Leveraging Business WhatsApp API for gratification

Business WhatsApp API could be used by Polycrol for multiple purposes. A single Polycrol Business
WhatsApp account could be used to drive engagement and also to gratify the customers and
consumers.

In order to drive consumer and customer engagement, an HSM could be created and it could be
connected to a virtual assistant. An HSM, or a WhatsApp message template, is an automated
notification or message the users will receive on WhatsApp to kick start the engagement and
gratification via conversation with the bot. The HSM template needs to be approved by WhatsApp
and this might take a few days.

After creating the HSM it could be connected with a virtual assistant to build the conversation
blocks. There are 2 types of chatbots available in the market:

1. Rule-based Chatbot

This kind of chatbot is a programmed multiple-choice list of options and their corresponding replies.
The options are usually number based and the reply depends on the number pressed by the user, as
shown in the picture below

There are many free chatbot building applications and platform to build a basic rule-based chatbot.

2. NLP Chatbot

NLP chatbot is able to understand natural human input and basically carry out a fairly normal
conversation. However, building such an AI-based chatbot involves quite high costs.
WhatsApp Gratification
Contests and gratification are a very strong tool to engage the consumers and customers, and
WhatsApp, with around 400 million users in India, could be leveraged as a very useful tool to drive
enhanced and continued consumer and customer engagement and a personalised experience.

According to a study by HubSpot,

 33% of contest participants say they are open to receiving more information about the
brand.
 On average, 45.76% of participants share the promotion without a prompt and 99.31% of
participants do so if the contest/promotion awards them for it.
 94.46% of those who do share the contest/promotion do so right after participating thus
aiding the spread of the campaign.

Apart from these, running WhatsApp contests could have the following qualitative benefits for the
brand:

1. Contact List Growth

According to HubSpot, companies running contest-driven marketing campaigns gained an average of

34% new fans/contacts per campaign. Launching a basic opt-in-to-win contest can provide a
significant amount of contacts and WhatsApp engagement.

2. Audience Research

When a prize is involved, consumers are far more willing to answer questions and share information.
Hence, it could be a good opportunity to make some research and collect valuable information on a
very large target audience base, given the number of WhatsApp users. On a more basic level, more
personal data like email addresses and other contact information could be collected which could be
used to reach consumers and customers in the future. Also, qualitative questions about consumers’
habits and interests could be asked which could be utilised in the creation of hyper-personalized
marketing and outreach strategies in the future.

3. Enhanced Consumer/ Customer experience

WhatsApp contests could push users to interact with the brand not only because they anticipate
instant gratification but also because these approaches are interactive by default. They require the
action and reaction that makes up engagement and makes them habituated to interacting with the
brand.

4. Lower Marketing Costs

Contest marketing, despite requiring to offer a free prize, can be executed at a fairly low cost and
could reap greater value. Contests could bring exposure to the brand and raise the brand value in
the eyes of the current as well as potential consumers and customers for just the cost of the prize
and some time-investment. Even if it could be necessary to invest in campaigns to give the contest
an initial boost, it’s likely to spread on its own afterwards.
Proposed API account
The API number should not only be for contests and offers. It should be used to create greater
engagement.

The Rule-base chatbot should have the following options:

1. Know about Acidity

2. How Polycrol helps
3. How to take Polycrol
4. Buy Polycrol Online
5. Distributor/Retailer queries (A sub list should contain options of payment and order history,
contest alert and participation, etc.)
6. Online order booking (for Distributors and retailers)
7. Enter Unique code and win (For consumers)
8. Play a game and Win (Puzzle/Riddle/game/quiz)
9. Retailers around me
10. Grievance Redressal

Sub-lists could also be added as per requirement. This would make the user habituated to using the
API and drive enhanced engagement and loyalty.

Proposed ways of engagement and gratification through WhatsApp

1. Submit Invoice number and win assured cashback (For Customers)

Contest: Get assured cashback between Rs.10 and Rs.50 on every shipper ordered.

Method:

i. Chatbot will ask for registered mobile number.

ii. On entering Another List will appear
iii. Press 2 for participate in assured cashback contest
iv. Chatbot will ask for invoice number.
v. On entering the invoice number, the user will receive e-scratch cards. Each scratch card will
contain assured cashback.

Same method could be used for the consumers’ contest of scratch and win. The unique code could
be submitted on the WhatsApp number and gratification could be given.

2. Guess the outcome

People could be prompted to guess the outcome of a specific event like a football match in West
Bengal to engage the audience via WhatsApp in a specific format. Three Lucky guessers could be
given a chance to attend a Mohan Bagan football match.
 3. Riddles/Puzzles/games

Giving daily riddles, puzzles and short games could be attention-grabbing and drive greater
engagement. The names of the winners could be displayed on the social media pages and could be
given virtual gratifications such as photoshopped picture with Sourav Ganguly or a virtual postcard
signed by Sourav Ganguly.

4. Knowledge Contest

Trivia quiz can be something related to the brand, past campaigns or products that could help to
zero in on the true fans and grasp a chance to turn them into ambassadors. Alternatively, the
contest could be about something the consumer base finds interesting and so would feel prompted
to test their knowledge for a promise of a prize.

5. User-Generated Content Competition

WhatsApp contest driven by user-generated content could be a good way to inspire unique
engagement and build hype around the brand. A photo, video, gif or drawing contest could be
launches or leave a loose format focussed on a specific theme. Top 3 random winners could be given
prizes. This could ensure that the company receives innovative ideas, photos and videos for almost
zero cost.