The benefits of WhatsApp Business at a glance [September 2024]

What are the differences between WhatsApp Messenger and WhatsApp Business?

WhatsApp Messenger Most people know from the private sector. The app provides an easy way to share messages, images, videos, voice messages, and documents with friends and family to share. WhatsApp Business On the other hand, is aimed specifically at undertakings, which is about the same Communication channel with your customers want to get in touch. WhatsApp Business offers additional features, designed specifically for business purposes, such as the ability to set up automated response messages, create a product catalog, or create a WhatsApp business profile.

WhatsApp Business has big similarities with the conventional WhatsApp Messenger App. For users who are already familiar with WhatsApp Messenger, using the WhatsApp Business app should therefore pose no problems. WhatsApp Business Accounts are clear as such flagged, so users know they're communicating with a company.

We have the Differences and the additional features of WhatsApp Business A clear overview for you table summarized:
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Top 8 benefits of WhatsApp Business

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1. Direct customer communication
WhatsApp Business enables companies to communicate directly and quickly with their customers. Whether it's support inquiries or ordering processes, customers appreciate being able to get in touch with a company via a familiar channel.

2nd Automated answers
Companies can send automatic welcome messages and Absence messages set up that give the customer immediate feedback. This not only improves customer service, but also saves valuable time.

3rd Catalog feature
The catalog function enables companies to present their products and services directly in the app. Customers can find out about the offer directly in the chat and even place orders.

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4th company profile
WhatsApp Business offers the option to create a business profile. Enter your address, opening hours, website and other information to briefly and concisely present your company to your customers.

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5th Quick answers
With Quick answers frequently asked questions can be answered in a flash. Companies create a response template once and then retrieve it using a keyboard shortcut.

6 Chat labels
Thanks to the labels in WhatsApp Business, you can mark and categorize customer chats to keep a better overview. Sort your chats by “prospective buyer”, “service request” and “existing customer” or by A, B and C customer, for example.

7. Trusted contact channel
WhatsApp is a familiar communication channel for customers. Customers typically use WhatsApp to communicate with friends and family. This makes communication with your company via WhatsApp particularly personal and ensures a closer connection between company and customers.

8th Mobile accessibility
The WhatsApp Business app is optimized for mobile devices, so companies can respond to inquiries anytime and from anywhere — a big advantage, especially for smaller companies or self-employed people.

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Disadvantages of WhatsApp Business

Despite the many benefits, there are also some challenges that companies should consider when using WhatsApp Business:
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1. Privacy issues
WhatsApp Business has privacy restrictions. The app accesses the contact book and various metadata, which can lead to problems with the GDPR in the EU. Detailed information on data protection issues with WhatsApp Business can be found in our article”WhatsApp Business and GDPR — use in line with data protection“

2nd Limited scalability
The WhatsApp Business app can only be used on a maximum of five devices (exclusively desktop PCs, no additional smartphones), which is problematic for larger companies with many employees.

3rd Lack of transparency in answers
Since all messages go through the same account, neither companies nor customers can understand which employee wrote a specific message. This can lead to ambiguity and inefficiency in customer service.

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4th No marketing possible
WhatsApp Business does not include a feature that allows companies to market to existing or new customers. Sending promotional messages via the WhatsApp Business app violates the Meta Terms of Use and may result in the suspension of the WhatsApp corporate account.

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5th No integrations available
WhatsApp Business does not integrate with your existing business software, such as your Integrate CRM system. In contrast to the WhatsApp API interface, this means that no efficient processes and no automated sending of order confirmations, shipping information, evaluation requests and other concerns are possible.

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The alternative for companies in comparison: What is possible with the WhatsApp API interface?

For many companies, the functions of the WhatsApp Business app are not versatile enough. In addition, there are beneficiaries Privacy concerns. In order to offer larger companies a secure, scalable and GDPR-compliant solution that is tailored to their needs, Facebook launched the WhatsApp Business API introduced. This application programming interface (API) allows companies to receive and respond to WhatsApp messages from their customers.

In contrast to the WhatsApp business app, the API itself does not require a user interface. The API connects WhatsApp to a professional messaging tool, as offered by Hellomateo, for example. Companies integrate the WhatsApp API endpoint with the software of an official WhatsApp Business Solution provider. With its in-house software, Hellomateo offers corporate customers the appropriate integration into a clear user interface.

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Key benefits and features of the WhatsApp Business API

The WhatsApp Business API offers companies significantly more features than the traditional WhatsApp Business app. There are also some important peculiarities that users must consider when using WhatsApp via the API interface.

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WhatsApp newsletter
‍Companies can send marketing newsletters via the API. The so-called “promotional messages” must be approved by WhatsApp and recipients must agree via an opt-in.
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Software integrations
‍The API allows WhatsApp to be integrated with other applications. With hellomateo and Zapier, a simple connection to more than 6,000 applications is possible, for example, to automatically send order confirmations.
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Unlimited users & devices
With the WhatsApp Business API, an unlimited number of users can use the same WhatsApp account. The number of connected devices is also unlimited.
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GDPR-compliant
The use of WhatsApp Business is usually not compatible with GDPR compatible. The WhatsApp Business API, on the other hand, is privacy-compliant. In this way, you avoid the frequent warnings, severe penalties and expensive legal costs when you fail to comply with the GDPR (= use of the standard WhatsApp Business App).

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The differences between WhatsApp, WhatsApp Business and WhatsApp API at a glance

We have also summarized the differences between the functions and features of WhatsApp Messenger, WhatsApp Business and the WhatsApp Business API in a clear table:

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Why should companies use WhatsApp via an API provider and not the WhatsApp Business app?

Die WhatsApp API interface was developed for companies that want to inspire their customers with customer communication and marketing, maximize their sales and minimize internal workload. integrations with thousands of other software applications, WhatsApp newsletter marketing, unlimited scalability and flexibility, automatic responses, GDPR compliance, etc. — the WhatsApp API has so much to offer. Just arrange a free consultationto find out all the details Our customers know the following benefits particularly appreciated:
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• ‍Central user interface: hellomateo combines WhatsApp Business Platform, email, Instagram, SMS and Facebook Messenger in one central inbox. The intuitive user interface includes various tools for efficient customer communication and saves you valuable working time.
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• integrations: With hellomateo, you can use WhatsApp in integrate over 6,000 software programs and fully automated Customer trips create with invitations, order confirmations, shipping information, invoices, and reminders.
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• Newsletter marketing: Send GDPR-compliant Newsletter via WhatsApp or SMS and benefit from opening rates of over 95%.‍
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• Assessment management: hellomateo can Automatically request online reviews from your customers, which boosts your Google ranking and trust in your company.
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• ‍Data protection: hellomateo meets all German and European Data protection requirements and offers end-to-end encryption for secure customer communication.
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• scalability: Our software is suitable for Businesses of all sizes and can be extended indefinitely depending on the package.‍
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• ‍Diverse AI features: Our AI agent can automatically answer customer inquiries in chat, answer calls, help with the formulation of messages and much more.
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Arrange a non-binding and free consultation and we'll show you how hellomateo covers your communication needs! Simply book an appointment here or write to us via our web widget.

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