Verified business accounts • Hacker News Board

Re: Verified business accounts

#11

Post by _jgdh » Tue, Aug 29, 2017, 7:39 PM UTC

mullen wrote: post #3

philliphaydon wrote: post #2

Is whatsapp making a snail paced attempt at becoming WeChat of the west?

Never going to happen at this pace. No API No Money Transfer (Well, not yet)

Money Transfer is going to become a feature in India. They're using a payments API that works with all bank existing accounts, so anyone using whatsapp in India could transfer money to and from anyone who's set up their account for UPI.

Source - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/w...

Re: Verified business accounts

#12

Post by eponeponepon » Tue, Aug 29, 2017, 7:47 PM UTC

I'm curious as to how this will interact with things like state-mandated do not call registries. Currently I can register my phone number such that businesses are not permitted to cold-call me; if this were, say, Skype or Hangouts, then I would have to give ScamCo plc my account name and accept a request from them (or vice-versa), but since services like Whatsapp don't have any concept of mutual consent before contact, I don't get to be asked whether I'd like to hear from them.

I expect it also won't be too long before marketing execs start clamouring to be allowed to use "rich text" and images, and we'll all get to start receiving dodgy Javascript through Whatsapp. Ho hum.

Re: Verified business accounts

#13

Post by sschueller » Tue, Aug 29, 2017, 7:48 PM UTC

WhatsApp is missing out in a big way. In Brazil almost every business has a whatsapp number.

Where are the tools to make using whatsApp easier for a business? The fact that I still need my phone around to use the webclient just sucks. Telegram doesn't need it, why does whatsapp?

Re: Verified business accounts

#14

Post by tome » Tue, Aug 29, 2017, 7:55 PM UTC

jeffmould wrote: post #8

puranjay wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Second (and correct me if I am wrong), there is no way to create an account associated with a landline phone that I can figure out. In markets like India (one of Whatsapp's largest) landline phones have been obsolete for nearly a decade now. It's not a forward-looking feature. Tons of businesses in India are already using Whatsapp here in India. It's a huge and critical part of the economy now.

I can appreciate that. Unfortunately, here in the US most businesses still all rely on some form of landline number. For many, this is more a virtual number(s) through some VoIP provider. It would be nice to see WhatsApp integrate with some of the players in that market as an "add-on" feature to their services.

Staples (UK) didn't allow me to set up a business account because my company didn't have a landline number.

Re: Verified business accounts

#15

Post by film42 » Tue, Aug 29, 2017, 7:57 PM UTC

sschueller wrote: post #13

WhatsApp is missing out in a big way. In Brazil almost every business has a whatsapp number. Where are the tools to make using whatsApp easier for a business? The fact that I still need my phone around to use the webclient just sucks. Telegram doesn't need it, why does whatsapp?

Agree 100%! I also find it weird that you can only be signed in to one web client at a time, and your phone MUST be connected to the internet for it to work. Telegram also has a really great developer experience while WhatsApp is locked down. Hopefully biz verification is the first of many new product features. I know making big changes with as many users as they have is really hard, but I would love to see some momentum.

Re: Verified business accounts

#16

Post by MichaelGG » Tue, Aug 29, 2017, 8:40 PM UTC

sschueller wrote: post #13

WhatsApp is missing out in a big way. In Brazil almost every business has a whatsapp number. Where are the tools to make using whatsApp easier for a business? The fact that I still need my phone around to use the webclient just sucks. Telegram doesn't need it, why does whatsapp?

They're moving slow, probably out of extra caution about scaring off users by commercializing it. It's not like they're unaware of the absolutely massive demand for brands and companies to get into WA.

Maybe it's also spam. You can't sign up for Whatsapp without a mobile number - landlines and VoIP mostly do not work to activate.

Re: Verified business accounts

#17

Post by rodorgas » Tue, Aug 29, 2017, 8:41 PM UTC

sschueller wrote: post #13

WhatsApp is missing out in a big way. In Brazil almost every business has a whatsapp number. Where are the tools to make using whatsApp easier for a business? The fact that I still need my phone around to use the webclient just sucks. Telegram doesn't need it, why does whatsapp?

WhatsApp need it because of the P2P technology. On Telegram, your messages are stored on their servers, so it's less secure, but you can text on multiple devices.

I agree that we need business tools. The demand for customer service via WhatsApp where I work is much higher than the ability to a single operator answer them.

Re: Verified business accounts

#18

Post by ReverseCold » Tue, Aug 29, 2017, 8:51 PM UTC

sschueller wrote: post #13

WhatsApp is missing out in a big way. In Brazil almost every business has a whatsapp number. Where are the tools to make using whatsApp easier for a business? The fact that I still need my phone around to use the webclient just sucks. Telegram doesn't need it, why does whatsapp?

> The fact that I still need my phone around to use the webclient just sucks. Telegram doesn't need it, why does whatsapp?

Basically why we can't have end-end encrypted communication for the masses.

Re: Verified business accounts

#19

Post by cur50r » Tue, Aug 29, 2017, 9:15 PM UTC

TBH I think a previous contributor hit the Nail on the head. It must be part of a new business strategy because on its own it does more damage then good.

Whatsapp will now need to allow a team to go through business verification, double check more message flags and support business customers.

Also there is talk of not allowing the deletion of messages, this brings up several questions of encryption and privacy. Something that WhatsApp have recently got down.

All of the above cost money and add very little value. There is no additional service that is acquired by a business from using a personal account.

Therefore it would be crazy for them not to have something else coming. What I hope Is a fully synchronised system with whatsapp. When this happens whatsapp/Facebook joins the realms of the giants like WeCha!

Re: Verified business accounts

#20

Post by cur50r » Tue, Aug 29, 2017, 9:15 PM UTC

TBH I think a previous contributor hit the Nail on the head. It must be part of a new business strategy because on its own it does more damage then good.

Whatsapp will now need to allow a team to go through business verification, double check more message flags and support business customers.

Also there is talk of not allowing the deletion of messages, this brings up several questions of encryption and privacy. Something that WhatsApp have recently got down.

All of the above cost money and add very little value. There is no additional service that is acquired by a business from using a personal account.

Therefore it would be crazy for them not to have something else coming. What I hope Is a fully synchronised system with whatsapp. When this happens whatsapp/Facebook joins the realms of the giants like WeChat