WhatsApp and Online: What You Didn't Know
In today's digital world, communication is essential for every organisation's success. WhatsApp has become one of the most popular communication platforms. For businesses, using WhatsApp for online communication is not just convenient but necessary. In this article, we discuss the benefits, possibilities, and limitations of WhatsApp for online communication and how to overcome these limitations.
Benefits of WhatsApp and Online Communication
The benefits of WhatsApp and online communication provide many opportunities for accessible communication. Since 70% of people have some form of call anxiety, online WhatsApp communication offers a good solution.
1. Large User Base
WhatsApp has a massive user base. In Europe, the coverage is 97%, and in the Netherlands, it's 99%. This means your audience and partners are familiar with the platform and actively use it to communicate with friends and family. This makes adopting WhatsApp as a communication tool easier and more effective. Being reachable makes you stand out. So, be where your audience is: on their phone!
2. Direct Communication
With WhatsApp, you can communicate directly with your clients, customers, and other target groups. Messages are usually read within minutes. In fact, 70% of messages are read within 20 minutes, and 90% within an hour. This allows for quick responses, which is especially useful for customer service and support, where quick but not immediate answers are crucial.
3. Multimedia Messages
WhatsApp supports sending text messages, photos, videos, documents, and even location data, just like you do with family and friends. This enables rich, interactive communication with your audience, creating engagement and increasing loyalty.
4. User-Friendly Interface
WhatsApp's interface is simple and intuitive because everyone uses it. Since it's frequently used privately, your team needs little training to use it. Clients can easily join conversations with your organisation.
5. Accessibility
WhatsApp can be used on various devices, including smartphones and computers via the WhatsApp app from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. If you want to use WhatsApp on every device, such as a tablet, it's not possible through the app store. However, the WhatsApp app makes it easy to be reachable anytime, anywhere.
Possibilities of WhatsApp for Organisations
Using WhatsApp for online communication is essential for organisations to stay in contact with their audience. While phone calls can be disruptive and require immediate answers, emails can be too slow with response times of 24-48 hours. WhatsApp sits perfectly in between.
1. Customer Service
WhatsApp is an excellent channel for online customer service. You can answer questions, solve problems, and provide direct support without disrupting the primary process like phone calls, or forgetting conversations like with emails. This can significantly increase customer satisfaction and loyalty.
2. Marketing and Promotions
Organisations can use WhatsApp effectively for marketing campaigns and promotions. You can reach your audience directly on their phone, enabling massive interactions with a broad group by smart planning. Contact can range from announcing new products to offering special discounts.
3. Orders and Bookings
More organisations are using WhatsApp to receive orders and make bookings. The ease with which the end-user (target audience) uses WhatsApp online to make purchases is growing rapidly. This is especially useful for restaurants, hotels, and service providers.
4. Feedback and Surveys
Organisations can use WhatsApp to collect feedback and surveys. Since organisations reach the audience directly on their phone, it invites them to take action when their attention is focused. The message is placed among other important messages from family and friends. The results provide valuable insights into customer satisfaction and help improve products and services.
Limitations of WhatsApp for Online Communication
WhatsApp, as we know it, also has limitations. These limitations, or disadvantages, of WhatsApp should also be highlighted.
1. Limited Number of Devices
One of the biggest limitations of WhatsApp is the limited number of devices you can use. You can only link four devices plus one phone to an account. This can be a problem for larger teams that all need access to the account.
2. Lack of Collaboration
When multiple team members use the same WhatsApp account, they can't see if someone else is already handling a conversation. This can lead to confusion and inefficiency, as duplicate answers can be given or messages can go unanswered.
3. Limited Control and Overview
WhatsApp offers limited options to control and oversee communication. This can make it difficult to keep a clear overview of all customer interactions, leading to missed opportunities and inefficient processes.
4. Data Security
Although WhatsApp messages are encrypted, there are still concerns about data storage location. Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram, makes its money from data collection. For European companies, it's important that data remains within the EU to comply with GDPR regulations. WhatsApp Business, as available in app stores, does not always store data within the EU, which can raise concerns.
5. Limited Integrations
WhatsApp offers limited possibilities for integration with other business software. This can make it difficult to integrate WhatsApp seamlessly into your existing business processes. Transcripts can help build a file, and communication is essential for that.
6. Always Connected Phone
The phone on which WhatsApp is installed must always stay connected to the internet and be nearby. This can be impractical for companies that work mobile, promote remote working, or travel a lot.
Ways to Overcome Limitations
Despite these limitations, there are ways to overcome them and get the most out of WhatsApp for online communication:
1. Use of External Tools
There are fantastic solutions available that expand WhatsApp's functionality. These tools can help manage multiple devices, improve collaboration, and provide better control and overview of communication. Independent research has shown that Ripplecom is the best in international tests. The reason is the focus on the WhatsApp channel and the intuitive user interface. The principle of being where you want to be in three clicks is unique and distinctive. This makes Ripplecom an award-winning solution in the category of user-friendliness.
2. Data Security and GDPR Compliance
Choose solutions that ensure data stays within the EU and comply with GDPR regulations. For governments and companies, this is essential. WhatsApp's data analysis and resale business model is undesirable given privacy measures. This not only provides peace of mind but also ensures compliance with legislation. Ripplecom has an excellent score on data security. The data remains guaranteed within the EU (or in Japan, where data security is also strict). Ripplecom excels in its basic architecture due to the strict data encryption. This is continuously monitored without compromising functionality. This is why Ripplecom has won the award for Online Communication.
3. Integrations with Other Software
Look for solutions that offer integrations with other business software like CRM systems, email platforms, and other tools you already use. This helps integrate WhatsApp seamlessly into your existing processes. Just like telephone systems can be directly linked to your CRM and emails come into one central place, WhatsApp communication should also be possible. Ripplecom has seamless integrations with more than 1000+ applications, including the most common CRM packages.
4. Improved Collaboration
Use platforms that improve collaboration between team members by offering features like internal notes, shared inboxes, and notifications when someone else picks up a conversation. It's frustrating to give duplicate answers or accidentally leak internal messages to the audience. Internal communications should remain internal, and external communication should be well monitored. This can help ensure service quality and task distribution. Spread communication and work together on your organisation's broad audience. With Ripplecom, internal conversations and notes remain at the conversation level with the client. There is an easy overview of agreements and notes. Routing a conversation to a colleague is crucial for quickly and effectively picking up communication.
5. Always Connected Solutions
Choose solutions that don't require a permanent connection to a phone. This makes it easier for teams to access WhatsApp anytime, anywhere, without relying on a physical device. Use just the fixed phone number you want to be reachable on. One phone number for your phone calls and WhatsApp conversations. No more phone calls via WhatsApp but just on your fixed number. WhatsApp conversations are always available anytime, anywhere. With Ripplecom, you don't need a separate app. Ripplecom works on any device (even a smart TV). Get notifications when conversations expire because you want to respond within 24 hours. Or notifications when you've assigned a conversation. Or smart notifications to follow conversations. In short, control and always connected solutions with Ripplecom.
By overcoming these limitations, businesses can fully benefit from the advantages of WhatsApp for online communication. The right use of a tool like Ripplecom and platforms can help transform WhatsApp into a powerful communication tool that meets the needs of modern engaged organisations. It's time for customer engagement. It's time for Ripplecom. The power of WhatsApp with the ease of email.