WhatsApp Business: a detailed guide for UAE businesses
Did you know that WhatsApp is used by almost 3 billion people every month? In the UAE alone, more than 8 million users are actively engaged on the platform.
As digitalization advances, businesses in the UAE and worldwide are finding innovative ways to promote their products and services to a broad audience. The growing importance of instant messaging marketing in today's digital landscape means that services like WhatsApp links and WhatsApp Managers can help businesses in the UAE connect with customers more efficiently and manage multiple conversations simultaneously.
Are you ready to discover how WhatsApp Business features and WhatsApp marketing can help you attract more customers in the UAE?
Understanding instant messaging for businesses in the UAE
By the end of the day, 98% of mobile users read messages related to businesses. Incorporating instant messaging, such as live chat software, into your digital marketing strategy is crucial, and WhatsApp is a key player in this realm.
Since 2018, WhatsApp has seen significant growth in its business use. The platform's user base has been expanding yearly, with new features continuously being added, making it the world's leading messaging app.
WhatsApp's popularity extends beyond the UAE, reaching 104 countries with a diverse user base that businesses should pay attention to.
If you need to get more familiar with the benefits of a WhatsApp Business account, this blog post will provide an overview and explain why it's essential for any business in the UAE.
Leveraging WhatsApp Business during key local events and holidays in the UAE
Using WhatsApp Business during local festivals and events can significantly boost customer engagement and drive sales.
Here’s how you can use it:
1) During Ramadan
During Ramadan, businesses can send out special offers and promotions related to the holy month. For example, a restaurant could offer Iftar meal deals and send daily menus or special discounts via WhatsApp.
Also, you can send daily inspirational or religious messages related to Ramadan can help keep customers engaged. For instance, a retail store might send messages with special prayers or motivational quotes to resonate with the spirit of Ramadan.
2) On UAE National Day
Sending customers festive greetings and celebrating national pride with themed messages can foster a stronger connection. For instance, a café could send out messages wishing customers a happy UAE National Day and offering a special discount for wearing national colors.
Businesses can also launch exclusive offers or sales during the National Day celebrations. For example, a local electronics store could promote special deals on WhatsApp for products like smartphones or laptops, encouraging customers to take advantage of limited-time discounts.
WhatsApp restrictions in Dubai and the wider UAE
In Dubai and the UAE, voice and video calls on WhatsApp have been banned due to regulatory and security concerns. The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TDRA) enforces these rules to control VoIP services and ensure national security. While you can still send texts, photos, and audio messages, voice and video calls are impossible.
This ban can disrupt communication and affect productivity and customer satisfaction for businesses, especially those relying on international collaboration. Despite these restrictions, WhatsApp remains a valuable tool for companies to communicate with customers, as most interactions occur through text and messages rather than daily phone calls.
WhatsApp Business App vs WhatsApp Business API
Even before WhatsApp Business was introduced, many businesses in the UAE were already incorporating WhatsApp into their daily operations.
In addition to personal messaging, WhatsApp launched business versions, such as the WhatsApp Business App and the WhatsApp Business API, to help business owners more effectively connect with their target audience.
According to Oberlo, over 5 million businesses have utilized WhatsApp Business to effectively connect with their consumers and potential clients, many of which are based in the UAE.
This app simplifies business communication by providing additional features for instant messaging in the workplace, which are particularly useful for tasks such as payment notifications, customer support, and sales and marketing.
As highlighted earlier, there are two distinct WhatsApp Business models available for businesses tailored to their specific needs:
Let's take a look at a simple comparison below.
WhatsApp Business App
Designed for small and medium-sized businesses, the WhatsApp Business App is free and accessible to all SMEs in the UAE. It allows easy customer engagement via a smartphone application. Up to five devices can be logged in simultaneously, but only one can be a smartphone.
However, this multi-device login has limitations, such as missing message pins and lacking team management features.
Learn how to set up WhatsApp Business for multiple users and devices.
WhatsApp Business API
The WhatsApp Business API is more suitable for large businesses in the UAE that handle high messaging volumes. It offers more advanced business-specific features that can help scale the business efficiently.
If you are interested in the pricing of the WhatsApp Business API, learn more about it in the article.
Everything you need to know about the WhatsApp business app in the UAE
WhatsApp Business is a widely used messaging application for small business owners in the UAE. It is available for free on both iOS and Android platforms and helps businesses connect more reliably with prospects and customers.
The app simplifies customer interaction by offering tools to automate, sort, and quickly respond to messages. It’s designed to function like a regular WhatsApp account, allowing users to send messages, photos, and more.
However, the WhatsApp Business App supports access for only a limited number of users and requires more manual input and workflows than larger-scale solutions.
Here's the top 6 WhatsApp Business features
1. Create a business profile for your business in the UAE
WhatsApp Business enables you to create a professional business profile. You can include various details about your business, such as contact information, the company’s website, and location. This helps businesses in the UAE enhance their credibility and establish a trustworthy presence.
2. Set business hours for your UAE business
Set your business hours in the WhatsApp Business App! This feature informs your customers of the best times to reach you and helps manage expectations for customer support. For instance, if most of your customers are in the UAE, you can adjust your business hours to align with local timings.
3. Utilize automated responses for your customers
With WhatsApp Business, you can easily automate messages such as greetings, quick replies, and away messages.
