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Verified business accounts

faq.whatsapp.com

21–30 of 46 posts

Re: Verified business accounts

#21

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.

Exactly, I never got this about WeChat and WhatsApp. If I have my computer (which has a 4G connection) with me, I shouldn't need to carry my phone with me.

I usually run WhatsApp and WeChat inside Android virtual machines to solve this major design flaw.

Re: Verified business accounts

#22

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.

It's possible to store messages on the servers and be secure at the same time (I'm not saying Telegram in particular is secure). I think it's more because Whatsapp's model is much cheaper on server expenses (they only need to store messages on the server until it's delivered).

Re: Verified business accounts

#23
post #21

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. Exactly, I never got this about WeChat and WhatsApp. If I have my computer (which has a 4G connection) with me, I shouldn't need to carry my phone with me. I usually run WhatsApp and WeChat inside Android virtual machines to solve this major design flaw.

Isn't that what web.whatsapp.com for?

Re: Verified business accounts

#24
post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The fact that I still need my phone around to use the webclient just sucks. Exactly, I never got this about WeChat and WhatsApp. If I have my computer (which has a 4G connection) with me, I shouldn't need to carry my phone with me. I usually run WhatsApp and WeChat inside Android virtual machines to solve this major design flaw.

Isn't that what web.whatsapp.com for?

No, as far as I remember you need the phone and the computer to be on the same wifi.

Re: Verified business accounts

#25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn't that what web.whatsapp.com for?

No, as far as I remember you need the phone and the computer to be on the same wifi.

Not the same wifi, but since web.whatsapp is pulling the data from your phone, they recommend that your phone be connected to wifi.

Re: Verified business accounts

#26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn't that what web.whatsapp.com for?

No, as far as I remember you need the phone and the computer to be on the same wifi.

You don't. Your phone needs to be on the internet tho. Personally I like this setup, it's simple and just works. And no issue about missing some messages or duplicate notifications (which is sometimes the case with multi endpoint apps).

Re: Verified business accounts

#27
And yet WhatsApp refuse to allow my work phone access to their network as they don't recognise the phone number as that of a mobile phone. After they asked to see documentation from my phone provider to show that it was indeed a mobile phone contract they ran out of excuses and fell back on "there's nothing we can do"

Re: Verified business accounts

#29

And yet WhatsApp refuse to allow my work phone access to their network as they don't recognise the phone number as that of a mobile phone. After they asked to see documentation from my phone provider to show that it was indeed a mobile phone contract they ran out of excuses and fell back on "there's nothing we can do"

Yet surprisingly they allow Google voice numbers. Strange.

Re: Verified business accounts

#30

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.

Google voice numbers work, and show up in contact lists as Grand Central, which makes me think they explicitly intend to support Google voice.
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