WhatsApp Goes On The Web; Likely To Transform Businesses in Africa

Mobile networking and communication with friends and family have never been easier. Although smartphones are getting cheaper by the day, airtime isn’t, especially not in Ghana.

Thankfully, Instant Messaging (IM) applications have come to bridge the gap and make it possible for us to connect with everyone wherever they might be as long as they have Internet connection.

Over the years, mobile IM applications have grown to be the preferred choice of messaging for most people across the globe. In Africa, the rate of mobile IM application usage has been phenomenal, and specifically in Ghana, the likes of WhatsApp and Telegram have become the most popular choices of communication.

Developers of these applications always work around the clock to improve on their features to make its usage convenient and also ensure they become the first choice of mobile IM app users.

WhatsApp, a major player in the IM business, which was acquired by Facebook in 2014 for US$19 Billion has been at the forefront in improving its features to make it more user-friendly and convenient. With over 700 million monthly active users and over 1 billion registered users, getting your WhatsApp app on a desktop computer has not been easy but some users have managed to find a work-around with the aid of other applications.

However, the struggle to have WhatsApp on a desktop is over! Effective January 20th, you can have a desktop experience of your favourite application - WhatsApp - with the introduction of a web browser version. Just open your web browser, type ‘web.whatsapp.com’ in the URL or web address window, hit ‘Enter’, and you’re good to go. But first, you’ll need to update the WhatsApp application on your phone to the latest version to be able to use this new web interface.

On the site, you’ll see a QR code (bar code) that requires you to scan using a BlackBerry, Android, Symbian or Windows Phone device. Sorry, iOS users can’t use this interface at the moment! WhatsApp says the new system doesn’t work for iOS users now “due to Apple platform limitations”.

But the WhatsApp web version has restrictions! In order for the web interface to work, you’ll need to be connected to the internet on your phone. That connection is required for the WhatsApp app on your phone to synchronize with the web interface version. This connection makes it possible for everything done with the WhatsApp web interface to be automatically saved to your phone version in real-time.

Undoubtedly, WhatsApp Web is going to transform businesses in Africa considering the rate at which Africans blast WhatsApp messages each day in advertising their products and services. It could also enhance customer service experience for businesses, making it easy to respond to customers quickly by responding to questions and complains using the keyboard.

A survey I conducted in selected shops (Frank Electricals, Bina's Boutique and Vida's Bookstore) in Osu, a suburb of Accra, showed these shops have created WhatsApp groups where their clients get notifications on new products and special promos on products and services. Some people also revealed how they use WhatsApp in conducting job Interviews.

Although the new web interface could be an advantage for businesses, some business owners hold the view that WhatsApp is not the best way to build credibility. Some companies deny its employees of using WhatsApp at work, but now that it can be synchronized via the web interface, employees can chat without employers’ knowledge, which will produce a lot of unproductive hours. Other reasons why employers will not be interested in the Whatsapp app web interface have been listed below:

1.Not all customer issues can be addressed via WhatsApp. For example, the details of a real estate deal which would include complex specifications and negotiations would be better handled on a customer service call.

2.The amount of time needed to respond to customer issues can be very high. On an average, MyOperator users handle 500 minutes of customer calls every day. Translating that number of minutes into answering through text by a single user is not practical.

3.It will be inconvenient for businesses to save a customer’s number for future use. And since customers prefer having personal interactions with business owners, this will be a disadvantage to both parties (customer and business owner).

4.Speaking to customers on the phone gives a business the opportunity to demonstrate how professional they are. Most customers opt for IVRs because they simply have a professional approach. While there are multiple measurable benefits that IVR systems provide, professionalism stands out the most.

HOW TO SETUP WHATSAPP WEB ON YOUR SMARTPHONE

Although WhatsApp Web is new to most people, Ebuddy XMS has had the interface for some time but couldn't market it well, it seems. The WhatsApp web interface might not be a bad idea considering how fast one can type using the standard size keyboard compared to the keyboard on smartphones.

Let’s see how much traffic this new web interface drives.

Source: Infoboxdaily.com

By: Albert A. Ninyeh