3 Ways WhatsApp Chatbot Makes Marketing and Customer Service Easier

As the popularity of conversational marketing grows, many businesses begin to integrate major social and communication platforms. This action intends to improve customer satisfaction and offer a better customer experience. With this trend, WhatsApp marketing has become the primary strategy for promoting a brand and strengthening customer relationships. Among many marketing tools, the WhatsApp Chatbot is a must-have for customer service marketing!

By using WhatsApp Business, merchants can further engage with customers through welcome messages, auto-replies, and business profiles. Many businesses will even collaborate with WhatsApp Business API suppliers or partners to obtain upgraded WhatsApp functions. Furthermore, this seeks to enhance enterprise competitiveness. Upgraded features include WhatsApp Chatbots, broadcast functions, CRM systems, and so on.

Further reading: 5 Benefits of Conversational Commerce to Online Stores

Yet what are the advantages of upgrading WhatsApp functionality for businesses? Aside from automatic responses, how can chatbots assist merchants in increasing sales? Read on to learn about the top benefits and costs of WhatsApp Chatbot!

What is the WhatsApp Business API?

WhatsApp Business API is a WhatsApp application programming interface that is designed specifically for merchants. It was originally a set of API codes, and there is no direct user interface for consumers to utilize. Unlike the free WhatsApp Business, the WhatsApp API cannot be downloaded directly from the App Store or Google Play. You must instead obtain the API from a third-party provider, like VIMOS, or develop it yourself. Therefore, most merchants will obtain APIs, including VIMOS O2O Chat Automation for Sales, from Meta’s official Business Solution Providers and their partners.

Further reading: 3 Benefits of WhatsApp Business to Boost Your eCommerce Sales

What is a WhatsApp chatbot?

WhatsApp chatbots are automated software programs that rely on pre-programmed data or artificial intelligence (AI). Customers can communicate with the Chatbot using the general WhatsApp chat interface. This enables the WhatsApp Chatbot to temporarily replace real-person customer service in order to respond to customer inquiries. When live customer service is available, it can continue the previous conversation between the Chatbot and the customer.

Chatbots, in addition to simulating human conversations, allow brands to maintain a consistent tone and brand image throughout the dialogue.

The chatbot responds automatically to frequently asked questions or conversations on WhatsApp. Customers will not only wait less time if they receive immediate responses. Even so, it also significantly reduces the daily load of customer service. Furthermore, establishing effective interactions with consumers via chatbots can save a lot of concerns in marketing, and sales.

Advantages of WhatsApp Chatbot

Adds value to customer service by reducing the workload of sales staff

WhatsApp Chatbot can continue to operate in the absence of a human customer service agent. This lessens not only the cost of manually responding to inquiries but also the risk of errors.

Furthermore, Chatbots can increase interaction between merchants and customers, resulting in greater sales. Examples of proactive functions include:

• Sending appointment reminders, notifications, or promotions
• Answering frequently asked questions
• Collecting customer feedback
• Guiding customers to browse other products

Strengthens relationships with customers

Merchants can use WhatsApp Chatbot to send personalized promotions, reminders, and confirmation messages to customers in order to improve interaction. For example, merchants can send promotional messages about related products to customers who inquire about a product. Humanized interaction can strengthen customer loyalty to a brand and attract new consumers.

Furthermore, WhatsApp Chatbot can send highly interactive messages to customers via “template messages”. Content can include documents, images, videos, action buttons, and so on.

Develops new marketing channels

As the most personal communication tool, WhatsApp is an app that nearly every consumer will open and use frequently. WhatsApp business promotion can encourage more than just interaction. Nonetheless, it is a highly effective marketing channel for promoting a business in a short period of time!

If you run Facebook ads, connect them to WhatsApp to allow customers to have real-time conversations with salespeople.

WhatsApp Business API Supplier Pricing Plans at a Glance

With numerous WhatsApp Business API providers to choose from, how should merchants select a plan that is within their budget? The table below shows the pricing of major WhatsApp Business API solutions and providers. A gentle reminder to always know your business needs before choosing a supplier!

WhatsApp Business API Provider	Price plan
VIMOS	Lite: 499 HKD per month Regular: 599 HKD per month Advanced: 1099 HKD per month
Sleekflow	Professional: 799 HKD per month Advanced: 2,799 HKD per month Enterprise: Customized
Imbee	Essential: 500 HKD (per user/month) Prime: 580 HKD (per user/month)
Omnichat	Customer Service System: 10,800 HKD per year Basic Marketing System: 10,000 HKD per year Advanced Marketing System: 25,000 HKD per year OMO Sales System: Customized
WATI	Basic: 399 HKD per month(supports up to 10 chatbot processes) Professional: 799 HKD per month
RUMwork	Growing: 39 USD per month (supports up to 10 chatbot processes) Enterprise and Marketing: USD$139/month Enterprise: Customized

Although there are many price options, the range of functions covered by each plan also varies. Therefore, when selecting a supplier, consider whether the functions of the solution can meet the needs of your business.

Further reading: 6 must-know WhatsApp Business API features

WhatsApp Official Conversation Charges

Users pay according to their monthly messaging usage, in addition to the monthly fees charged by the WhatsApp Business API provider. WhatsApp’s current fee model is “conversation-based pricing”, and the conversation window is one “dialogue” per 24 hours.

1. Business-Initiated Conversations: To start their initial conversation with a customer, businesses are required to use a template message. Conversation costs are charged every 24 hours for merchant-initiated engagements. If the customer’s last message to the merchant was sent more than 24 hours ago, the merchant will pay an additional fee. Each merchant-initiated conversation costs about HKD 0.57961.

2. Customer-Initiated Conversations: If a customer initiates a conversation and the merchant responds within 24 hours, the customer will be charged a conversation fee. However, if the merchant does not respond to the client within 24 hours, the transaction is considered a “merchant-initiated interaction”, and the cost will be increased. Each customer-initiated conversation costs about HKD 0.174272.

The first 1,000 conversations per month, meanwhile, are free for merchants. Therefore, small and medium-sized enterprises do not have to be concerned about conversation fees.

Merchants are continuously growing through WhatsApp Chatbot. Even if the enterprise is small in scale, it can assist SMEs in improving customer experience and competitiveness. Discovering more about WhatsApp Chatbot is made easy by VIMOS. Take advantage of the free 15-minute product demo with one of our specialists and carry your marketing to the next level!