After running a pilot in Sao Paulo for a year, WhatsApp recently launched in 4 other countries a new feature allowing its users to browse & search for companies without leaving the app.
No need to spend time on Google anymore trying to look for their contact details or save their phone numbers in your contact list. Companies registered on WhatsApp Business Platform will now appear in the Directory. From now on, businesses can simply be browsed by categories – grocery store, restaurant, travel agency, bank, etc – or by the company name.
This communication platform becomes a service whereby customers can use WhatsApp not only to message businesses, E.g. to open a bank account, purchase a train ticket or order groceries, but also to stay connected with their friends and family.
Moreover, with the in-app payment functionality, people will be able to make a secure payment right from a chat, being eventually guided throughout the whole process of the purchase.
With more companies switching to online Webshops and more customers seeking live assistance, the importance of a centralized communication platform will grow stronger. As Meta CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, highlighted “the ultimate goal is eventually to make sure anyone can find, message & buy from a business all in the same WhatsApp chat”.
