Social Media and other instant messaging platforms have brought about a new, efficient and quick way of communicating both in our personal and professional lives. However, their role in the day-to-day modern workplace has not been clearly understood yet.
WhatsApp, in particular, is one of the most popular instant messaging apps with 2 billion monthly active users as of July 2021. Despite various privacy and other regulatory concerns, it continues to grow in its popularity worldwide. Chances are 8 out of 10 people amongst your acquaintances who own smartphones use WhatsApp.
Due to its popularity, WhatsApp is not only used to get in touch with friends and family but is also being used as a business communication tool. Perhaps this could have been the main reason why WhatsApp introduced an alternative app for business, WhatsApp Business in 2018.
In this article, we are going to help you examine the advantages and disadvantages of using WhatsApp as a business communication tool.
Pros and Cons of Using WhatsApp as a Business Communication Tool
Pros
1. WhatsApp Business Option
WhatsApp Business is a free app that can be used either on Android, iPhone or desktop. The app is optimized for small and medium-sized businesses with interesting features to help them communicate efficiently and manage their businesses.
Some of the interesting features on WhatsApp Business includes:
- Statistics and analytics which are important for your business, for example, message delivery information.
- Business profile with companies information e.g email, website, address, and even your product catalog.
- Multiple integrations- you can integrate it with your email address and Facebook account to ensure real-time data access. This also means you are in a position to carry a single device with all the information you need for your business.
WhatsApp Business enables you to differentiate between business and other kinds of communication by having a separate app from the main WhatsApp App.
2. Internal Team Communication
Whatsapp groups can accommodate up to 256 contacts. This allows connectivity and communication across all work levels which helps to develop positive relationships between all work departments that can be inclusive of management.
3. Better reception by customers
WhatsApp gives an opportunity to be less informal. For example, rather than be annoying with calls to follow up with a customer quotation, a client may be more receptive to a quick WhatsApp message check-in. You can also use WhatsApp to send offers and seasons greetings to your customers.
4. Customer Support
Because of its wider reach, Whatsapp can be very useful. Customers can use it to quickly reach out to you rather than call the helpdesk number or raise a ticket which might feel like a tedious process.
5. Saves Money and Time
WhatsApp is a free tool, hence a cheaper option to use for communication. Also, it helps save on charges that could be incurred for calls and also travel as people can communicate in real-time from any location with internet access.
Cons
1. Control of non-work-related communication
While employees can efficiently use WhatsApp to communicate within the business, it is extremely difficult to monitor and discourage personal use during work hours. This is the reason why some businesses block access to all social media platforms during working hours as it is difficult to balance your mindset between personal and work communication.
2. Data Ownership
On most occasions, employers ensure there is a policy in place for issues such as ideas, proposals, and any other general input. With WhatsApp, however, the company has no control of the data, meaning the data can be stolen or shared at any given moment even without the business’ knowledge.
3. You need a phone number to use
In a networking environment, sometimes sharing personal information like phone numbers isn’t usually appropriate. Other work communication tools like Slack, Basecamp, and even mails are more straightforward.
4. Confusion in keeping up with topics and agendas
Although WhatsApp has an option to search for information in groups or messages, it becomes difficult to retrieve as the messages build up and conversations shift.
5. Lack of Enterprise Administration
It is important for businesses to professionally manage their users. An administration portal will help the business ensure there is transparent monitoring, efficient policies, access control, and quick support. With WhatsApp, all these are limited.
Conclusion
Ultimately, just like any other business communication tool, WhatsApp has both its good and bad sides. As a business owner or leader, it is important to evaluate which platform will work best for you. Contact Us today to get a tailormade communication strategy suitable for your business.
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