The channel debate has been had many times. Call or text? Should we add WhatsApp? What about RCS? The question is understandable, but it's the wrong one. Customers don't decide based on the channel. They decide based on whether they know who is contacting them and why.
The same problem in every channel
- Call: unknown number, no reason, no context.
- SMS: a short code or a string of digits as the sender.
- WhatsApp: a salesperson's personal account and profile photo.
- RCS: the option of branded messaging – if it's set up properly.
In every case the recipient has to guess. Switching channels doesn't remove the guess, it just moves it into another app.
Channels don't build trust. Recognizability does.
Why personal WhatsApp isn't a business channel
When a rep runs the customer relationship from a personal WhatsApp account, the conversation lives on their phone – not in the company's systems. The customer sees a person, not a company. When the rep changes jobs, the history leaves with them. That's a risk for both privacy and business continuity.
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A branded business profile solves both: the customer sees the company name and logo, and the conversation stays under the company's control regardless of who handles it.
One thread, several channels
In practice one matter often spans several channels: a call that wasn't picked up, a message afterwards, a confirmation at the end. When all of them arrive under the same identified profile, the customer experiences one continuous conversation instead of four disconnected contacts.
Nova Motors
Following up on our conversation – test drive confirmation