WhatsApp CRM: How It Works and Benefits for Business

Get to know how customer relationship management software for WhatsApp empowers business communication.

Who, in the 2010s, would have thought about such a thing as WhatsApp CRM? But here we are, in 2023, and it is a hot topic among entrepreneurs. The ways businesses and customers stay connected undergo significant transformations, and messengers are at the forefront of this process. Among these applications, WhatsApp can be confidently called the most widely spread and prominent one.

For enterprises, WhatsApp offers useful tools for interacting with customers on each stage of their customer journey. From discovering a brand to notifications on order status and post-purchase support, all of these elements of customer engagement can be effectively performed via the messenger.

However, scaling operations and optimization of routine aspects of WhatsApp messaging can be quite difficult if a company’s employees simply use the app on their smartphones. Enter the concept of CRM for WhatsApp, which our article is devoted to — a useful combination of the capabilities of the messenger with those of a customer relationship management system.

Table of content

What is WhatsApp CRM?

Such a solution allows businesses to tap into the power of real-time messaging through a familiar interface and achieve effective customer data and conversation management. By leveraging the capabilities of both WhatsApp and CRM functionalities, businesses can automate repetitive tasks, track interactions, gather valuable insights, and ultimately deliver a more personalized and efficient customer experience.

Advantages of WhatsApp CRM

So what exactly does using a CRM that supports WhatsApp bring to the table for business?

Effective lead nurturing

WhatsApp CRM makes it possible for a company to automatically create a potential client’s profile who texted it via WhatsApp. The profile stores all the details of interactions with the client, their demographic details, and so on. This way, when an employee texts the client’s WhatsApp from CRM, they can have their profile opened next to the chat and get immediate access to insights helpful in guiding the lead through the sales funnel, increasing the chances of successful conversion.

Sophisticated automation

Communicating through WhatsApp via CRM allows the use of all automation capabilities of the CRM system directly within any WhatsApp dialogue. For example, an event in a CRM system, such as a new order, can trigger the automatic sending of a customized message with the order details via WhatsApp.

Cost savings

Naturally a continuation of the previous point, WhatsApp CRM provides an opportunity for companies to save on customer communication: skip costly SMS messages and send offers, order details, and appointment reminders, as well as other types of messages via low-cost WhatsApp messenger.

Feedback requests

Along with automating notifications and updates about order status, companies can use WhatsApp CRM to send automated surveys or links to gather customer feedback. Showing a willingness to listen to customers and follow up on their feedback is bound to have a positive impact on a brand’s public perception.

Effective internal communications

Just as using WhatsApp in combination with CRM streamlines customer communication, it also benefits internal interactions among team members. They can add notes to customers’ profiles and discuss particular conversations directly within the CRM, which eliminates unnecessary export and import procedures, allowing a more streamlined workflow.

WhatsApp Business or WhatsApp Business API

WhatsApp has evolved into a powerful platform for businesses to engage with their customers, and it offers two distinct solutions for companies: WhatsApp Business and WhatsApp Business API. While they both serve the purpose of connecting clients with companies, there are important differences between them.

WhatsApp Business is a free version of a personal WhatsApp application designed specifically for small and medium-sized companies. It allows users to create a business profile that includes such essential information as a business description and contact details. Additionally, it provides access to tools like quick replies, labels, and automated greetings, as well as insights into message metrics, including the number of messages sent, delivered, and read. WhatsApp Business app is an excellent choice for businesses with relatively low messaging volumes, as one account can be used by one user at a time.

WhatsApp Business API (Application Programming Interface) is a professional version of WhatsApp Business that provides a more advanced and scalable solution aimed at larger enterprises. It allows businesses to seamlessly deploy the functionality of WhatsApp Business communication solution into CRM software, connect multiple users to a single WhatsApp account simultaneously and enjoy bulk messaging, service notifications, expanded automation, and analytics.

Things to know about WhatsApp CRM solution

Merging WhatsApp with a CRM system opens up a world of possibilities for streamlined customer communication and enhanced support. However, it's essential to consider messaging restrictions and comply with data privacy regulations to harness the benefits of WhatsApp CRM effectively.

Opt-in requirement

Prior to June 20, 2021, WhatsApp's corporate messaging policy only allowed users to send bulk transactional messages that include important updates or notifications that are relevant to the customer's interactions with a business. Later updates allowed companies to use WhatsApp to send non-transactional messages to customers as well. However, in order to maintain a respectful and user-centric approach, WhatsApp API messaging requires businesses to seek consumer opt-in consent before commencing contact.

