7 Proven Strategies to Elevate Customer Service Using WhatsApp

Bad customer service can harm a company’s reputation and cost it a lot of customers. On the other side, having a system in place to properly service and support consumers will result in long-term retention of these customers. When customers feel valued and respected, they will be so happy that they will be part of your marketing team by referring customers to you.

That is why businesses need to be a step ahead and be proactive to satisfy their customers. In this day and age of instant communication, apps like WhatsApp are popular for customer service. It’s one of the best channels to connect with your customers because it is easily accessible, very simple, and especially if you are in Brazil, with 95% odds that barely everybody uses WhatsApp. Not only Brazil, WhatsApp is a prominent messaging app in other countries too.

In this article, we are going to discover 7 actionable tips to better serve your customers on their preferred messaging app, WhatsApp. These 7 practical customer support tips we use in our day-to-day work to provide exceptional service and support to our customers over WhatsApp. So buckle up folks and let’s begin.

Great customer service is all about building trust and making things easier for both your team and your customers. At Rasayel, our team has a few go-to tips that help keep everything running smoothly. Here are the 7 customer service tips our agents use every day to deliver the best support possible.

1. Assign Correct Team Members #

All the members of your staff who are initially in charge of customer service should know what their role is within this WhatsApp communication framework.

The skills of your customer support team are different. Some may have skills and experience in the technical aspect; others may have communication skills and can handle angry customers very well. So, choosing the right person for the right mission is key when supporting customers.

For example, in Rasayel, you can do this manually by assigning specific customer support agents to a WhatsApp conversation. Also, you can do this by using the inbox rules feature to automatically assign conversations to specific agents based on the criteria you choose.

This way, you are 100% sure that the issue your customer has is assigned to the right superhero on your team who will fix it quickly. Also, you are helping your team focus only on conversations assigned to them. So, team collaboration here is much easier.

2. Utilize Notes & Mentions #

WhatsApp’s notes and mentions tools are integral for managing customer interactions. In short, these features ensure your team remains organized and that no customer campaign requests go unnoticed.

Effective use of notes #

You can take notes on anything within a customer interaction, such as their preferences or past issues and requests. This information can have immense value when attempting to provide a tailored experience. If a customer is writing in about an ongoing issue, your team can check notes from previous conversations and it will provide them with some sort of context to get the issue resolved quickly.

Collaborate with your team using mentions #

Mentions are very handy when some kind of collaboration is to be done. Tagging a colleague in chat can help your coworker pay attention to a particular problem that he may solve efficiently. This is great, especially for teams that handle a lot of inquiries because it significantly helps you with your communication and resolution time.

Here is a real-life example taken from a conversation our team at Rasayel was having. Notes and mentions are an effective way to remain on the same page without losing any context. Also, it will help your customer support team customize the experience by reading these notes and remembering this customer much faster so he can feel like he is getting that VIP experience.

3. Weekend Customized Chatbot Setup #

Customer expectations have changed to the point where a lot of them now expect 24/7 availability. Still, keeping a 24/7 support team in-house is difficult and often prohibitive for smaller companies. A tailor-made chatbot can surely bring a great change.

Build a chatbot for your customers #

A chatbot that has been properly developed can cope with different tasks, such as answering some of the most common questions or guiding users through typical troubleshooting. Consider the types of inquiries you get off work hours when setting up your chatbot. This way, you enable your chatbot to respond immediately (even when no one is available on the human team) and provide support in common scenarios without much supervision so that it does not break.

Gather data for follow-up #

Apart from responding to user queries, you can also use your chatbot to take the information from customers and get back to them after business hours. This way, customers know that support is only minutes away even if a live agent isn’t available right now and the chatbot will certainly reply in the meantime.

These chatbots are easy to build and require zero coding knowledge. You can start building them in Rasayel using chatbot builder with no coding at all.

4. Deliver Proactive Messages #

Proactive communication comes in many shapes and sizes. For instance, you can send order status updates; delivery confirmations; or appointment reminders. This will keep consumers in the loop, as well as demonstrate that your business is proactive and dedicated to creating an effortless experience for customers.

Proactive messaging is also a very effective way to let your customers know about trouble that could adversely affect their experience. For instance, if there is a delay with shipping but the customer isn’t made aware of it until after they’ve waited in vain all day for their purchase to arrive.

Build customer trust #

It is also good to have proactive communication as part of any workflow and helps in building trust. The more they see your brand actively working to keep them up-to-date, the higher the chance customers will believe that you are a dependable and considerate company. This trust helps with a lot of repeat business and good old-fashioned word-of-mouth type referrals.

