Streamlining partner and distributor communication with WhatsApp Business API

In an increasingly online world, businesses are taking every effort to digitize themselves. As more and more customers embrace digital tools, digital transformation has become an existential imperative. Driving efficiency, convenience, ease of access are some of the reasons why companies are rushing to digitally transform themselves. A large part of this tech adoption among businesses is centered around customers – offering them ease to buy, allowing them to reach out for support whenever needed.

But businesses themselves too can leverage technology, particularly WhatsApp to sort out their back-end operations. After all, there is a lot that goes behind the customer facing front—there are dealer/ distributor relationships, employee relationships and various vendor relationships that need to be managed for smooth functioning. WhatsApp can be a trusted partner for businesses looking to align and automate these back-end functions.

By utilizing WhatsApp, businesses can enhance communication and collaboration with their vendors and partners. This real-time communication platform allows for instant updates and quick decision-making, reducing delays and improving overall efficiency. Ultimately this translates to higher sales, more revenues and increased profitability for the brand and better vendor/partner stickiness.

Distributor and partner management: Achilles heel for brands

For most sectors, distribution channels serve as a vital link, comprising businesses and intermediaries that facilitate the journey of goods or services to their ultimate destination—the end consumer. These channels encompass a diverse range, from wholesalers, partners, distributors & retailers. Unsurprisingly, this intricate process presents numerous challenges for enterprises and dealers alike, as they strive to ensure a smooth and seamless transfer of goods from production to delivery. Moreover, a major portion of a business’s expense is earmarked for distribution and delivery. To put this in perspective, last-mile deliveries account for nearly 53% of the total shipping costs. Hence, clear communication between these integral stakeholders becomes critical.

Here’s an example of communication breakdown between a brand and its distributors.

PKR Enterprises is a Mumbai based distributor of Relish Chocolates. They sell chocolates and various other products from the brand- cookies, biscuits, croissants etc to retailers across the eastern suburbs. However, they faced issues with the brand when it came to order placement and delivery. In several instances orders would be misplaced and would not arrive on time. This resulted in distributor deserting the brand and focusing on other companies that were offering better services. Relish Chocolates’ sales from eastern suburbs were affected, with customers preferring other chocolate brands.

Distributors and partners are a crucial cog in the wheel for brands acting as the first customers and the channel to reach the end consumers. However,  traditional, inefficient modes of communication i.e, emails, phone calls and the lack of automation can lead to errors, delays, and dissatisfied stakeholders. Overstocking or stockouts due to inaccurate data further exacerbates the problem, causing financial losses and customer dissatisfaction. A few bad experiences and distributor loses interest resulting in loss of market share for the brand. What distributors essentially need is a real time communication channel that can build trust, improve efficiency and helps them plan for contingencies.

This issue is not limited to the retail sector alone; other industries, including finance, media, entertainment, e-commerce, and hospitality, face similar challenges in managing their respective stakeholders. Recognizing the criticality of efficient partner management, businesses are increasingly turning to technological solutions and automation. By embracing digital platforms like WhatsApp, brands can transform their vendor and partner management processes, creating a seamless experience that fosters stronger relationships and drives success in a competitive market.

Why WhatsApp

Before delving deeper into how WhatsApp can bring efficiency and order into brands’ partner management process, it’s important to know why WhatsApp works well for these use cases.

For one, With its extensive user base of over 2 billion active users worldwide, WhatsApp offers an unparalleled reach and accessibility that businesses simply can’t ignore. Almost everyone is familiar with the WhatsApp interface, making it a natural choice for brands to connect with their partners. 

They appreciate the convenience of using a familiar platform that helps them establish a direct line of communication with the brand and eliminates the need to download additional apps or navigate complex systems.

Furthermore, WhatsApp’s instant messaging format aligns perfectly with partners’ expectations for swift and efficient communication. They no longer want to endure long phone queues or wait for email responses. With WhatsApp, businesses can offer round the clock engagement, commerce and support for their partners. The speed and immediacy of WhatsApp facilitates a seamless  experience, leaving partners satisfied and confident with the brand.

Some examples of partner/distributor management with WhatsApp

Now, let’s see some sector-wise use cases to better understand how brands can bring B2C kind of ease and convenience  for their vendors/partners through WhatsApp.

Retail-  The retail sector has very strong ties with distributors and practically can’t survive without them. Despite that, several brands still continue to use manual processes for ordering and delivery. WhatsApp can be of immense help here allowing brands to create an end-to-end commerce journey wherein distributors can place orders, check delivery updates and also seek support. Gupshup created an end-to-end commerce journey for India’s leading paints brand, helping the distributors place orders on WhatsApp by sending voice notes. Direct selling brands too can connect their network of independent salespeople, onboard them and train them through WhatsApp.

Automobiles– The automobile industry heavily relies on a network of dealers and partners for sales and distribution. Implementing WhatsApp for vendor/partner management in this sector can bring significant benefits. One key use case is automating the process of order placements and vehicle configurations. Additionally, WhatsApp can serve as a platform for sharing real-time updates between automobile brands and dealers on vehicle availability, delivery schedules, and inventory management, enabling seamless communication and transparency.

Real estate– WhatsApp presents an effective solution for real estate developers to efficiently manage their broker partners, enhancing communication and collaboration throughout the property buying and selling process. Developers can leverage chatbots on WhatsApp for real-time updates on the status of bookings and helping their brokers with documentation requirements, payment schedules, and legal formalities.

E-commerce– E-commerce firms can use WhatsApp to manage vendors on their platform. It can be a great tool for streamlining order management and fulfillment. E-commerce firms can integrate their order management systems with WhatsApp, enabling vendors to receive instant notifications about new orders, order cancellations, and order status updates. Vendors can easily communicate with the e-commerce platform regarding order fulfillment, shipment tracking, and any other logistical details, ensuring smooth operations and timely delivery to customers.

Banks and fintechs– Loan issuing companies can leverage WhatsApp as a powerful tool to effectively manage their Direct Selling Agents (DSAs), streamlining communication, enhancing efficiency, and driving loan origination. WhatsApp can be effectively used for onboarding DSAs, sharing product details and training them on the products, thus better equipping them to provide comprehensive assistance in the loan application process for customers.

Conclusion

Digital Transformation for businesses does not always mean the need to have expensive softwares to automate tasks. It can be as simple as a WhatsApp which is easily understood and highly accepted by a large chunk of the population, be it business owners or customers. Distributors, vendors and partners serve as the linchpin that connects brands with their customers, acting as the crucial conduit for product distribution and market penetration. Effectively managing them becomes paramount for a brand’s success, as their satisfaction and commitment directly impacts market share and profitability.

A number of brands are already using Gupshup’s WhatsApp Business API solutions to empower their distributors, eventually boosting their sales.  Moreover, with Gupshup’s generative AI bots, these brands have been able to build a seamless, human-like experience, delighting their channel partners.

As a new age progressive brand, you must embrace WhatsApp Business API’s powerful features to build  stronger partner relationships that drive success in the digital age. Gupshup can be the trusted partner for your partner engagement needs, enabling you to create a stellar CX and a great CSAT. #LetsGupshup today