9 Features & Benefits of WhatsApp Business You Must Be Using

As we all know, running a business comes with its fair share of tasks and challenges.

Imagine you're running out and about, and suddenly, you remember you need to ask your favorite bakery about their gluten-free options. You whip out your phone, open an app you already use to chat with friends and send a quick message.

Within minutes, you have a friendly response from the bakery, detailing their options and even offering a recommendation.

This scenario, once unthinkable for businesses, is now a reality thanks to WhatsApp Business. In 2024, about 3.031 billion users are using WhatsApp, up by 9.02% from 2023. That's around 250.96 million more users than last year, it has become the go-to communication platform for many businesses like yours. 

There’s a huge difference between a normal WhatsApp vs WhatsApp Business. But what exactly makes WhatsApp Business so beneficial, and why should you, as a business owner, consider using it? Buckle up, because I’m about to dive into the Whatsapp Business features and benefits that will have you wondering why you haven't switched sooner.

Top 9 features of WhatsApp Business 

WhatsApp Business offers several features tailored for your small and medium-sized businesses to better connect with your customers. Some of its 9 key features include:

Business profile

This is like having an online business card for your business on WhatsApp. You can fill it with important information such as your shop's address, opening hours, what you sell, and how customers can reach you. 

It's like a mini website for your business, and automating your sales processes makes it easier for customers to find and learn about your business without leaving the app.

Catalogs and collections

Imagine you have a store with lots of different products. Instead of describing each item individually, you can create a digital catalog with pictures and descriptions of your products. Collections help you organize these products into groups, like putting all your bath products in one collection and all your skincare products in another.

This makes it simple for customers to browse through what you offer and find what they're looking for which ultimately simplifies your sales process.

Quick replies

One of the best WhatsApp Business features is Quick replies which are like shortcuts for common messages. Instead of typing out the same answers to frequently asked questions every time, you can create quick replies with pre-written responses. 

For example, if customers often ask about your opening hours, you can set up a quick reply that automatically sends them the information whenever they ask.

Greeting messages

When someone sends you a message for the first time, you can set up an automatic greeting message on WhatsApp business to welcome them. It's like having a friendly receptionist who greets customers when they visit your store. This greeting message can introduce your business and provide helpful information or a special offer to encourage further interaction and help in WhatsApp marketing automation.

Automated messages

These are messages that are sent automatically based on certain conditions.

For example, if a customer messages you after business hours, you can set up an automated message to 

let them know you'll get back to them as soon as possible. Similarly, you can set up automated replies for specific keywords or phrases to handle common inquiries efficiently.

Multiple users

If you have a team of people managing your business's WhatsApp account, this feature allows multiple users to access and use the account from different devices. It's like having different employees taking turns answering the phone in a physical store. 

This helps distribute the workload and ensures that messages are attended to promptly, even when one person is unavailable.

Contact labels

Contact labels help you organize and categorize your contacts based on different criteria. For example, you can label customers who have made multiple purchases as “loyal customers” or group contacts by their interests or preferences. This makes it easier to keep track of customer interactions and tailor your communication to specific groups.

Message analytics

This feature provides insights into your messaging activity, such as how many messages you send and receive, which messages are delivered successfully, and how quickly you respond to inquiries. It's like having a report card for your business's communication performance, helping you understand customer engagement patterns and identify areas for improvement.

WhatsApp Business API (for larger businesses)

The last top feature of WhatsApp Business is WhatsApp Business API which is designed for larger businesses that need more advanced features and integration capabilities. It allows your business to connect your WhatsApp account with other systems and tools they use, such as Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software or e-commerce platforms. This enables greater automation, scalability, and customization of customer communication processes.

But wait!

If you're a big company dealing with complex tasks and you want to use WhatsApp to engage customers and boost sales, you need a robust setup. That means integrating a sales platform like Zixflow with a special WhatsApp tool called API to send messages, manage them effectively and drive more sales. It's like having the right tools to tackle a big task successfully.

When you integrate your WhatsApp Business API to your CRM tool like Zixflow, everyone who uses your CRM software can manage WhatsApp campaigns and respond to messages from your audience. This setup allows for seamless communication management across your team, ensuring efficient handling of WhatsApp campaigns and customer inquiries.

Not only this! Zixflow provides many other features to streamline your business needs and it’s also a WhatsApp bulk message sender software, that provides a centralized inbox, WhatsApp Message Templates, API doc, etc. So you can watch Zixflow’s free overview video to get a detailed idea about its advanced and user-friendly features.

The benefits of WhatsApp Business you should know

In today's fast-moving digital world, you need to adjust to keep up with what your customers want. WhatsApp Business is a simple-to-use tool that offers lots of good things for businesses like yours. It helps you talk better with customers, make your work smoother, and build stronger relationships with them. 

