Why and Which one to choose? Let’s find together.
With more than 60 billion messages exchanged daily, the facebook-owned messaging giant WhatsApp is the best business communication platform today. WhatsApp made things easier for businesses when it introduced the business app in 2018. Now, the COVID-19 pandemic has really changed the world’s dynamics, so both large and small businesses have found the importance of WhatsApp Business.
While considering WhatsApp for business, you have two choices: WhatsApp Business App or WhatsApp Business API. They are the same, but different.
WhatsApp Business App
As the name suggests, it’s an app that aims towards medium to small enterprises. You can seamlessly manage your customer relationships through this application. WhatsApp has been updating the application with many handy features that will help you and your customers engage better.
WhatsApp Business App will also allow you to alert the customers if any notification, generate leads, and feedback collection from your dear customers. You can also set up quick replies, greeting messages, and away messages to pair better with your customers. Now, you can think of WhatsApp Business App as a live chat tool but with limited functionalities.
WhatsApp Business API
Let’s first understand what an API is. So, it’s an acronym for Application Programming Interface. API allows your two or more software to connect.
WhatsApp’s Business API actually makes it simple for large companies and enterprises to converse with their customers. The LiveChat-style thing was easier and simpler for a small customer base, but when it comes to a large business with huge customers, the business API comes to the rescue.
WhatsApp Business API gives you the liberty to talk to a lot of customers at once. It allows you to send bulk notifications and automate your conversations with the help of chatbots. While WhatsApp’s Business App could only automate a single response after your business hours, a chatbot is a lot more powerful. WhatsApp Business API is acquired differently. Namely, any business wanting to get access to it will have to subscribe to a business solution provider (BSP) and WhatsApp partner like Vonage. To grant you access to its API, WhatsApp requires official approval of your account, made possible by its BSP partners. These services are paid for, but they provide advanced features, including state-of-the-art automation of processes and contact synchronization, team inbox, centralized dashboard, and more.
Which one should you choose?
If you have a small high-value client base, then go with the WhatsApp Business App. Boutique stores, local start-ups, local retailers are generally recommended to use the WhatsApp Business App to handle the customers individually and in a customizable way.
WhatsApp Business API will help you to handle a larger customer group as it comes with many perks like automation and integration within their existing communication platforms. Surely, the integration capabilities and the better customization is there in the API for your best customer experience
Conclusion
With more than 2 billion users, 180 countries, and 60 languages, WhatsApp is undoubtedly the biggest messaging app globally. WhatsApp is a must for any business that wants to sustain the stiff competition and adapts to the conversation revolution of messaging apps.
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