WhatsApp Business: the basics of talking to customers

The short answer

WhatsApp Business lets a company talk to customers on a platform they already use. The free Business app suits small teams, and the Business Platform suits larger or automated set-ups. Customers should opt in to hear from you, you can reply freely within a set window after they message, and outside it you need approved templates.

Two products with similar names

There are two different things called WhatsApp Business, and mixing them up causes confusion.

• The WhatsApp Business app. A free app for a phone, for small businesses. It adds a business profile, quick replies, labels to sort chats, and greeting and away messages. It is designed for one person or a very small team.
• The WhatsApp Business Platform. A system for larger or more automated use, connected to your own software through a provider. It is used for shared inboxes, automated replies, order updates and CRM links. It follows stricter rules about message types and approvals.

Which suits you depends on how many people answer, how many messages you handle and whether you need links to other systems. Many small businesses begin with the app. Details and features change, so check the current WhatsApp Business documentation before committing.

What it is good for

WhatsApp works best for conversations, not broadcasts. Customers use it to ask a quick question, send a photo, confirm a booking time or check an order. A few uses suit it well:

• Answering pre-sale questions, with the option to send a picture or a catalogue item.
• Confirming appointments and sending directions.
• Sharing order or delivery updates the customer asked for.
• Handling simple after-sales help.

It is a poor fit for long formal documents, complex contracts or anything that needs a proper audit trail. For those, move to email or a ticketing system and say so politely. You can compare it with other options in live chat for websites: pros and cons.

Set up the basics

Use a number that belongs to the business, not a staff member's personal number, so the conversation stays with the company when people change roles. Fill in your business profile: name, description, opening hours, address if you have a public one, and your website link. Add a short greeting for first-time contacts and an away message for outside hours that sets a realistic reply time.

Write a handful of quick replies for the questions you hear most, such as opening hours, how a booking works and what to send for a quote. Keep each one in plain words and personalise it before sending. Use labels to mark new enquiries, awaiting reply and completed, so nothing gets lost. Decide who answers, and what they may promise, before you go live.

Think about a basic daily routine. Check new enquiries at set times, answer the oldest first, label each chat when its status changes and clear finished conversations at the end of the day. If two people share the number, agree who answers which kind of question and write handover notes so a customer is never asked to repeat themselves.

Test the whole thing as a customer would. Message your business from another phone, read the greeting, try the catalogue if you use one, and see how long a reply takes. Fix whatever feels clumsy before telling customers about it.

Permission and the reply window

The central rule is permission. Customers should opt in to receive messages from you, and the opt-in should be clear about what you will send. WhatsApp's business policy puts the responsibility for obtaining valid opt-in on the business. If a customer starts the conversation, you can answer them. If you want to message first, you need their permission and, on the Business Platform, an approved message template.

The Business Platform also uses a customer service window: when a customer messages you, you can reply freely for a limited time, and each new message from them restarts it. Outside that window, you can only send approved templates. The window length, template categories and charges have changed over time, so check the current documentation before you plan around them.

Always make it easy to say stop, and honour that at once. Consent and messaging rules differ by country, so ask a qualified lawyer what applies where your customers live. Do not add people to groups or lists without asking.

Keep a simple record of opt-ins. Note the date, how the person agreed and what they agreed to, such as order updates only or occasional offers as well. If a customer who agreed to appointment reminders later asks you to stop, stop everything that is not a direct reply to their own message. Do not move a customer's number into a promotional list because they once asked a question. A clean, honest record protects the customer and you.

Message templates and automation

On the Business Platform, a template is a pre-written message that WhatsApp must approve before you can send it to a customer outside the service window. Keep templates plain and honest, with variables for names or order details, and do not use them to send anything the customer did not expect.

Automation can help with first replies and routing, but customers dislike being stuck with a robot. Always give a way to reach a person. The limits of automated helpers are discussed in chatbots for websites: what they can and cannot do, and the same principles apply here.

Tone, speed and boundaries

Messaging feels personal, so people expect a quick, friendly answer. Set an honest expectation of reply time and stick to it. Write as you would speak to a customer in person: short, clear, polite. Avoid long blocks of text, and avoid sending several messages in a row when one will do.

Set boundaries too. Decide the hours you reply, and say so on your profile. Do not ask customers to send sensitive information such as full card numbers or passwords in a chat. Direct them to a secure form or payment page instead, and keep your own phone protected with a passcode and two-step verification.

Think about privacy as well. Customers may send photos, documents or personal details without thinking. Tell them what you will do with the information, keep only what you need and avoid forwarding conversations to anyone who does not need to see them. If you work in a regulated field, ask a qualified adviser whether chat is appropriate for the information involved.

Link it to the rest of your business

Add a WhatsApp button to your website, with the link described in the current WhatsApp documentation, and tag it so you can see enquiries it generates, using UTM parameters where it applies. Copy important details from chats into your CRM so a colleague can pick up where you left off. Read SMS marketing basics and consent for another channel with similar permission rules, and see referral marketing if customers are passing your number on.

If you want help connecting messaging to your website and records, see our digital marketing service.

Related guides

• Digital marketing
• SMS Marketing Basics and Consent
• Referral Marketing: How to Set Up a Programme
• How to prepare your business for a website or app handover
• Retargeting explained for small business
• Instagram for business how to start

Questions and answers

Is WhatsApp Business free?

The Business app is free to download. The Business Platform is offered through providers and may involve charges for some message types. Check the current WhatsApp documentation.

Do customers need to opt in before I message them?

Customers should give permission before you contact them first. If they message you, you can reply. The rules vary by country, so ask a qualified lawyer.

What is the 24-hour window?

On the Business Platform, after a customer messages you, you can reply freely for a limited period, which restarts with each new message. Outside it, approved templates are needed. Check the current documentation for the exact terms.

Can several staff use one WhatsApp Business number?

The Business app has limits on linked devices, and the Platform is designed for team inboxes through a provider. Check the current options for your set-up.

Should I use a personal number for business?

No. Use a number owned by the business so conversations stay with the company if staff change.