“WhatsApp the details to me!” – a phrase we often use with our friends and family, and now with businesses too. Gone are the days when we waited for a customer care executive on long phone calls or physically visited a store to know more about a product.

Whether it is planning your next holiday, checking your bank balance, or details about an insurance policy, paying utility bills, or tracking the delivery of your recent purchase, everything can now be done on WhatsApp. In fact, according to a 2022 Kantar study, 75% of online adults in India say they are more likely to do business with or purchase from a company that they can contact via messaging.

With all kinds of businesses on WhatsApp that can help you accomplish much throughout the day, here are some quick and easy ways to exercise your choice and effectively engage with businesses on WhatsApp:

1. Opt-in: As a user, you are in complete control of whom you want to talk to or message. Look for an opt-in prompt when initiating a conversation with a brand. WhatsApp wants businesses to get an opt-in from users before starting an engagement. Opt-in can be obtained in a number of ways – for example, through the website, in a store or even directly over WhatsApp.
2. Getting Started: Communicating with a business is as simple as saying, “Hi” on the registered business account number. Once you have initiated a conversation you can access information the same way you chat with your friends and family. 
3. Communicate with businesses of all sizes and across sectors: Whether it is to access a transit solution such as booking a cab or buying metro tickets on the go, a shopping experience on WhatsApp such as ordering groceries or shopping from your favourite brands or banking solutions such as checking your balance, among others – all within a WhatsApp chat thread.