WhatsApp is the new service desk for Brazilian SMEs

WhatsApp has consolidated itself as a true service desk, showcase and even cash register for small businesses throughout Brazil.However, what happens when the volume of messages increases and the organization of service begins to de-structure? This challenge can be overcome with the help of technological solutions, which offer the agility and efficiency necessary to optimize communication and improve the customer experience.

Currently, WhatsApp is the main communication channel for SMEs, but many still use this tool in an improvised way. This damages the customer experience and results in lost sales opportunities”, says Cesar Baleco, CEO of IRRAH TECH, a specialist in automation and artificial intelligence solutions for retail. The company offers PlugChat, a platform that helps small and medium-sized companies to professionalize the use of WhatsApp in customer service and relationships.

According to RD Station's 2024 Marketing and Sales Panorama, 70% of Brazilian companies already use WhatsApp as the main means of contact with their customers and leads. “O challenge, however, is to scale this service without losing control or the quality”, says Baleco.

He says that technologies, such as PlugChat, are able to centralize all calls via WhatsApp in a single number, allowing several company attendants to respond to customers simultaneously and organized. The histories are saved, and managers can track team performance in real time, with clear metrics.

“The entrepreneur no longer needs to worry if the customer spoke with so-and-so or with cyclane. The conversation is there, in the system, visible to all involved. This eliminates noise and accelerates the” responses, says Baleco.

In addition, the platform integrates with tools such as Trello, transforming conversations into tasks for other areas of the company, such as technical, financial or logistics support. This ensures agility in deliveries and more operational efficiency.

Another important feature is the automatic sending of satisfaction surveys at the end of the service. According to Baleco, this functionality helps the entrepreneur understand where he can improve. “It is a simple way to listen to the customer without the need for complex tools.”

The CEO of IRRAH TECH comments that many SMEs started using WhatsApp unpretentiously, answering messages from their own personal number. However, he reinforces that, with the digitalization forced by the pandemic and the advancement of e-commerce, the application has become an extension of the business and requires professional tools. “It is to help the small entrepreneur take this step: get out of the improvisation and enter into an intelligent and data-driven management”, says the CEO of IRRAH TECH.