5. Build a Knowledge Base #

An important resource, for your customers and just as much so (if not more), for your customer service team. It acts as a single point of truth that your customers can access to get responses to their questions without reaching out support team.

Create a good knowledge base #

In building a knowledge base, you should take account of the kinds of questions and problems your customers are most often faced with. Arrange content into navigable categories; use clear and concise language to remove all barriers for users. Aside from the written articles, try to add some video tutorials and infographics or step-by-step guides for different learning styles.

Including the knowledge base in WhatsApp #

Integrate your WhatsApp customer service channel with a knowledge base You can do this by using them in the quick replies or chatbot responses you send out, including relevant knowledge base articles. Giving customers direct access to self-serve knowledge reduces the volume of incoming inquiries and empowers them with the tools they need to help selves

6. Create Solid SOPs #

SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures): SOPs are the lifeline for any successful customer service operation. They offer a defined roadmap to process various customer interactions in standardized ways, leaving no room for unchecked inconsistencies and lack of professional behavior across your team.

Create SOP for WhatsApp customer support #

Draft multiple scenarios you think your team would encounter for WhatsApp customer service while preparing SOPs. Such a playbook could include directions on how to handle straightforward inquiries, when and where to escalate more difficult issues upwards in the organization as well as administration of customer data. An SOP should both provide a clear guide and be flexible enough for different scenarios.

Benefits of keeping up-to-date #

As your business and processes grow, so should the SOPs. Update your procedures frequently in line with changes to both what you offer and customer expectations, along with WhatsApp features. When you maintain your SOPs, it means that no matter who is reading the document or when they are looking at an operation process or manual of a function in your company – everyone will have access only to relevant information meaning that you provide top-quality service from A to Z.

7. Anticipate Customer Needs #

It is how well businesses can anticipate customer needs and pre-empt that truly sets them apart. This aids not only in enhancing the well-being of your consumer but also helps you respond to any concerns and deliver a top-notch customer experience.

Anticipating their needs and providing that before they even ask for it can create insane levels of satisfaction and positive reviews will flood over your business. Customers are more likely to retain a business if they believe the company receives their requisites. By anticipating and addressing these needs in advance of them becoming problems, you are showing that your business values their experience, and this will help improve customer retention, as well as mouth-word referrals.

These were the 7 tips our Rasayel customer support team is using. But we are not done yet! We got a bonus tip for you.

Bonus Tip: Be Empathetic #

Customer service without empathy is worthless. It is to feel and communicate the feelings of your customers — this way, more empathic interactions can be fostered positively.

How to show empathy in customer service? #

To show empathy, encourage your team members to actively listen and validate customer complaints. Even if that means, “I get how pissed off you must be,” or “Wow I’m so sorry this has become an issue for you… let’s see what we can do about it.” Empathy is important because it adds a personal touch to the interaction, potentially turning an adversarial moment into one that makes the customer feel better.

Why empathy is the long game? #

Customer Service with Empathy has long-term gains for the business. Customers who feel recognized and appreciated are more likely to be loyal customers, that will bring in others. Also, when empathy can calm escalating confrontation it is much easier and the solutions are found more quickly.

Conclusion #

customer service is more than just a support function—it’s a vital part of building lasting relationships with your customers. By leveraging WhatsApp as your go-to customer service channel, you not only meet your customers where they are but also create a seamless, accessible, and personalized experience that sets your business apart.

The 7 tips shared by our Rasayel team are designed to help you optimize your WhatsApp customer service strategy. From assigning the right team members to utilizing notes and mentions, setting up customized chatbots, and delivering proactive messages, these practices will elevate your customer service game. Building a robust knowledge base, creating solid SOPs, and anticipating customer needs are all steps that ensure your service is efficient, consistent, and always one step ahead.

And let’s not forget the power of empathy. It’s the human touch that turns a routine service interaction into a memorable experience. Empathy fosters loyalty, trust, and positive word-of-mouth—three things that are invaluable to any business.

So, take these tips to heart, implement them within your WhatsApp customer service framework, and watch as your customer satisfaction, retention, and overall business success reach new heights. Your customers are your greatest advocates—give them the service they deserve, and they’ll reward you with their loyalty.

Frequently asked questions #

About the author

Omar Nabil

Omar Nabil, a former programmer, discovered his passion for writing while working on websites. Combining analytical thinking with creativity, he crafts brand stories that emotionally resonate and inspire action.

@Omar Nabil on LinkedIn