface.
Image source: Huseyin filiz
