Whatsapp boasts having over one billion users. Most of the relationships between users on the popular app are friendships. However, there are some people who use Whatsapp for business, for something as simple as discussing a one-on-one tutoring tuition or something as complex as a small business owner keeping in contact with hundreds of clients.
Now, Whatsapp will make it even easier for businesses to contact their clients. The businesses will be verified with green check marks once their contact information is validated. Whatsapp is now testing these features by releasing a free Whatsapp business app.
Smaller businesses will be able to keep in contact with clients, and have a new channel for customer service. The popular voice notes feature and the ability to use a handheld device or a desktop has made the app popular, and businesses are hoping to cash in on that.
Larger corporations will be now more likely to contact the billion person user base as well, although not immediately. The new features will be tested on a smaller scale, and then applied to larger business models. Eventually, executives hope that their technology will allow large businesses to alert customers of things they need to know like airline flight times or changes, delivery statuses, and receipts.
This move to bigger business, what they call an “enterprise solution,” will eventually give the Facebook-owned company a way to make income. As of right now, the app is free of charge. The CEO of Whatsapp, Matt Idema, says they will somehow convert the work with big businesses to cash, but they, “don’t have the details of monetization figured out.”
Don’t be surprised if soon if messages from small or large corporations ping you on your Whatsapp. Facebook is pushing hard for their Whatsapp acquirement to pay off, and this might be the way they cash in.