Using Away Messages can let your customers know that you are busy. Simply toggle “Send away message” and type in the message customers will receive based on the schedule you determine. This feature is especially useful for businesses in the UAE to maintain clear communication and manage customer expectations.
With Greeting Messages, you can send a message immediately after a potential customer contacts you. This allows you to share information about your company in UAE with your consumers.
For Quick Replies, you can set up keyboard shortcuts for your most frequently sent messages. These quick replies can include text or media messages, such as GIFs, images, and videos.
To send quick replies, search for the quick reply using the keyword or type “/” and select the shortcut directly. This feature is particularly beneficial for businesses in the UAE, allowing for efficient and consistent communication with customers.
Our comprehensive guide on WhatsApp Flows explains how to seamlessly integrate flow automation into your business strategy for improved customer satisfaction and efficiency.
4. Add a product catalog
WhatsApp Business lets you create a product catalog to showcase and share your products quickly. This makes it simple for customers to browse and find items they want to buy, eliminating the need to send multiple pictures and repeatedly provide pricing and product information.
To set up a catalog, go to Business Settings > Catalog > Add Product or Service. Then, add images, product details, and pricing information, and click Save.
5. Add labels to group chats
With WhatsApp Business, you can organize your chats using labels. This feature enables quick categorization of customers and easy access to labeled conversations.
Here are some label suggestions that you can use:
New Customer
Returning Customer
Customer Awaiting Orders
6. Monitor messaging statistics
You can now manage and monitor your messaging statistics with ease.
For example, you can see how many of your messages have been read.
This allows you to effectively track the performance of your campaign.
Importance of using both arabic and english in business communications
In the UAE, the population is diverse, with a mix of native Arabic speakers and expatriates who primarily speak English. Using both languages in business communications ensures inclusivity and broadens the reach of marketing efforts.
Crafting messages in both Arabic and English ensures that you reach a broader audience. For instance, a travel agency could send out promotional tour packages with details available in both languages, appealing to both local and expatriate customers.
Using both languages demonstrates professionalism and respect for cultural diversity, helping build customer trust. A financial services firm might send bilingual updates about new investment opportunities, showing its commitment to serving all clients equally.
Discover the WhatsApp Business API
While WhatsApp Business offers valuable features for small businesses, the WhatsApp Business API provides greater versatility and functionality. This makes it a better fit for larger teams with diverse business messaging needs in the UAE.
The WhatsApp Business API offers a verified business profile with a green tick, helping companies build trust with customers in the UAE. It supports unlimited devices and users, allowing multiple teams to access the same WhatsApp account simultaneously.
However, it only provides an API endpoint, so you'll need a software solution and an official WhatsApp Business Solution Provider (BSP) to fully utilize its capabilities.
There are specific phone number requirements and rules for sending customer messages, and each message sent through the API incurs a charge.
Despite these considerations, the WhatsApp Business API can significantly enhance workflow efficiency by integrating various platforms and software.
For instance, you can integrate with popular e-commerce platforms like Shopify to automatically send order confirmations and delivery notifications. Additionally, it can integrate with CRM systems like Salesforce and HubSpot to streamline customer database management as you chat and gather more details on WhatsApp.
Moreover, the WhatsApp Business API offers enhanced data management capabilities, such as data exporting and archiving, making it ideal for periodic reviews to improve work processes in the UAE.
Need a quick overview of the WhatsApp Business API? Take a quick read at our summary of WhatsApp Business API vs WhatsApp Business App.
Discover the power of WhatsApp with SleekFlow!
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Successful UAE companies using WhatsApp Business API
1. TKD Lingerie
TKD Lingerie, with outlets in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, achieved a 40x ROAS using the WhatsApp Business API. Using SleekFlow’s social CRM, they categorized customers based on preferences and launched a successful broadcast campaign for their 3-for-2 promotion. This led to a high message open rate and increased online-to-offline sales, showcasing how small businesses in the UAE can effectively connect with customers and enhance their support.
2. RAALC Law Firm.
RAALC Law Firm automates lead management using WhatsApp Business API. By setting automated away messages, they ensure clear client expectations even during non-office hours. SleekFlow helps them automate lead distribution: new leads receive a welcome message, select their preferred language, and provide a brief description of their legal issue. This information then assigns the lead to the appropriate legal consultant, streamlining the process and enhancing client service.
Which one should I choose?
Several key factors should be considered when deciding between the WhatsApp Business App and WhatsApp Business API. These factors include the need for:
automation and workflow to improve
multiple team access requirements
the frequency of mass messaging
integration of existing platforms
your messaging goals
To elevate your marketing efforts through mass messaging, you can explore WhatsApp's Broadcast messaging capabilities. With better quality ratings and targeting strategies, you can avoid being blocked by users all the time or getting banned and losing your account forever.
Investing in the WhatsApp Business API for its robust business-oriented features is worthwhile. On SleekFlow, you can find solutions tailored to your industry and designed to address all your needs.
Additionally, SleekFlow's mobile app and web interface enable your team to send and respond to messages from anywhere, whether out of the office or in the office. They can also take advantage of workflow automation with Flow Builder and enhance efficiency with AI features in the all-in-one inbox.
Want to outcompete your peers with SleekFlow's help?
Book your personalized demo with SleekFlow today and unlock the potential of seamless communication
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