Meta unveils updates for WhatsApp Business – Here’s what to expect

Meta Platforms has unveiled a range of fresh features for WhatsApp Business during the Conversations event in Mumbai. In recent years, WhatsApp has gained immense popularity, surpassing SMS as the preferred method of communication. Recognizing this trend, Meta has consistently introduced new features to retain users and prevent them from migrating to alternative apps. Additionally, WhatsApp Business has emerged as a valuable platform for businesses to grow their customer base, offering features tailored to enhance customer experience.

Meta announced several new features for WhatsApp Business today at its discussion event. Will Cathcart, head of WhatsApp at Meta, said of X: “For everyone who chats with businesses on @WhatsApp, we’ve got lots of great improvements coming, including a way for businesses to build richer chat experiences that make it easier to do things like book an appointment or buy a ticket, all within the app.”

WhatsApp Business: new features

1. Flows – This feature brings customizable menus and forms that businesses can leverage to provide customer experiences such as booking an appointment, selecting a seat on a train, or selecting a meal. All of them can be done without leaving the WhatsApp app.

WhatsApp has announced that streams will be available to businesses through WhatsApp Business in the coming weeks.

2. Multiple Payment Services – Starting today, customers can choose from different payment methods like debit and credit cards, various UPI apps and others while paying for the services or products they want to buy. WhatsApp has announced that it has partnered with Razorpay and PayU to facilitate payments on WhatsApp Business.

Speaking at the event, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said, “This makes it even easier for people to pay Indian businesses on WhatsApp chat using any method.”

3. Meta-verified businesses – WhatsApp brings Meta-verified badges to legitimate businesses on WhatsApp Business to reduce the amount of fraud that can occur through fake businesses listed on its platform. Businesses must prove their authenticity to Metal, and in turn receive a verified ID, as well as services such as enhanced account support and impersonation protection. It also comes with additional premium features like multi-device support, easy-to-find pages, and more.

Meta has announced that it will start testing the Meta-verified feature on WhatsApp Business soon, and it will be rolled out to the platform in the future.