Salesforce Introduces WhatsApp for Service Cloud to Personalize Customer Conversations with AI, Data, and CRM

Editor’s Note: AI Cloud, Einstein GPT, and other cloud GPT products are now Einstein. For the latest on Salesforce Einstein, go here.

Salesforce today announced general availability of WhatsApp for Service Cloud, powered by data and AI, which empowers organizations to efficiently connect with customers through personalized and proactive messaging experiences across marketing and service touchpoints. 

Why it’s relevant: Gartner predicts that 80% of customer service organizations will abandon native mobile apps in favor of messaging by 2025. With more than two billion people using WhatsApp, it’s how people around the world connect with friends, family and now, businesses.

Innovation in action: Eighty-three percent of customers say they’re more loyal to companies that provide consistency across departments. With WhatsApp integrated into Salesforce Customer 360, organizations can now efficiently deliver seamless experiences across every service and marketing touchpoint at scale.

With WhatsApp for Service Cloud, customers can:

• Personalize every conversation with AI and data: By unifying data from across channels and systems, businesses can personalize interactions on the WhatsApp Business Platform with intelligent insights and recommendations.
• Scale 24/7 self-service automation: By integrating AI-powered chatbots with WhatsApp, service teams can increase successful case deflection and streamline resolutions by automating everything from simple, repetitive questions like, “Where’s my order?” to complex, multi-step processes such as replacing a missing item.

Coming soon:

• WhatsApp for Service Cloud will use real-time data from Data Cloud and Einstein GPT to enable GPT-powered service replies. Once available, companies will be able to automatically create personalized responses grounded in relevant data sources at any touchpoint, on any channel.
• With WhatsApp for Commerce Cloud, organizations can embed commerce transactions into every customer engagement touchpoint within WhatsApp, increasing efficiency and revenue opportunities for businesses.

Salesforce perspective: “With WhatsApp for service, marketing, and soon, commerce, combined with Salesforce’s AI, data, and CRM capabilities, brands can build stronger, unified customer profiles that allow for efficient, personalized interactions across every touchpoint, whether delivered by intelligent Einstein Bots or agents armed with generated replies from Einstein GPT.” — Ryan Nichols, SVP & GM of Contact Center for Salesforce Service Cloud

With WhatsApp for service, marketing, and soon, commerce, combined with Salesforce’s AI, data, and CRM capabilities, brands can build stronger, unified customer profiles that allow for efficient, personalized interactions across every touchpoint, whether delivered by intelligent Einstein Bots or agents armed with generated replies from Einstein GPT.

Ryan Nichols, SVP & GM of Contact Center for Salesforce Service Cloud

Customer perspective: “WhatsApp is a key channel in the Brazilian market. Our customers expect us to sell, interact, and provide services in a way that feels natural and convenient. Today we use Service Cloud to provide support to our customers and door-to-door sales reps across all channels including WhatsApp. The increasing volume of data, along with the ability to leverage AI to turn insights into actions, gives us a new opportunity to drive operational efficiencies and deepen relationships with customers. ” — Cecilia Pimenta, Digital Platforms Director, Grupo Boticário

Fast fact: Sixty-six percent of online adults say messaging is their preferred way of communicating with a business*.

Availability:

• WhatsApp for Service Cloud is generally available now to all customers of Service Cloud with Digital Engagement.
• WhatsApp for Marketing Cloud is generally available now.
• GPT-powered Service Replies will be generally available in June 2023.
• WhatsApp for Commerce Cloud is expected to be available in the Fall of 2023.

Learn more:

• Learn more about WhatsApp for Service Cloud and Digital Engagement
• Hear more about the integration with WhatsApp at Connections 2023
• Read the WhatsApp news from Dreamforce ‘22 here

*Business Messaging Usage Research by Kantar; April 2022

Any unreleased services or features referenced here are not currently available and may not be delivered on time or at all. Customers should make their purchase decisions based upon features that are currently available.