A look at the new app from WhatsApp and how it will help businesses

With over one billion active daily users, WhatsApp has quickly become one of the most popular apps in the world. It is now looking to expand with the introduction of a sister product called WhatsApp Business.

There has been a lot of talk about the new app buzzing around the tech industry and businesses all over the world are already contemplating the potential benefits that the app will offer. Here we take a look at what we know so far about WhatsApp Business and what features we can expect.

More than just an update or a new feature, WhatsApp Business is a brand new product that is totally separate from the original communication app. As it stands, the app is only available to a select few beta testers and is yet to be released for general use. In terms of the app’s interface, nothing has been confirmed yet but a number of the key features have been leaked and they sound promising.

When the new app hits the market itwill be a totally separate entity to WhatsApp. This means that users will be able to link their number to both versions without them combining contacts and message archives. This will come in handy for users who want to keep their business life and personal life separate. It will also help keep things organised and reduce the risk of getting contacts confused.

Perhaps the most exciting and talked about feature of WhatsApp Business is the ability to link company landline numbers to your account. This means that instead of having to give out your personal number you can share your company number and access it through the app from anywhere. Freelancers and professionals who regularly travel will be able to access calls and messages on the move and won’t have to trawl through hundreds of messages that have piled up on the business phone.

The other notable additions include two new menu tabs: ‘Business Settings’ and ‘Statistics’. The latter currently shows information regarding the number of messages sent, received, delivered and read. Whereas the Business Settings tab allows users to customise their profiles and set up automated responses to specific contacts for certain situations.

There is still a lot of information to be released regarding the specifics of WhatsApp Business but what we have learned so far looks very promising for businesses everywhere.