Direct and convenient, it’s easy to see why WhatsApp is becoming such a popular communication tool for businesses. Many businesses have already seen how it can help them achieve their goals – whether that’s driving up sales and revenue, or reducing the number of no-shows in restaurants or hair salons.
But did you know that WhatsApp Business Platform has four conversation categories, each with their own pricing? In this article, we’ll find out what types of conversations you can use WhatsApp for, and how to get the most from them.
What business conversation categories are available?
WhatsApp Business recognises four different conversation types – marketing, utility, authentication, and service. These categories reflect the different purposes of each messaging type, and their impact on user-experience. For instance, utility (things like appointment reminders) and authentication conversations (one time passwords) are time-sensitive and need to be actioned straightaway, whereas marketing content may require more consideration.
Conversations (a 24-hour message thread with one customer) are priced differently too. At the time of writing (January 2025), the rates were:
- Marketing: £0.0382
- Authentication: £0.0259
- Utility: £0.0159
- Service: £0
WhatsApp Business also groups these conversations into business or user-initiated.
Business-initiated conversations cover marketing, authentication, and utility – and they all require opt-in from users. They can be used for the following:
- Marketing: Promotions, offers, information updates or invitations for customers to respond to. Any conversation that doesn’t qualify as a utility or authentication conversation will qualify as a marketing conversation.
- Authentication: Authenticate users with one-time passcodes, potentially at multiple stages in the login process (e.g. account verification, account recovery or integrity issues).
- Utility: A specific and agreed request or update about an ongoing transaction, such as post-purchase notifications, recurring billing statements, or appointment reminders.
All of these conversation types start with a templated message, which opens a 24-hour customer service window and allows you to send your own free-form messages. After 24 hours, you’ll need to use a message template again to start another conversation.
The only user-initiated category is service, which are typically used for customer care. Being able to respond quickly to enquiries allows you to meet customer expectations, as well as provide helpful suggestions (such as product recommendations) that boost sales.
What kind of messages can businesses send?
WhatsApp, like SMS, is a quick way to deliver critical information like one time passwords, account updates, and appointment/reservation reminders. At the same time, its rich features and branding opportunities also make it perfect for marketing and promotions. These conversations are all easy to manage using the WhatsApp Business Platform, which connects to your communications platform using an API. Here are 10 ways you could use it:
1. Account updates
Send notifications to let your customers know of any updates to their account such as a password change, an upgrade or unauthorised activity.
Example message:
Hi [name],
Your password has been changed as requested!
If this change was not requested by you, please reach out to us immediately.
[Button] Contact us
2. Alerts
WhatsApp is ideal for time-sensitive alerts like new product launches, products back in stock, planned maintenance, or changes to service.
Example message:
Hi [name],
Sorry, your Spinning Xtreme class today at 18:30 has been cancelled and replaced with a Cardio HIIT class. Spinning Xtreme will resume next week.
Please confirm your attendance tonight or rebook for next week.
[Button] I’m still attending!
[Button] Rebook Spinning Xtreme
3. Appointment reminders
As with SMS, WhatsApp is a great way to remind people about upcoming appointments and reservations, asking them to confirm or reschedule with easy-to-use buttons. Not only does it elevate your service by giving customers a convenient way to manage their booking, it also reduces the chance of no-shows.
Example message:
A reminder from your vet. [Pet name] has an appointment on [date] at [time]. Unable to attend?
[Button] Reschedule
[Button] Cancel
4. Auto responses
Acknowledge communications from customers, whatever time they send them, with an auto response. A welcome message, order confirmation or expected response time helps to reassure them and keep them engaged while you manage their enquiry.
Example message:
Thanks for reaching out! We have received your message and will get back to you within 48 hours. If you’ve contacted us on a weekend, we’ll get back to you once we’re back online on Monday, between 8:30am and 6pm.
Tip: Have you checked out our knowledge base? You might find an answer there!
[Button] Take me to the knowledge base!
