WhatsApp Business Web: a short guide

October 5, 2023

6 min.

Without the need to be tied to your phone, WhatsApp Business Web is a powerful platform that can help you with the following:

  1. Connect with customers
  2. Manage conversations
  3. Drive growth

This blog post will explore how to set up WhatsApp Business Web and use its features when integrating it with Kommo CRM. After reading this article, you will learn how to gain an online presence and drive more sales through customer interactions.

WhatsApp Business Web explained

WhatsApp Business Web is a convenient desktop version of the WhatsApp Business app that mirrors all mobile app functionalities.

This means you or your team can maintain consistent conversations, contacts, and service on WhatsApp across all devices.

By using WhatsApp Business for PC, sales reps won’t be tied to their phones using the WA Business app. Instead, they can engage with customers without switching between mobile and desktop to access other work-related tools. This saves them valuable time and effort.

WhatsApp web offers the following:

  1. Access to messaging.
  2. Use WhatsApp on a big screen.
  3. Share voice messages, files & images.
  4. Create or join group chats.
  5. Stay secure with end-to-end encryption.
  6. Find conversations easily with a search.
  7. Use emojis, GIFs, and stickers.
  8. Syncs with mobile devices.
  9. Find recent chats.
  10. Edit profile.
  11. Use WhatsApp Business.

However, while the web, desktop, and mobile versions of WhatsApp Business offer similar core features, their functionality still differs. The infographic below clearly demonstrates this:

Using WhatsApp Business Web

Suppose you’ve decided to use WhatsApp Business on your desktop. In that case, you must complete simple steps to move your customer interactions to WhatsApp Business Web. Let’s go through the following:

How to set up WhatsApp Business Web in a browser

How to set up WhatsApp Business Desktop on Mac

How to set up WhatsApp Business Desktop on Windows

Setting up WhatsApp Business Web in a browser

To connect your WhatsApp Business Account to your browser, use WhatsApp Business Web Login:

  1. Go to https://web.whatsapp.com/

  1. Open WhatsApp Business App on your phone > Settings > Linked Devices.

  1. Tap Link a Device and Scan the QR code with your phone.

  1. Start using your WhatsApp Business Web.

Setting up WhatsApp Business desktop app for Mac

  1. Download and open WhatsApp Desktop from the App Store and open the app.

  1. Open WhatsApp Business App on your phone > Settings > Linked Devices.

  1. Tap Link a Device and Scan the QR code with your smartphone.

  1. Start messaging your customers.

Setting up WhatsApp Business desktop app for Windows

  1. Download WhatsApp desktop from the Microsoft Store and open the app.

  1. Open WhatsApp Business App on your phone > Settings > Linked Devices.

  1. Tap Link a Device and Scan the QR code with the camera on your phone.

  1. You can start using your WhatsApp Business Desktop App.

WhatsApp Business Web: The limitations

Although WhatsApp Business Web is a great solution for small businesses, knowing its limitations is important as your business grows.

🤔 Team size

WhatsApp Business Web only allows you to use a free WA Business account, which limits you to one phone and four additional devices. This means that your team can be at most five people. This limitation hampers collaboration and can make scaling difficult as your business expands beyond a sole proprietorship.

Please note: You can only use one phone number with WhatsApp Business Web.

🤔 Automation

The web version of WhatsApp Business lacks some automation features, such as creating Greeting and Away messages or sending Quick replies.

Additionally, it doesn’t support the use of chatbots or template messages. This limitation can hinder your team's productivity and create bottlenecks, especially as your business grows and requires more efficient communication workflows.

🤔 Analytics

One significant drawback of WhatsApp Business for Desktop is the need for more analytical tools to measure the success of your interactions and marketing campaigns.

As your business grows, it becomes more important to consider using a messaging platform or a CRM that offers expanded capabilities. CRM platforms provide advanced team collaboration, automation capabilities, and robust analytics, enabling you to streamline operations, improve productivity, and make data-driven decisions.

