Your customer would rather send a message than call. Right up until things get complicated. Then they suddenly want to hear a voice. Handle both well and you won't lose anyone along the way. In this blog: when WhatsApp for business is exactly the right channel, when a call works better, and how to bring the two together on a single number.
Why WhatsApp for business works so well
The barrier is low. Your customer fires off a message between two appointments, you reply when it suits you, and nobody sits in a queue. Sharing an address, sending a photo of a broken installation, confirming that Tuesday's appointment is still on: a message is simply the easiest tool for the job.
And unlike a chatbot, there's an actual person on your end. Customers feel that difference immediately. In our previous blog on phone availability we wrote that personal contact beats automated answers. WhatsApp is no exception: it's simply another door to that same person.
The risk: two channels that know nothing about each other
Here's where it goes wrong in practice. Message traffic runs through one employee's personal mobile. Your landline number is on the website. And the two never meet.
The result: a customer messages on Monday, calls the office on Wednesday, and reaches someone who doesn't know the story. Or worse: the colleague handling the messages is away for a week and the conversations sit idle in a phone in a drawer. That's how customers slip through the cracks, without anyone doing anything wrong.
One number for calls and messages
The fix is simpler than you'd think: connect WhatsApp Business to your fixed business number. Customers see one number, use it however they like, and your personal phone stays personal.
- A national 085 number works best; other landline numbers are sometimes refused by WhatsApp.
- The app itself is free. You only pay for your number and an optional calling package.
- Alongside your phone you can link four more devices, enough for a small team to follow along.
- On the road, at home or abroad: as long as you have internet, you're reachable.
When to message, and when to call
Not every conversation belongs in a chat. This split works for most small businesses:
Send a message for:
- short, concrete questions with one clear answer
- confirmations, addresses, opening hours and status updates
- anything that comes with a photo or a document
- messages that arrive in the evening or at the weekend
Pick up the phone for:
- emotion: a complaint, a misunderstanding, a disappointed customer
- custom work and quotes, where you want to ask follow-up questions
- bad news, because a delay never reads well in text
- conversations already more than three messages deep
That last one makes a solid team rule: more than three messages? Pick up the phone. You're done faster and the customer feels properly heard.
Five things you can set up today
- Opening hours. Add them in WhatsApp Business so customers can see when you're around.
- An away message. Not just "we're closed", but also when you'll reply. Managing expectations cuts your follow-up messages in half.
- Quick replies. For the five questions you get every week. Write once, use a hundred times.
- Clear team agreements. Who's watching, and who picks it up? Five devices is handy, but only if everyone knows whose turn it is.
- A safety net for callers. Anyone who does call shouldn't end up nowhere. Call forwarding, a phone menu or voicemail catches them.
Ready to sort it out?
Using WhatsApp for business starts with a number that belongs to your company, not to your phone. Working solo? Then the Self-employed package is your starting point. Working with a team? Take a look at the SME package, which spreads calls neatly across colleagues.
Want to see what WhatsApp Business can do first? The official WhatsApp Business site lists the features one by one. Already know enough? Then you can arrange your number with us in a couple of minutes.
Happy chatting, and happy calling!
