WhatsApp to make Business interaction easier, but comes at a price

Large enterprise businesses will now need to start paying up for using WhatsApp. The Facebook owned company announced that large businesses will need to start paying for using the messaging and communication platform. However, WhatsApp will remain free for small-medium sized businesses.

In a blog post, WhatsApp said that businesses have different needs and will need an official presence. And so, it is building and testing new tools via a free WhatsApp Business app for small companies and an enterprise solution for bigger companies.  

The enterprise solution will allow global companies to provide users with useful notifications like flight timings, delivery confirmation, and other such updates. In the statement released, it was mentioned that the company wants to facilitate someone placing an order with a local bakery or looking at new styles from a clothing store and shopkeepers who use WhatsApp to stay in touch with hundreds of customers from a single smartphone.

“We do intend on charging businesses in the future. We don’t have the details of monetization figured out,” said Matt Idema, WhatsApp’s Chief Operating Officer.

A couple of weeks ago, WhatsApp began testing the verified accounts for businesses. WhatsApp will be giving out a green check mark badge next to their names. In addition, businesses will also be able to create a company profile with details of their address, business hours, product or service description and so on.