WhatsApp in B2B: These companies are showing the way!
WhatsApp in B2B? How do companies communicate via WhatsApp in the B2B sector? With representatives in the sales force, farmers in the field or in the catering sector? More and more companies in the B2B sector are relying on innovative communication via Messengers such as WhatsApp. We’ll show you why messenger apps are relevant for you as a B2B company and how you can use WhatsApp and Co. successfully and in compliance with data protection laws.
In the article you will learn:
- Messengers are more popular than telephone or e-mail
- Potential of WhatsApp in B2B
- WhatsApp & B2B: Why Messenger Communication?
- Practical examples of effective B2B messenger communication
- Conclusion: The added value of messenger communication in B2B outweighs the additional effort and expense
Messengers are more popular than telephone or e-mail
WhatsApp announced in mid-February 2020 on its blog that the messaging app is now actively used by over 2 billion people worldwide. This places the green messaging app far ahead of all other messaging apps such as Facebook Messenger, WeChat, Viber, Apple Business Chat, or Telegram in terms of number of users. The popular instant messaging app owned by Facebook, is now delivering roughly 100 billion messages a day, the company’s chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said at the quarterly earnings call on Thursday. Source: Techcrunch
WhatsApp in B2B with huge potential
As a result, the green messenger app from the Facebook group, which recently celebrated its tenth birthday, is gaining importance not only for the advertising industry – but also for companies that use this communication channel for their B2B communication. The professional use of WhatsApp offers huge potential for companies and brands.
Within the next five years, messengers will become the standard of business communication between companies and customers, but also between companies and business partners.
Check out our industry page for more best cases.
The Brandpunkt agency and John Deere, manufacturer of agricultural machinery, confirm that the target group of industrial companies uses Messengers. Around 90% of their target group uses WhatsApp.
The company would only reach its target group poorly via e-mail, because the attention and availability is greatest on WhatsApp.
WhatsApp & B2B: Why Messenger Communication?
In fact, compared to previous B2B communication channels – mail, phone, email, or fax – messenger apps have numerous advantages:
- Speed: No channel is as direct as Messengers. Messages reach the recipient virtually in real time, and over 90 percent of all messages are read within 15 minutes.
- High attention: Just under half of Germans allow WhatsApp to send them push notifications on the lock screen, a study by YouGov and MessengerPeople showed. Only 26 percent of Germans allow their email app to push messages to them – learn more about the Messenger study here.
- Delivery security: 100 percent of messages sent via Messengers are actually delivered. When sending e-mails, it happens time and again that mails are not delivered at all – or end up directly in the spam folder (e.g. due to soft or hard bounces caused by incorrect addresses, file attachments that are too large, filter settings, server overload, etc.).
- Close business relations: B2B communication via Messenger strengthens trust in the sender and helps build strong business relationships: The recipient of a message grants the business partner immediate entry into his or her private communication environment. This creates an emotional bond with the partner company.
- Multimedia: All relevant media and file types can be used in Messenger messages (voice messages, file attachments, videos, images). This makes it easy to present complex issues on one channel using the best combination of various media.
Practical examples of effective B2B Messenger communication
1. SAP informs via WhatsApp Service & Notify Newsletter
Numerous companies across industries are already taking advantage of the benefits of messengers in communicating with partners, customers, and potential prospects. The software company SAP, for example, relies on WhatsApp and Notify! Both channels provide support and news about their products.
💡 Tip: Send push messages even after the end of the WhatsApp newsletter? Messenger Newsletter – Everything you need to know!
2. At Transgourmet, wholesalers and restaurants order via WhatsApp
As a pioneer in B2B messenger communication, Transgourmet has been offering its business customers the option of contacting customer service, the Transgourmet Contact Center, directly via WhatsApp since July 2018:
In the end, these decisions were not only made by us, but above all by the customers!
