Forget traditional communication silos. In today’s ‘always-on’ travel environment, the expectation is clear – more and more travellers are demanding and expecting real-time, frictionless engagement via the messaging apps they already live in.

And with a staggering 3 billion users worldwide, WhatsApp isn’t just a preference – it’s the universal language of convenience and accessibility.

As we discover the game-changing power of this platform in this exclusive Q&A, Dvir Hoffman, CEO of CommBox, delves deep into why WhatsApp has become the absolute imperative for superior customer service in the fast-paced world of travel.

1. Why is WhatsApp emerging as a critical space for customer communications? 

WhatsApp is becoming the most important and valuable channel for customer communication because it’s ubiquitous, simple, and fast. This combination uniquely positions WhatsApp to meet (and often exceed) customer expectations.

In today’s digital world, travellers’ expectations for communication have evolved: they want to engage with brands instantly, using the native channels and apps they already have. At the same time, brands need to reach their customers quickly to prevent dissatisfaction and potential fallout, whether that’s customers turning to a competitor or airing grievances on social media.

Enter WhatsApp, a messaging platform with over 3 billion users. Not only is WhatsApp popular, it’s the most widely used messaging app globally, cutting across all age groups and demographics, unlike platforms like Facebook, which tends to be concentrated in the 25–44 age range.

WhatsApp enables fast, simple communication between brands and travellers. For example, 80% of messages are answered within 5 minutes, and the platform enjoys a 97% penetration rate due to how frequently people use it.

In the travel industry, that translates into instant updates, effective crisis management, and a powerful way to engage travellers. Importantly, because WhatsApp can integrate with broader CRM platforms, agents are empowered to manage customer inquiries at scale.

2. How can travel companies ensure seamless integration of native messaging channels like WhatsApp into their existing customer service infrastructure?

As mentioned, WhatsApp can be integrated as a platform within existing CRM systems. For example, our CommBox customers can connect to WhatsApp with no coding required and tailor the setup to fit their exact needs. This gives businesses full control to personalise menus, add functions, expand options, and tap into advanced features.

Our platform also centralises all channels into a single interface, enabling agents to seamlessly manage multiple channels like Facebook, WhatsApp, and email at the same time.

Would AI-powered chatbots also play a role in WhatsApp-based customer service? If so, please elaborate how they’d enable agents to work more efficiently?

Absolutely. You can automate any repeatable process by building AI-powered WhatsApp chatbots. This not only reduces the workload on your agents but also enables rapid resolution of common issues, such as upgrading baggage allowances. This frees up agents to focus on more complex, sensitive cases that require a human touch, like assisting travellers with reduced mobility who need customized travel plans.

More broadly, you can leverage automation technologies to optimize your customer service on WhatsApp. For instance, automation can auto-assign conversations to agents by setting parameters such as workload, skills, permissions, and more, ensuring conversations are routed to the best-qualified agent. This saves time and ensures customers connect with the right person faster.

What are some potential challenges of using WhatsApp, and how would these be tackled?

WhatsApp presents some, but largely manageable, challenges, including data security (which is especially important to travellers), connectivity, and managing customer expectations.

While WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption ensures that only customers and customer service agents can access message content, brands should adopt additional protective measures. For example, at CommBox, we strengthen security through robust data controls, IP whitelisting, advanced data filtering, and compliance with ISO 27001 certification.

To accommodate customers who may not regularly use WhatsApp, it’s essential to offer multiple integrated communication channels, such as email and SMS. Language barriers can be addressed through multilingual chatbots or built-in translation tools, and connectivity issues can be mitigated using backup communication methods.

Finally, setting clear expectations around response times – using automated acknowledgments – helps manage customer expectations and maintain satisfaction and engagement.

5. How can WhatsApp strengthen crisis management? 

WhatsApp offers an effective way to reach out to and manage inquiries from customers en masse. 

This is particularly valuable in the context of travel, where uncontrollable events like airport outages can leave thousands of travellers in the lurch instantly. In these instances, providers, like airlines or package holiday companies are left to deal with frustrated travellers looking for answers and updates. Critically, failing to effectively communicate with travellers can contribute to their frustration, straining their perception of your brand – catalyzing negative reviews and reducing their chances of selecting your services again. 

In these crises, it is paramount for service providers to be reachable and responsive. WhatsApp, as the world’s most popular messaging channel provides a convenient, known way for travellers to reach out to their providers. And for brands, WhatsApp can be managed from within existing CRM systems and when the inquiries come in, AI can be leveraged to respond to questions and trigger actions to support human agents. Together, this means customers feel heard and like they can access their service providers when they need, in a simple convenient manner. 

6. What are the operational and cost considerations? 

WhatsApp can be managed within existing CRM platforms, which means that brands don’t need another expensive layer in their tech stack. 

AI and automation can be leveraged within WhatsApp to reduce costs and drive operational efficiencies. Following an inbound customer message, automatic auto-messages can be programmed to give an instant response via WhatsApp. Moreover, AI can handle repetitive tasks or inquiries autonomously. For instance, boarding passes or departure information could be sent to travellers, saving agent time and freeing them up to  handle more complex tasks. Meanwhile, agents can handle multiple conversations at any one time – maximising their output, to reduce time–to-resolution. 

7. Does WhatsApp offer any other benefits to travel providers? 

Because WhatsApp is a channel readily used by billions of people around the world, it makes it a prime platform for proactive updates and marketing.

Once a traveller has confirmed they’re happy to be contacted through WhatsApp, travel providers can leverage the channel to share information like booking confirmations and updates. For the traveller, this streamlines how they receive information and makes it more convenient for them as they’re on the go. For travel providers, like airlines it also creates opportunities to make ancillary sales. 

Beyond this, marketing and sales teams can leverage WhatsApp to distribute personalized campaigns that drive sales and brand engagement.