Subject areaChannels and tools
WhatsApp is the messaging app (for exchanging messages, calls and files between people) acquired by Facebook in 2014 and now part of the Meta group.
In the European Union the Commission included it in 2023 among the Meta services subject to the Digital Markets Act (the European regulation on large digital platforms), which among other things requires it to open up to other messaging services that ask for this.
For a company it is a direct contact channel: Google Business Profile lets you add a WhatsApp chat button to the profile, and a chat link can be shared with customers to book appointments or answer questions. The conversation is private, so a promotional message requires the consent of the person receiving it, under the General Data Protection Regulation.
Source: Regolamento (UE) 2022/1925 (Digital Markets Act); Commissione europea, designazione di Meta come gatekeeper del 6 settembre 2023.
An example
A machine tool manufacturer adds a WhatsApp chat button to its Google profile. A customer with a stopped machine writes directly to the service team and attaches a photo of the part, so the technician understands the fault before calling back.
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Enrico Giubertoni. Licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0: you may quote, translate and adapt this entry with the author’s name and a link, stating any changes. For commercial use, write to info@enricogiubertoni.com
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