Here's a structured list of the top WhatsApp Business benefits:

Meet customers where they are

Imagine an easy way to talk to your customers right where they like to chat. According to latest statistics of whatsapp for businesses, WhatsApp stands out as the top mobile messaging application worldwide and holds the top position for the highest number of global downloads, totaling 44.93 million. Additionally, it secures the fourth spot in the United States, boasting an impressive 63 million downloads.

With WhatsApp Business, you join this big group, so customers can message you using a platform they already use every day. That means they don't have to download a new app or use something unfamiliar, making it easier for them to get in touch with you.

Offer better customer support

Customer service is super important for keeping customers happy. With WhatsApp Business, you can help your customers right away using chat, voice calls, or even video calls. This makes it quicker to solve problems and talk to each customer personally.

Picture a customer with a problem, they can call you on WhatsApp, and you can guide them step-by-step to fix it. It makes for happy customers who feel taken care of.

Form a personal connection

Unlike formal emails, WhatsApp feels like chatting with a friend. That's because it's like texting one-on-one, making it more relaxed and friendly. This helps you connect with your customers on a personal level and build stronger relationships. 

For example, you can send updates or promotions just like chatting with a friend. This personal touch can really make your business stand out, leave a good impression, and increase your  WhatsApp marketing.

Leverage the first mover advantage 

Using new tools early can give your business a big boost. By using WhatsApp Business early on, you show you're a modern company that's open to new ways of communicating. This can attract tech-savvy customers and make your business look innovative. 

Suppose being the first shop in your area to offer customer help on WhatsApp, that's sure to get people talking and wanting to check you out.

Boost marketing efforts 

Instead of relying on old-school marketing, use WhatsApp Business to talk directly to your customers. You can send messages about new stuff, sales, and company news via WhatsApp newsletters straight to their phones. 

Plus, you can share cool stuff like pictures and videos. This gets them excited about what you offer, helps spread the word about your business, enhances customer engagement, and increases your sales.

Get customer insights 

Knowing what your customers like helps you plan better marketing. WhatsApp Business gives you simple tools to track things like how many people read your messages or clicked on your links. By looking at this information, you can see what works and what doesn't. 

For example, if a sale message gets lots of views but few clicks, you can tweak it for next time.

In the same way, Zixflow is an all-in-one solution for managing marketing and CRM tasks. It provides helpful reports on Whatsapp analytics of the business that give you lots of useful info in a simple format. You can see things like how many messages are sent, how engaged people are, and who's messaging each other.

It's designed to make it easy for you to handle marketing campaigns across different channels like WhatsApp, SMS, and email, all in one place.

With that said, to manage WhatsApp campaigns easily for your business, you can watch the full easy video guide mentioned below.

Get discovered 

Increase your discoverability and attract new customers by claiming your business profile on the WhatsApp Business directory. This allows potential customers searching for businesses on WhatsApp to find your profile easily. 

Suppose someone is searching for a specific service and finding your business readily available through WhatsApp. This can be a great way to attract new customers who may not have been previously aware of your business.

Cost-effective solution 

Marketing and customer service can be expensive, but WhatsApp Business offers a cost-effective solution. Unlike traditional methods like SMS or email marketing, there are no fees associated with sending messages through WhatsApp Business App. On top of that, if you’re a large company and wondering about the pricing of WhatsApp API, then you don’t have to pay a hefty price either since you’ll be charged based on conversations rather than individual messages. Additionally, the platform itself is free to download and use. 

This presents a significant cost advantage, especially if you are a small and medium-sized business looking for an affordable way to reach its target audience for different types of sales and provide excellent customer service.

Uncompromised security   

Security and privacy are important when dealing with customer information. WhatsApp Business uses end-to-end encryption to secure all communication between you and your customers. This means that only the sender and recipient can read the messages, ensuring the confidentiality and integrity of your interactions. 

This high level of security gives your customers peace of mind knowing their information is protected while fostering trust and confidence in your brand.

Unlock your business potential and grow your business needs

As you consider the features and benefits of WhatsApp Business, it becomes clear that this platform offers immense potential for enhancing your business requirements. With its versatile communication channels and personalized engagement options, WhatsApp Business enables you to connect with customers in meaningful ways. 

By leveraging its benefits and features effectively, you can streamline your processes, build stronger relationships, and ultimately drive success for your business. 

But if you are still confused and you need a freemium platform that provides other marketing features with WhatsApp features you can create a free account of Zixflow which is a marketing platform designed to help businesses like yours with managing customer relationships, automating communication, and improving sales. 

It brings together all your communication channels, customer information, and tasks in one easy-to-use place, making it simpler to manage everything.