WhatsApp to launch a new feature to enable smoother business flows

At a global conversations event in Mumbai, Meta introduced several new features to help speed up how to get things done with businesses in a WhatsApp chat. 

Mark Zuckerberg announced the launch of WhatsApp Flows which is a new feature for businesses to create better in-chat experiences for their customers like booking a reservation, ordering delivery, or checking in for a flight, directly on WhatsApp. Businesses will be able to choose from a series of flexible, pre-made building blocks so they can easily design these better, customizable experiences for their customers. Businesses around the world will be able to use the WhatsApp Business Platform in the coming weeks.

Every day, there are over 600M conversations between people and businesses on Meta Platforms. According to a Kantar study, about 80% of Indian consumers pick messaging as a preferred way to communicate with a business. This feature is a long time coming and will aid Indian Businesses with payments.

“WhatsApp Flows gives businesses the ability to create customized experiences right within chat threads. So, for example, a bank can build a way for customers to book an appointment to open a new account, a food delivery service can build a way to place an order from any of their partner restaurants or an airline can build a way to check in for a flight and pick up a seat, all without having to leave the chat thread”. Mark Zuckerberg, Founder, CEO of Meta.

WhatsApp is also expanding its payment service in India to all Indian businesses using the WhatsApp Business Platform. Users will be able to add items to a cart and send a payment using the payment method of their choice – either WhatsApp or other payment methods including all UPI apps, debit and credit cards, and more – without having to go to a website, open another app or pay in person. This feature is new in India; but has been rolled out already in Singapore and Brazil (for small businesses).

Zuckerberg has also launched Meta Verified for businesses on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Businesses will be able to subscribe for a fee and get a verified badge, account support, impersonation protection, and premium features that help amplify their brand online and make it more efficient to chat with customers. This feature is rolling out to Facebook and Instagram businesses in select countries in the coming weeks; WhatsApp to follow.

Sandhya Devanathan, VP, Meta India said, “[WhatsApp] is used by nearly every smartphone-wielding person in the
country. And WhatsApp has found an energy that is unprecedented. From being a favourite messaging app for personal connections, it is now a thriving platform even for business interactions. Indians are using it to debut businesses, discover businesses, and interact with businesses. For these entrepreneurs, WhatsApp is their business — it’s their website, their digital storefront, their livelihood."

Nikila Srinivasan , VP, of Business Messaging at Meta commented  “The world we envision is a world where everyone can get businesses done right from their favourite messaging app. Where every business of every size can have the superpower of combining the scale of our messaging apps with the magic of dedicated service. Where you are engaging with businesses just as you do with friends, and family – on your own terms. In a simple, reliable, and private way.“

"We’re going to continue to evolve what’s included in the toolkit to make sure that we're bringing the best value to businesses.” Mark Zuckerberg commented.