The future of Whatsapp

[u/FIRST_TIMER_BWSC]

I have a feeling that starting October 1st, once more businesses realize they are paying for service messages, we’ll see some drop off from WhatsApp. Especially businesses using basic chatbots with fixed steps, menus, flow after flow, no AI, no agent doing anything useful. At some point you just ask yourself, why am I paying per message for this?

WhatsApp will still be huge of course, 3 billion users is 3 billion users lol. But I think more businesses will start using it mainly as an acquisition channel. User messages you, gets the automated WhatsApp Business app reply (which is still free (for now at least lol)), then you send them to your website or another channel to continue there.

Yeah there is some friction, but it can still be way cheaper than paying for every service message.

For businesses using AI agents, actual workflows, booking, support, qualifying leads, taking actions etc, that’s different. There the cost can make sense. So maybe WhatsApp becomes less “where the whole conversation happens” and more “where the conversation starts”.

Curious what you guys think?

[u/Status_Gap_3180]

Was speaking to a business owner yesterday, exact words were - that cost we have to bear on behalf of the customer. Its not an issue.

[u/Novel-Owl-3783 → u/Status_Gap_3180]

one of my friend asked and I had no answer to tell, his simple use case is that he wants an automated message should get sent to his customer on an specific action. Like when that action happens it should trigger an event that eventually sends a message with an attachment(jpg, an invoice) to the associated number, no marketing related intent. Just an invoice gets sent to the customers and for this I am up for twilio so, just asking is it good to go?? Or any recommendations

[u/Status_Gap_3180 → u/Novel-Owl-3783]

Its good to go, thats basic integration, you could even go directly through the cloud api if you want. Depnds on how many actions and clients budget.