5. Surveys and feedback
We all know how valuable customer feedback is but it’s not always easy to obtain. People don’t want to spend their time filling in long forms, which is why WhatsApp is so powerful. It allows you to create quick-fire surveys to understand customer sentiment, experience and any issues they may have faced immediately after they make a purchase or service call. In fact, around 40% of consumers are more likely to fill in a survey if asked to do so on WhatsApp rather than email.
Example message:
Hello [name]! We hope that we were able to help you when you attended your appointment on [date].
Overall, how would you rate your experience at [business name]?
Please type a number from 1 to 5.
6. Financial information
With their mobile phone usually close at hand, WhatsApp is a useful way for customers to manage their finances. Discreet alerts about their account balance or upcoming payments encourage them to take action, helping them to avoid bad debts. And, since WhatsApp offers end-to-end encryption, there’s less chance of sensitive payment data being hacked.
Example message:
Hi [name],
Just a reminder that your payment for [order] is due on [date]. For more information, please log into your account or reach out to us.
[Button] Log into account
[Button] Contact us
7. Resolved issues
If you’ve resolved a customer case (on any channel) or fixed a system outage, let your customers know via WhatsApp. As well as keeping them informed, it shows you’re committed to delivering the highest standard of service.
Example message:
Hey [name]! We’re happy to inform you that the repair works in your area have been completed and your WiFi should be back up and running.
If you continue to face any issues, please reach out to us – we’d be happy to help!
[Button] Contact us
8. Order updates
Send order confirmations and shipping updates via WhatsApp Business Platform and keep customers informed about the status of their orders, so they can plan accordingly.
Example message:
Hi [name],
Your order [number] has been dispatched! It should be with you within 3-5 working days. Click below to track your order or reach out if you have any questions.
[Button] Track order
[Button] Contact us
9. Reservation/booking updates
Give your customers peace of mind that you’ve received and confirmed their reservation. With WhatsApp Business Platform, you can send them a notification instantly on the channel they already use in their personal lives.
Example message:
Hi [name],
Your booking has been confirmed. We’re looking forward to you flying with us on [date] at [time].
Check out your ticket from [location] to [location]. If you have any questions, just reply to us and we’ll be happy to help!
[Attach document]
10. Cross sell or upsell
Helpful recommendations based on past purchases help to generate sales and improve customer experiences. Well-timed, relevant and personalised messages can generate high responses – in fact, 81% of global consumers would consider purchasing a product as a result of WhatsApp marketing.
Example message:
Hey [name],
It looks like you’ve nearly run out of [product name]. Order a replacement soon! Use [promo code] for 25% off your next purchase.
[Button] Purchase now
Automated messages and chatbots
As chatbots become more sophisticated, they’re able to take the pressure off human agents while maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction 24/7.
Automated messages mean that you can respond immediately to customer-initiated conversations, providing key information (such as FAQs) to answer their question or direct them to a human agent where needed. For SMEs, it’s a way to offer real-time conversations within the secure and friendly WhatsApp environment, without having to buy or build a chatbot application.
“Our chatbots are useful for SMEs because they are very accessible. It means brands are always available and can improve their customer service at a reasonable cost without deploying more staff.”
Next steps
We’ve only provided a snapshot of the types of messages you can send using WhatsApp Business Platform. The number of use cases is growing all the time and it’s easy to manage conversations at scale. All you need to do is link WhatsApp Business to your communications platform to unlock a host of features, including automations, that support excellent customer experiences, without increasing your overheads.
Ready to get started with WhatsApp Business Platform? Get in touch to find out more and book a free demo.
Mary Henry
Mary has extensive experience in communication, PR and journalism - most recently across SaaS businesses. A keen researcher and storyteller, Mary is highly skilled in making complex concepts accessible, and in putting customers at the heart of her communication. She has supported all kinds of businesses to tell their brand, product and people stories - from global multinationals to start-ups across retail, travel/leisure, banking/finance, government and educational institutions.