Lukas Ratschke, Transgourmet
By using WhatsApp in customer service, Transgourmet not only wants to offer customers service on the channel they prefer, but also expects an increase in the efficiency and productivity of customer care: “In contrast to telephone conversations, the company has the possibility that one employee can look after two to three customers in parallel via Messengers – without any loss of quality, says Transgourmet manager Ratschke:
Through asynchronous communication, we expect an increase in the efficiency and productivity of customer care.
💡 Case Study Transgourmet: Learn how international grocery wholesaler Transgourmet helps B2B customers quickly and simply using WhatsApp.
3. Südzucker advises its farmers on pest control
WhatsApp has become an important communication channel for Südzucker, as the company can provide up-to-date information to its partners more quickly and carry out cultivation consulting more efficiently.
Oksana Chitos, responsible for beet and process coordination at Südzucker.
In contrast to telephone support, 1:1 chat offers the company the opportunity to provide practical, personal advice to its suppliers directly on site. Suppliers can use this tool to ask questions about orders. Beet farmers, for instance, are advised on various raw material topics and receive tips from professionals on pest control, planting and cultivation assistance, as well as information on events.
For the frequently repeated questions, the company has also been operating a simple WhatsApp chatbot which provides automated answers on its Messenger channels since summer 2018. In the case of questions that the bot cannot recognize or answer, it puts the user in touch with the right contact person in the relevant department.
4. Liebherr advises via WhatsApp with the help of a first level chatbot
The well-known construction machinery manufacturer Liebherr communicates with its customers via Messenger. At the center of the Messenger communication is WhatsApp as a customer service channel. The 1:1 chat consultation is efficiently supplemented by the use of a first level chatbot. The chat bot queries relevant data in advance and in this way enables colleagues in customer service to respond to their customers quickly and individually in terms of advice (by customer service) or relevant information (current topics, trade fair appearances, press reports, application films, competitions, product innovations).
5. FAIE strengthens customer loyalty through WhatsApp & Co. and speeds up the complaints process
FAIE, a well-established mail order company for agricultural products, was faced with the challenge that their complaints service via email was not as fast and smooth as the team imagined. As a result, the company introduced WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger as customer service and complaints channels. Using the two messengers, customers can easily share pictures and documents with FAIE’s service team, and communication is no longer as delayed as it was with e-mail. This has significantly accelerated the processes and has an additional positive impact on customer loyalty.
With the WhatsApp service, we can resolve complaints from our customers faster and more straightforwardly. Not only the reduced processing time, but also the targeted problem handling is a real benefit.
Lisa Wiesauer, Product Manager Animal Husbandry, FAIE HandelsgesmbH
6. WEICON uses WhatsApp in its global sales and service to secure a competitive advantage
For adhesives and sealants specialist WEICON, WhatsApp is the solution for more straightforward communication with their customers worldwide. Everyone uses WhatsApp and communication is much easier and faster compared to e-mail or telephone. Customers can easily send pictures or videos as well as their question via WhatsApp when they have an application problem. In response, WEICON can also send back messages with multimedia content and thus clarify inquiries more quickly. All inquiries from the various markets are controlled centrally in Münster and transferred to the appropriate experts for direct response.
The company receives a wide variety of questions via WhatsApp – many are looking for a WEICON dealer in their country, others have application questions or would like to have competitive alternatives. In addition, the channel is also used by customers to purchase products.
Our WhatsApp service is a clear competitive advantage. Customers even send us pictures of competitor products and ask for alternatives.
Conclusion: Added value of messenger communication outweighs additional expense
Overall, the additional expense for companies is manageable, but the benefit for customers is enormous! A separate B2B Messenger channel can usually be integrated well within a company’s existing structures, as our experience from over 1,800 customer cases shows. A major advantage of WhatsApp & Co. is the ability to offer business partners a reliable, personal and multimedia service around the clock. Anyone who uses WhatsApp privately will also quickly recognize – and appreciate – the advantages of this channel in B2B communication.
Tip: Arrange a live demo of our Messenger Communication Platform with our experts now. You will be guided live through the product and receive expert tips as well as answers to your questions for successful B2B communication via Messenger.
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