Whatsapp for business

by Freddie Savundra (Founder & CEO) • 5 January 2023

But I already have WhatsApp...

So to clear up the main question - A WhatsApp Business account is not the same as a normal (personal) WhatsApp Account. While they can be on the same phone, they have to be tied to separate phone numbers.

For the business account, you can use a landline number as well as a mobile one. You don’t actually need a Phone here and can use a PC instead, but this is personal preference.

The real difference is the power of being a Verified Business Account - especially when it comes to Financial Services. With a Verified Business Account, you can add your company logo, working hours, a website, even address details for your business. Another great feature is the ability to create a product listing within the WhatsApp Business app to showcase your specialities. It can include images, fees, and even links back to your site. The catalogue can also be shared as one dedicated link, which is great for Financial Services where you can showcase the areas you advise on and fee structure.

Think of a WhatsApp Business Account as a seal of approval that you are who you say you are, now think what that means to your clients....

Business Tools

WhatsApp is powerful - I mean, really powerful. With an Open Rate of over 95%, it’s a dream for Client Retention and Communication. Forget Mobile Apps, you have the best one right here. Best of all, it’s completely Free to setup!

The main difference is the ability to use Short Links, QR Codes, WhatsApp Broadcasts (Think a batch and blast message) but also how this ties into together with other technology, such as Biometric ID Checks and Client IDV Requirements.

The real magic is the sales gold-dust. Through Advancements in AI, Meet Parker can now trigger conversations with clients at the click of a button. When a client responds, AI kicks in and warm leads are passed over to you. Powerful stuff.

From a Mortgage Broker’s point of view, this is game changing technology. You can tie all business communication into your WhatsApp Business Account, then allow your staff to communicate with clients through this verified business Account. This solves a real headache for businesses looking to stop their brokers using their personal WhatsApp Accounts to communicate with clients. Retention and oversight solved in an instant.

How Meet Parker Works

There are two types of WhatsApp Messages.

Messages that are triggered by the client (they message you)
Messages that are triggered by the business (you message clients).

As you can imagine, the latter is more expensive, however there is a massive amount of value driven from engaging with clients this way, whether it’s to wish them a Happy Birthday, Congratulate them on Completing on their Purchase, or simply to let them know about the price of Life Insurance. All of the above of course is bread and butter to Team Parker, we’ve built a series of flows that do exactly this. Check out our website to find out more!

How to Create an Account

There are a few different ways to do this. The easiest method is to go through a Verified WhatsApp ISV (like Meet Parker) where they complete the setup and identification process for you. You can of course go direct to Meta (WhatsApp’s owner) but this can be quite a long and often tedious process. Best to stick to the experts here. To get a Business Verified Account, you will need:

A Verified Facebook Page
A Mobile/Landline Number
Business Proof (Utility Bill etc.)

Once you have the above, send it across to hello@meetparker.co.uk and we will take care of the rest. Turnaround times are around 2 Weeks with Meta at the moment, so brace yourselves for a bit of a wait!

Our Responsibility:

The really big question is about Data Privacy and GDPR, of course. Meet Parker strives to provide the very best experience for both our partner firms and their customers. We will process data, securely and in accordance with our privacy policy: https://www.meetparker.co.uk/privacy-policy

Your Responsibility:

While the below is a bit grey when it comes to consent (you can’t necessarily rely on Legitimate Interest) this will surely be enforced more and more over the coming years. When it comes to marketing and communicating with your customers, be this via telephone / email, or via SMS, Facebook (Messenger) or even WhatsApp. The expected Consumer Consent (opt-in) is required for each communication channel.

Capture Consent
Provide Opt-Out
Share Privacy Policy

Consumer Consent:

You as a business are responsible for ensuring you have valid Consumer Consent, in line with your companies GDPR policy.

Keep in mind that you must continue to comply with the key principles of data protection and comply with applicable law:

Quality
Information
Consent
Confidentiality
Data security

Existing Channels:

You should already be capturing consumer consent for channels such as email, SMS, telephone, in line with UK GDPR rules. You will also require consent for the likes of Facebook (Messenger), Instagram or WhatsApp, prior to any marketing or communication to the customer via these channels.

UK GDPR Standard of Consent applies. This means that if you send electronic marketing or use cookies or similar technologies you must comply with both PECR and the UK GDPR rules. Both of which cover the scope of consent.

Supporting Info:

Supporting Information:

https://ico.org.uk/

https://whatsapp.com/legal/business-policy/

We hope this document helps you deploy a Compliant means of WhatsApp Communication. Get in touch with our Team below to find out more!

Hope you enjoyed the read!

Team Parker

hello@meetparker.co.uk

Book a WhatsApp Session

This list is formed from Meet Parker’s own experiences, conversations and feedback from advisers. It is only a small snapshot of technology in the industry and no recommendations are being made for the use of any product, supplier or system.