About WhatsApp for Sell

Note: This feature is available if you have a SunCo license. Currently in EAP, you can sign up here to try it out.

WhatsApp is the most popular mobile messenger app worldwide, used by more than 1.5 billion people in over 180 countries. WhatsApp Business allows businesses and users of the WhatsApp messaging app to interact in the following ways:

• Via Customer initiated interactions: conversations initiated by the customer that require a response from a business representative within 24 hours.
• With Message templates: these are business-initiated interactions that are pre-approved, templated messages, that can be sent at any time.

Note: You are solely responsible for using the features in Zendesk Sell in compliance with all applicable laws and policies, including the WhatsApp Business Policy and the WhatsApp Commerce Policy. By enabling and using features, you agree that you are complying with all rules and regulations, and have received the required consent from WhatsApp number holders proactively, and explicitly, before sending them outbound notifications.

This article covers the following topics:

• App locations
• Matching WhatsApp to Sell
• Configure default settings
• Notifications in the Sell app
• Sending and receiving messages in the Sell side bar app

Related articles:

• Getting started with WhatsApp for Sell

App locations

In the top bar of the WhatsApp for Sell app, you can see a list of unanswered conversations and app settings.

Along the side bar of the app for Sell Leads and Contacts, you'll see your WhatsApp messages and chats.

Matching WhatsApp messages with Sell

Zendesk Sell will attempt to match inbound WhatsApp messages with an existing Sell Lead or Contact on the mobile phone number field in Sell. If there is no match, then a new Sell Lead will be created.

To ensure a Sell mobile phone number can be matched, mobile numbers must be in full international format so they include the plus sign (+) followed by the country code and have no spaces and separators in the number, (for example +6189XXXXXX). You will see this in the WhatsApp for Sell side bar app if a Lead or Contact’s mobile phone number is not in the correct format for a match to be made and updated.

WhatsApp messages only show on a Lead or Contact based on their current mobile number in Sell. If they update their mobile number, then the conversations associated with their previous number will not be maintained.

Configure default settings

If Zendesk Sell cannot find a match, then a new Sell Lead will be created in Sell with the name and mobile number from WhatsApp. The owner, source, and status will be defined by the app configuration settings.

The Last Name (surname) is a required field for a person in Sell, so if you are creating a new Lead in Sell, ensure the WhatsApp phone number has both a First Name and a Last Name. If there is only one name given in WhatsApp, then that name will be populated by Sell in both the First Name and Last Name fields. Check and update the name in Sell as soon as it has been imported.

Notifications in the Sell app

Every new incoming WhatsApp message will notify the Sell Lead or Contact Owner in the WhatsApp top bar app. If there are multiple messages from the same WhatsApp number, then they will be grouped by the associated Sell Lead or Contact.

Notifications include: the Lead or Contact name, the timestamp of the latest incoming message, and the number of unanswered messages.

The WhatsApp for Sell app can display up to 100 notifications. If there are more than 100 Sell Leads and Contacts for your account, then the list is updated as notifications are actioned or cleared.

If a Sell Lead or Contact’s Ownership is changed, the new Owner will inherit the notifications so they are aware of unanswered messages.

To respond to a message, click on the Lead or Contact name in the notification to navigate to the Lead or Contact card in Sell.

• Notifications clear automatically when a message is responded to or after two weeks with no action. The Sell Owner can also manually dismiss notifications by hovering over the notification and clicking (X).
• If you change a Sell Lead or Contact’s mobile phone number in Sell, then WhatsApp messages with the previous number will no longer show in the app.

Sending and receiving messages in the Sell side bar

Incoming messages

You can receive Rich Media (images, videos, audio, and document files). The supported image formats are: .png, .jpeg, .jpg, and the maximum file size is: 5 MB.

Outgoing

WhatsApp for Sell does not have a rich text editor. However, text formatting (bold, italic, strikethrough) is supported, see WhatsApp: Formatting. Outgoing messages from Sell display as coming from the WhatsApp Business Name that is on file. However, within Sell, your Sell users will be able to see the individual Sell Users who responded.

Messages supported

The maximum character length of a message is: 1600 characters. Stickers, audio files, locations, or contacts are not supported.

WhatsApp message templates

You can only send outbound messages within a 24 hour window of receiving an inbound message, unless it is an approved WhatsApp message template. WhatsApp for Sell blocks the ability to send outbound messages outside the 24 hour window, but does allow for you to send WhatsApp message templates.

Use the Sunshine Conversations dashboard to create and manage your WhatsApp message templates. For more information see WhatsApp message template guidelines.