

WhatsApp Business provides companies with a personal environment to chat with customers in real-time.

Gone are the days of frustrating customer service and support calls, long hold times, never-ending routing to agents, and backlogged support emails. The app offers businesses a convenient and direct gateway to a variety of customer communications and campaigns. WhatsApp Business gives companies a way to engage in two-way messaging with customers through an app they’re likely already using for everyday chat conversations. Ultimately, sending WhatsApp messages is only useful if customers are active on the platform or as a fallback messaging option (customers receive these messages if SMS is undelivered.)

While WhatsApp Business and SMS function similarly, there are a few key differences: OTT messaging apps like WhatsApp have rapidly overtaken SMS messaging for their cost, speed, and ability to chat with people worldwide. How are WhatsApp Business and SMS different? When used in conjunction with other mobile channels, WhatsApp Business becomes an indispensable element of a successful omnichannel marketing strategy. WhatsApp provides fast and low-cost messages exchanged over the internet through connected smartphones, laptops, desktop computers, tablets, and even smartwatches. OTT messaging apps are third-party alternatives to texting services traditionally supplied by mobile network operators. More than 5 million business users take advantage of this popular messaging platform today. WhatsApp Business is an OTT (over-the-top) chat app that brings the functionality and convenience of personal messaging to customer communications. With 2 billion active daily users sending 65 billion messages each day, it’s no surprise that Facebook (the developers behind WhatsApp) expanded its platform to include a business application: WhatsApp Business. WhatsApp is the most popular global messaging channel.
