?? 5 Things we do not like about the WhatsApp Business Platform (API)
At Superchat, our RevOps team is always on the lookout for tools that streamline communication and enhance customer engagement. Over the past four years, our Customer Success Team (lead by Inka Seidel ) onboarded over 5,000 customers and probably more than 8,000 numbers, giving us extensive experience with various problems and opportunities. And of course we use WhatsApp ourselves for support, sales and marketing.
Recently, WhatsApp rebranded their WhatsApp API to the WhatsApp Business Platform, but despite its capabilities, we've encountered several challenges that impact its effectiveness for our operations. Here’s a closer look at the five issues we face and why they matter.
Quick Overview:
1. Feature Lag Behind WhatsApp (Business) App
One of the main frustrations with the WhatsApp Business Platform is its lag in supporting new features introduced in the WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business apps. For example, when self-deleting messages or stickers were launched, the platform took time to catch up. This delay can cause issues in customer support, such as receiving empty messages that require follow-up clarification. In some cases, like when customers use message reactions or self-deleting messages, the lack of support has led to misunderstandings and dissatisfaction.
There are three versions of WhatsApp: The WhatsApp App, the WhatsApp Business App and the WhatsApp Business Platform.
2. Lack of WhatsApp Status
The inability to use WhatsApp Status via the Business Platform limits our marketing strategies. Status updates offer a subtle way to engage customers without directly messaging them, similar to Instagram stories. This feature could provide a valuable marketing channel, especially for businesses willing to pay for views or clicks ( Mark Zuckerberg - What do you think?). Currently, clients resort to using other platforms in the Facebook ecosystem, like Instagram, to fill this gap.
3. No Support for WhatsApp Groups
While support for WhatsApp groups via the Business Platform is anticipated in 2025, the current lack of this feature complicates multi-person communication. Group chats are essential for scenarios like planning a trip with multiple stakeholders, where having everyone in one chat would be beneficial. Without support, clients often resort to using a second WhatsApp number for group chats, which is not an ideal solution.
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4. Losing Chats When Transitioning Platforms
Transitioning from the WhatsApp (Business) app to the platform results in losing chat history, which can disrupt continuity and context in customer interactions. Important agreements or past information may only exist in old chats, leading to operational challenges. While workarounds like parking chats (See here) on a different number exist, they are not perfect solutions and can lead to inefficiencies.
5. Complex Meta Business Portfolio navigation
Navigating the Meta Business Portfolio can be daunting, especially for small to medium-sized businesses. The requirement to use personal Facebook accounts for business purposes often leads to confusion and the creation of fake accounts, which can result in blocked access. The frequent changes and rebranding of Meta’s business tools have added to the complexity, creating messy setups that hinder onboarding processes. This sometimes leads to WhatsApp accounts being blocked due to incomplete business verification.
?? What we love about the WhatsApp Business Platform
Despite these challenges, the WhatsApp Business Platform has its strengths. It offers a direct and personal way to reach customers, which is invaluable for maintaining strong relationships. The platform's widespread use ensures that businesses can connect with a large audience efficiently. Additionally, the platform's integration capabilities allow us to automate and streamline many processes, saving time and resources.
? Wide reach and accessibility: The platform allows businesses to connect with a vast audience, as WhatsApp is widely used globally, making it easier to reach customers where they already are.
? Direct and personal communication: WhatsApp enables real-time, personal interactions with customers, fostering stronger relationships and improving customer satisfaction.
? Rich media support: The ability to send images, videos, and documents enhances communication, allowing businesses to use buttons, lists to allows to share detailed information and engage customers more effectively.
? Automation Capabilities: Integration with CRM systems and other tools allows for automation of routine tasks, such as sending notifications and updates, saving time and improving efficiency.
? Secure Messaging: End-to-end encryption ensures that all communications are secure, providing peace of mind for both businesses and their customers.
Conclusion: We're excited for the future
While the WhatsApp Business Platform presents certain limitations, our RevOps and Customer Success team is committed to finding ways to work around these issues and optimize our and our customers use of the platform. By leveraging our internal expertise and educating our clients, we aim to enhance our communication strategy and ensure it aligns with our goals for growth and innovation. With continued improvements and updates, we look forward to maximizing the potential of the WhatsApp Business Platform for our business and our customers.
RevOps Lead @ Superchat
1 个月what's the next tool we gonna rant about? ??