Probably one of the best messaging apps in the world, WhatsApp has come a long way since its launch in 2009. In Singapore, WhatsApp is the second most popular social media platform, 35% of Indonesians say WhatsApp is their favourite service.

Why is WhatsApp so popular? Let’s see - it’s free, it’s easy and it’s a secure app for you to communicate daily and share your photos, videos and even GIFs and emojis.

But WhatsApp isn’t just popular with everyday people. Business users are starting to see the potential that WhatsApp Business has to offer. In Southeast Asia, the need to scale businesses using mobile options for customers has become a must, and WhatsApp Business is possibly the quickest way to establish a digital business or presence.

By using the WhatsApp Business solution, your business can:

• Communicate more efficiently and effectively

• Use automation to reach out to customers

• Accept customer orders, receive payment and arrange delivery/shipment

• Keep your customer information organised

• Offer more quality and quicker customer support

• Gather a better understanding of what customers want

• Answer common questions much faster

Image: Setting up an official WhatsApp Business account will show your audience how genuine and trustworthy your business is.

It’s not just small brands that are using WhatsApp to scale their business. Pizza Hut Malaysia set up WhatsApp Business as a “virtual store” for customers to order and get their pizza delivered. No more login details are required.

FamilyMart Indonesia encourages customers to use WhatsApp to place their orders, while Bata in the Philippines has amplified the use of WhatsApp after recognising the increase in their digital revenue.Want to learn more about the role of WhatsApp Marketing ? Here are 7 facts & stats about WhatsApp Marketing every savvy marketer must knowThere are two solutions that WhatsApp offers to businesses: the WhatsApp Business App and the WhatsApp Business API.

How do you know which one to go for?

It all depends on which stage your business is at currently.

For smaller and even micro businesses, we recommend the WhatsApp Business app. It’s simple, straightforward and easy to use if you have a small team with a central device to communicate and a lower volume of expected interactions.

What if you have a larger brand, especially one that reaches across various target markets and you have a larger team to handle your orders? Use WhatsApp Business API instead. This solution was developed for larger businesses and expanding companies.

There’s also one additional benefit if you sign up for the WhatsApp Business API - your brand can be verified by WhatsApp. This increases your business’s credibility with your customers.

If you’ve decided which is the best option, here’s a breakdown of how to set it up. If you’re unsure, reach out to us and we can help you decide.

Have a small team? Then WhatsApp Business app is the solution for you.

Here’s how you start:

1. Download the WhatsApp Business app on Google Play or the Apple App Store.

1. Launch the app, review and agree to the Terms of Service

1. Register with a valid phone number. You will receive a 6-digit verification code on your phone number to complete the registration process. We strongly recommend using a separate business number to differentiate your personal chats from your business ones.

1. Click on ‘Allow access to contacts and photos’. This will help sync your contacts to the WhatsApp Business app, helping you stay in touch with existing customers. Allowing access to photos, videos and files will help you share multimedia faster.

1. Create an account. Add your business name and choose a category.

1. Choose a profile photo.

1. Add other information like address, description, opening hours, website and more.

1. Start communicating with your customers!

Additional tools to explore to enhance your WhatsApp Business profile:

• Catalog: Think of it as a mobile storefront for your business. Showcase your products or services using this feature.

• Labels: Stay organised. Label your conversations to help you identify your next action item.

• Messaging tools: Automation is key to efficiency. Use WhatsApp messaging templates to create and respond to key conversations. Easy ones to set up include sending a friendly greeting message (for first conversations), away messages, quick replies or answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs).

• Short link: An auto-generated short link for customers to click and connect with you.

• WhatsApp Web: Tired of staring at your phone? Sync your WhatsApp app to WhatsApp web so you can do everything on your computer.

If you have a larger team and prefer an official business account that can be verified (a green tick next to your business profile and headers), go for the WhatsApp Business API option.

To do this, you’ll need to speak with a WhatsApp Partner or Business Solution Provider (BSP). Through a BSP like AiChat, your teams can leverage this popular messaging platform to offer customer support, notifications and information to customers. You can even take WhatsApp to a whole new level by building chatbots, connecting it to a CRM and more!Here’s what you need to do to create a WhatsApp Business account for the WhatsApp Business API:

1. Appoint a BSP like AiChat for this particular service.

1. Create a Business Manager account on Facebook (Meta). Sign in and complete your Business Verification. You will need to prepare supporting documents for submission. This process may take up to three weeks.

1. Login into AiChat CMS and start your WhatsApp Embedded Signup flow using your Facebook Business account. You will provide your desired Display Name and verify the Phone number to use during this step.

1. After the registration is complete, WhatsApp will verify everything is complete (this takes less than 1 day). AiChat will set up the configuration so you can start conversations with your customers.

1. Appoint a BSP like AiChat for this particular service.

1. Create a Business Manager account on Facebook (Meta). Sign in.

1. Send your Business Manager ID to your appointed BSP.

1. Verify your business and policy in the Business Manager.

1. You will receive AiChat’s “messaging on behalf of” request on your Business Manager. Approve it. This process may take up to three weeks.

1. You will receive the verification code for the phone number via SMS manually from your BSP.

1. Once everything is checked, AiChat will set up the configuration so you can start conversations with your customers.

Tip: Not sure where to find your Business Manager ID? Go to Meta Business Manager > Business Settings > Business Info > Business Manager Account Name. Please note that you can only have up to two Business Manager accounts at the same time. If you need more, we can guide you on how to do so.AiChat is an official WhatsApp partner, meaning we can help onboard you to the WhatsApp Business API.

Our proprietary A.

I technology provides you with smarter and more predictive virtual assistance. When you use AiChat, you get data that can help you automate not just your service support but also marketing and commerce. Think smarter segmentation of your audience, personalised customer journeys and even product recommendations through restarting. We’re all about offering you features to boost your engagement and maximise your ROI.

When it comes to WhatsApp Business, what else can a BSP like AiChat help you aside from activating and sending messages on behalf of your business account?Here are some key roles we play:

• Create and manage your official WhatsApp Business account.

• Link your WhatsApp Business account with the WhatsApp Business API.

• Manage customer messages through a unified inbox.

• Provide a collaboration platform for your large team.

• Create automated follow-up sequences and broadcast messages to re-engage, cross-sell and upsell to customers.

• Improve customer experience through features such as appointment bookings.

• Gather and present important data-driven insights.

Keen to implement a WhatsApp chatbot for your business? We’re here to help.AiChat is a leading A.

I-Powered Conversational Customer Experience platform designed to help brands automate business processes in customer service, marketing and commerce via popular social messaging apps such as Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Instagram and Google Business Messages etc. We are proudly trusted by Bayer, TESCO, Marina Bay Sands, MR D.

I.

Y, Mondelēz, Petron, Unilever and many other enterprises and SMEs across South East Asia.