Simply having a customer's WhatsApp number in a database does not give a company permission to message them at any time. Customers must expressly indicate their approval to receive future communications from your company on WhatsApp throughout the opt-in request. It must explicitly say that the user wishes to receive messages from your company and include the company's name. This guarantees customers have control over received communications and aids in the prevention of spam or unwanted promotional content.

Compliance with laws on data privacy

When connecting WhatsApp to a CRM, it's critical to prioritize data protection and comply with the messenger’s standards as well as any local privacy regulations that may apply, such as the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). A company is required to get the proper permits to collect, utilize, and share client data. Any information gathered should only be utilized to support messaging and improve customer experience. It is critical to treat client information with care and not disclose sensitive details, such as financial and health-related information, or customer data, with third parties (unless there’s an explicit consent to it). The best way to preserve trust and avoid any legal complications or penalties is to follow data privacy standards relevant to the country or state of your business operation.

WhatsApp CRM requirements

So what does a company need in order to use WhatsApp functionality in a CRM?

Obviously, the first prerequisite for WhatsApp CRM is a WhatsApp Business account. While setting up a WhatsApp Business account is as simple as setting up a personal one, going through Facebook Business verification required for getting access to the messenger’s API is a more complicated process. Meta Inc., a company behind WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram, reviews every application on a case-by-case basis. The whole procedure is done via the Facebook for Business section of the social network and it is recommended to find a trusted company that can help with passing a verification process successfully.

Another crucial component of the solution is, of course, a CRM system that fully supports WhatsApp functionality. While many CRMs offer built-in integrations with WhatsApp, most of them lack advanced features and have limitations that can potentially slow down operation processes and decrease customer communication efficiency.

Here, using a pre-built WhatsApp CRM, such as the one provided by Umnico, is preferable. These solutions support all functionality of the messenger, including sharing any types of files, quoting messages, and texting a client first, and can be set up easily by anyone. With Umnico, it takes only two minutes to connect multiple WhatsApp Business accounts to the CRM and engage in conversations with clients. Additionally, Umnico supports other popular messengers and social media, which allows a company to master omnichannel customer communication with just one solution.

How to use WhatsApp CRM: 4 ways

Let’s explore how WhatsApp CRM improves all main efforts of customer interactions: marketing, sales, and support.

Using WhatsApp CRM for marketing

With WhatsApp CRM, businesses can funnel inbound leads and establish a channel for promotional messages with high open and engagement rates. Potential customers can be invited into starting a dialogue by click-to-chat links, scannable QR codes on printed materials or a live chat widget that supports continuing a conversation started in live chat in WhatsApp. Once a lead initiates a conversation, their details go to the CRM, which places them into a relevant audience segment for future marketing communications.

Enhancing the sales process

Connecting WhatsApp with CRM can significantly streamline sales processes and shorten a sales cycle. By exchanging data between the messenger and the CRM system, a company can automate deals creation and their moving through the stages of a sales funnel. Agents can seamlessly carry out sales activities while conversing with customers without switching between platforms. The solution ensures that your sales team remains productive and efficient, leading to improved results.

WhatsApp CRM for support

With CRM’s automation features, a company can set up template answers to frequent questions and provide relevant links to a knowledge base. Based on a type of inquiry, a CRM system can automatically route and assign an incoming WhatsApp inquiry to an appropriate support team member. All of this reduces the burden of routine on support agents, allowing them to focus on complex issues and provide creative and prompt resolutions.

WhatsApp CRM can also be used to protect user accounts. For instance, many online services and SaaS companies utilize WhatsApp to send two-factor authentication codes. Sending service messages via the messenger allows businesses to save a considerable amount of money usually spent on costly SMS.

Measure results

Whether it is marketing, sales, or support activity, WhatsApp CRM makes it easier to get comprehensive and accurate data on customer behavior and employees’ efficiency. Thanks to the solution, managers can monitor such metrics as average response time, conversion rate, customer satisfaction rating, and others, directly in the CRM interface. They can also view any WhatsApp conversation from the CRM to ensure that an employee conducts a dialogue according to established customer communication guidelines.

Using a messaging API that connects multiple messengers and social media to CRM or any other business application, such as the one provided by Umnico, allows a company to get unified stats on interaction across all channels, compare their efficiency, and so on.

Summing things up

Embracing WhatsApp CRM software provides numerous advantages for a company’s marketing, sales, and support. Optimized communication via messenger with a 2 billion audience can noticeably boost lead generation and long-term customer relations of a company.

By using Umnico's WhatsApp CRM, companies can effectively manage WhatsApp conversations alongside other communication channels from an easy-to-use CRM interface. Try Umnico without incurring costs during the trial and assess its potential of taking your customer communication to the next level.