Picture this, it’s just past day break on a chilly Saturday morning. A fresh layer of crisp, white snow has fallen overnight, and you notice the sun trying to break through the hazy gray winter sky. You’re sipping on your second cup of rich, earthy coffee enjoying the peace and quiet of your midcentury farmhouse kitchen. The tranquil morning won’t last as your two young children will shortly wander down the stairs. Remembering your rambunctious childhood inspires you to reach out to your now elderly, mother and father. How do you contact them? Is your go-to a quick phone call, a simple text, or a more intimate video chat? 
Just like you have a preferred way to communicate with your cherished family and friends, your customers have a preferred way to connect with you to get the support they desperately need. In the United States, 45% of agriculture producers prefer pure digital channels like a website in the research and repurchasing phases of their buying journeys. While 78% prefer human interactions like phone, text, or face-to-face communication when it comes to questions on product use and service issues.(1)
As technology continues to change at the speed of light it's more important than ever to offer multiple communication avenues and a seamless customer experience across those channels. 15 years ago, consumers typically used two touchpoints when making a purchase. Consumers today use an average of six touchpoints with nearly 50% using more than four regularly.
While phone calls and text messages are the most common avenues of communication, widespread adoption of smartphone usage enabled numerous apps to emerge that also facilitate communication, none more prevalent than WhatsApp.
So, what is WhatsApp Anyway?
WhatsApp is the world’s most popular instant messaging platform allowing users to message and
make calls for free by using a Wi-Fi connection rather than cellular data. WhatsApp is available via both mobile and web-based applications. To-date, WhatsApp has over 2 billion registered users globally and with over a billion users logging in daily, it has become an invaluable tool for communication.
WhatsApp is known as the primary means of electronic communication in several countries and regions including Latin America, the Indian subcontinent, and large parts of Europe & Africa. Let’s not exclude the United states. The number of users has been steadily increasing in the US and it is predicted that by 2023 85.5 million users will adopt the technology.(2)
To keep up with growing digital technology demands and to continue to develop the Omnichannel experience across our platform, our beta integration with WhatsApp is now live.
How does the WhatsApp integration work in AgriSync?
Companies using AgriSync can apply to allow WhatsApp messaging to and from their existing team VoiceHub numbers. Since SMS messaging isn’t widely used in many countries, this allows customers to use WhatsApp to communicate with companies using AgriSync.
Similar to SMS messaging in AgriSync, customers still don’t have to download the AgriSync app. With WhatsApp messaging enabled for an AgriSync team, customers can send a WhatsApp message to their existing AgriSync VoiceHub number that creates a ticket and alerts the team of experts.
When an Advisor on that team replies via chat in AgriSync, it sends a WhatsApp message back to the customer. Customers and Advisors can also share media files such as photos and videos to help see and resolve issues more quickly.
See WhatsApp for AgriSync in Action
The following video shows you how customers can ask for help via WhatsApp including submitting a photo for assistance.
How do I enable WhatsApp for my AgriSync account?
There are a few steps that WhatsApp requires in order for you to have a verified business WhatsApp account to communicate with your customers. If you’re ready to get started, please review and start the WhatsApp Business Application process for the AgriSync team to review.
Sources:
- David Fiocco, Liz Harrison, and Candace Lun Plotkin, Cultivating the omnichannel farmer, McKinsey & Company, https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/marketing-and-sales/our-insights/cultivating-the-omnichannel-farmer
- J. Andjelic, WhatsApp Statistics: Revenue, Usage, and History, Fortunly, https://fortunly.com/statistics/whatsapp-statistics/#gref
