WhatsApp Business for Multiple Users: A Guide for App & API

Whether it is your buyers, prospects, you, or me, all of us want a quick reply from a company we sent a message to. That is the reason why companies have started using WhatsApp Cloud API and its business app to fulfill this demand.

Be it its usability or user interface, businesses both big and small are using WhatsApp marketing to answer customers' issues and reach out to new ones as well.  

Although it might sound that WhatsApp is the ultimate communication platform, it has its limits too. And that is the number of devices or people who can use it at once. Since WhatsApp uses a verification process that only allows it to be used with only one phone number, it is somewhat difficult for multiple users to use it simultaneously.

That’s why in this article, I will tell you about how you can use WhatsApp (both app and API) on multiple devices. I will also go over how you can add more users to your WhatsApp business account as you expand your business and grow your team. So let’s start by understanding the different variations that WhatsApp offers and how you can use them on multiple devices and develop your WhatsApp business marketing strategies.

WhatsApp Business app

WhatsApp offers two variations of its service, a Business app, and an API. Both of these require a phone number for using them. I’ll explain the Business app first. 

WhatsApp Business app is created by taking into account the needs of startups or small-size companies that have a handful of team members. This makes it a preferable choice for small businesses because it's free and allows you to leverage WhatsApp reach for sales engagement. It is so famous that, according to WhatsApp, 50 million companies use it around the globe. 

That was not always the case. Until last year, the Business app could only be used on a single phone and a desktop computer. But after the changes implemented by WhatsApp last year, now you can connect the WhatsApp Business app to a maximum of five devices, consisting of one smartphone and four additional devices (tablets or PCs).

This way, up to five people can use the same Business account across multiple devices. Which is perfect for businesses with small teams. With that said, let’s see how you can connect multiple devices to your WhatsApp Business app.

How to use the WhatsApp app on multiple devices?

Below are the steps to link additional devices to the original phone which has a WhatsApp Business app installed and set up. 

Android

If you have an Android device, follow these steps to connect more devices:

Open the WhatsApp Business app and click on the three dots at the top right corner and select the Linked devices option.

On the next scream, click on the Link a device button and enter the PIN or unlock your phone with biometrics based on the type of screen lock you use.

Finally, scan the QR code with your phone which is displayed on the screen of the device you want to connect to. And you are done. If you are using an iOS device, you can follow the same steps to link multiple devices with your Business app.

WhatsApp Business API

Now, if you are a startup or if you have a small team, you can be more than happy with the WhatsApp Business app. But, if you want more than five users active at the same time, the Business app is not a choice for you. 

Also, when your business grows, so will the number of customers and team members. In that case, you will come across a few issues when utilizing the connected devices. These problems can include:

• Unable to find out which member responded to a message since you are using one account on multiple devices. 
• You cannot measure how well your reps are performing or how much work a rep is doing.

Big companies that have complex processes in place require a robust platform with advanced functionalities to handle WhatsApp messaging to boost customer engagement and drive sales. And to do that, you have to use WhatsApp business platform API integrated with a sales engagement platform like Zixflow.

Zixflow also offers a sales CRM platform that you can connect with the WhatsApp Business API to use all of the contact details saved in the CRM for your campaign. This will increase efficiency and ensure smooth communication with buyers.

With the API of WhatsApp Business linked to your CRM, every user who has access to your CRM software can access the WhatsApp campaign and reply to the messages of your audience. This way, you can use WhatsApp on multiple devices, thus solving the maximum five users issue.

How can you add multiple users with WhatsApp Business API?

Since WhatsApp API doesn’t have a user interface, you have to integrate it with external software, from where you can run your campaign. To do that, you have to follow a two steps process which is:

• Set up WhatsApp Business API 
• Integrate it with external communication software

The primary step in this process is to get your WhatsApp Business API ready.  It is a straightforward procedure where you have to begin with creating a developer account on Meta and follow the on-screen instructions. 

If you want a more step-by-step walkthrough, you can check out this guide on how to set up WhatsApp API from scratch by yourself in minutes. This guide explains not only how to set up WhatsApp API but also how you can link it with Zixflow.

Use WhatsApp API to run outreach campaigns on Zixflow

Once you have connected the WhatsApp Business API with Zixflow, you can then execute outreach campaigns using the latter. To build a WhatsApp campaign in Zixflow, follow these steps:

Log in to your Zixflow account and click on the Campaigns options in the left-side menu. If you don’t have a Zixflow account, then you can create one Zixflow account for free.

After that, click on the New Campaign button at the top right and a popup for Select Channel will open. Here, click the WhatsApp Accounts option. 

Fill in the details that you have generated when you finished setting up your WhatsApp API and click the Save & Validate button. Once validated, your WhatsApp account will look like this.

Now go back and click on the New Campaign button. In the Select Channel popup, choose WhatsApp. You will be directed to the WhatsApp campaign builder where you can name your campaign, add your recipients, select the phone number, and select or create business message templates. 

Remember to test your campaign by sending the messages to yourself or your team members before you start sending them to your target market. It will leave a bad impression on your customers if your messages have issues when viewed from the recipients’ perspective.

Ready to empower your team with WhatsApp?

There you have it! These are the ways that you can use to access your WhatsApp Business account on multiple devices whether you are using the app or the API. 

Taking advantage of WhatsApp’s multiple-user functionality can greatly improve your communication capabilities and allow you to deliver a top-notch customer experience. This is particularly the case for WhatsApp API which can be used according to the needs of your business.

But to enjoy the benefits of WhatsApp API, you will need an equally robust platform that allows you to harness its power. And Zixflow is one such software. It is a powerful salesOS that lets you integrate WhatsApp API with the CRM platform and take your campaigns to the next level.