Some companies have the perception that the changes do not affect them directly; however, the process involves all businesses — regress of the size of the company — that use the application to cement their sales or to engage with potential clients.
This is because the information which the clients offer lies within the provision of WhatsApp. “The reality for the companies is that there is no point in not doing anything. The businesses have a responsibility to clarify how they operate and how they manage the information of their users and clients obtained through this well-known application”, explained Angie Jimenez, VP of Operations at Extendo.
The Extendo expert offers the following recommendations:
- Management of the information.
WhatsApp announced changes to their privacy policies from May 15th 2021. The data that is obtained can be used for user segmentation and to generate publicity. The businesses need to clarify how they manage the information obtained from clients through the application going forward so that the client trusts in the responsible use of their data. - Presence of other applications.
Alternative instant messenger application options exist, such as Telegram, Signal or Line that businesses can evaluate to decide if they can offer service or open a channel of communication through one of them. The most recognized messenger application and the one with the best track record is Telegram; however, this requires a high level of users to be economical and effective, or on the contrary, it does not offer many benefits. Client migration. It is best to look for a mechanism to serve all the clients that decide to use the other application. There are companies which provide the service of directing and managing WhatsApp Business from Whatsapp. Ideally, the company identifies which channel of communication is most used by their clients, which instant messenger application is preferred, or if they prefer a call, SMS message or email. The most important thing is to establish trust at the start of the relationship and make the form of contact clear.
Explain the use of data.
It is necessary that the business develops their own manifesto in which they describe how they will use data received from clients and share it in a public place with easy access like a web page or in a space dedicated to description (in the case of WhatsApp). The document needs to explain the value of the information to build personalized experiences, improve relations in the long term and offer a better service to the client. For example, a store can specifically advise their client when a color or size of clothing arrives that they like.Use of WhatsApp Business.
If the business relies on a service platform for clients based on the use of WhatsApp, a change is more complicated. It is then important to offer clarity about the use of data, also to investigate which new tools and applications can be incorporated into their business.
The facilitation of client data to the business can be translated into an exchange of value, this means that the client is willing to share their personal information in the case that it brings them some type of benefit.