One such platform is Kommo.

Extending WhatsApp Business Web capabilities with Kommo

Kommo is the #1 CRM for messenger-based sales. Let’s look at how you can take your WhatsApp game to the next level and unlock WhatsApp’s true potential with Kommo.

The WhatsApp Cloud API integration

The official WhatsApp Cloud API integration takes your integration journey to the next level with easier implementation and maintenance. Meta’s cloud-hosted version offers many features that empower you to connect and interact with customers.

WhatsApp Business API: Pros & cons

In Kommo, you can choose one of the following integrations to use WhatsApp Business API:

One of the primary advantages of the WhatsApp Cloud API integration is that there are no markups and no extra fees. You will be charged directly by Meta. Here are also other benefits to consider if you are considering using the cloud-hosted API 👇

There are also a variety of functionalities of your WhatsApp Cloud API you can use depending on your chosen BSP or CMM, but the core features will remain consistent across solution providers.

To learn more, read our blog post on WhatsApp Cloud API.

Kommo CRM: The key features

Kommo is more than a WhatsApp CRM. It’s a full-fledged CRM that optimizes your communication and sales.

Pipeline

Kommo provides a pipeline to track your customers. Simply put, it’s a visualization of your sales divided into stages. The stages represent the actual stages of your sales process.

When you sign up with Kommo, a sales pipeline that features important stages( Initial Contact, Offer Made, Negotiation, Closed-Won, Closed-Lost) is generated for you automatically. You can edit it according to your needs.

Kommo’s pipeline

Pipeline: A visualization of the sales process

Unified inbox

Once you use your sales pipeline, you will notice how all incoming messages from different sources drop into your inbox. Kommo’s inbox is designed to automate follow-ups, build workflows, and keep everything clean. Kommo ensures prompt responses across multiple channels (including WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram, email, and telephony), all accessible through this unified inbox.

Unified inbox: Incoming mail hub

Lead profiles

With Kommo, you can access personalized lead profiles that provide you with a 360-degree view. A lead profile, or a lead card, is where you can see lead details and all interactions.

Within the lead profile, you can send templated messages for common inquiries, take notes, and ask for help from colleagues – all while maintaining a history of past conversations.

Lead profile: A place where you can see lead details and all interactions

Salesbot

You don’t need to worry about losing potential clients during off-hours. You can set up a Salesbot (Kommo’s bot for chatting and performing actions) to respond until you or one of your sales reps is available.

One of the best advantages of Kommo is that it offers a Salesbot builder for WhatsApp that doesn’t require coding.

Salesbot: Kommo’s bot for chatting and performing actions

Chat widget

Make your website more beautiful and convenient by adding a chat widget. The WhatsApp widget, for example, lets visitors chat directly from your pages. Quick answers build satisfaction and trust. The best part? You can do that in a few easy steps, no coding skills required.

Chat widget: a small pop-up window added to a website that allows visitors to start chatting with you.

Dashboard

Unlike WhatsApp Business Web, Kommo provides valuable sales analytics. You can monitor response times, run NPS surveys, and track the channels generating the most qualified leads. Thanks to this, you stay on top of your monthly goals from the dashboard.

Dashboard: a simple overview of your performance and sales.

As you can see, Kommo goes beyond basic messaging. It’s a flexible platform desgined to optimize your entire sales process.

WhatsApp Business Web vs Kommo (+ WhatsApp integration)

FAQs

In conclusion

While WhatsApp Business Web is useful for basic messaging, its limitations can affect your business’s growth. If scaling is your primary goal, then it’s better to consider Kommo’s advanced features. Integrating Kommo with WhatsApp is a winning strategy.

  • Try our platform for free with a 14-day trial. Once you sign in, you can create a personalized WhatsApp user experience.
  • Book a personalized demo to learn how Kommo can make your conversations more effective. Our WhatsApp experts will answer questions, understand your objectives, and recommend the ideal solution.

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