Salesforce is the world’s leading enterprise CRM platform and WhatsApp is the most widely used messaging app globally. The benefits of both these platforms are significantly enhanced when they are used together in a seamless integration. SMS and WhatsApp integration with Salesforce brings several key benefits: Improved customer engagement, higher customer loyalty, and higher brand value.
Salesforce and WhatsApp will be covered in this blog, along with customer support alternatives. The prerequisites and a comprehensive guide to Salesforce WhatsApp integration will be explained to you. Additionally, you will learn about the factors to take into account when integrating Salesforce with WhatsApp.
Requirements for integrating Salesforce with WhatsApp
Salesforce Requirements
- Firstly, one requires a Salesforce account.
- Additional licenses are mandated for
- Chat
- Digital Engagement
- Service Cloud
Permission Requirements for WhatsApp Users
The following lists the WhatsApp user authorization requirements for the Salesforce WhatsApp integration.
- Approved accounts for:
- Facebook Business Manager and
- WhatsApp Business
- Prior authorization to set up messaging.
- A View Setup is required to view WhatsApp Channels.
Steps in Salesforce WhatsApp Integration
Step 1: First, you need to link your WhatsApp Business account with your Facebook Business ID. Facebook has laid out the process to do this:
- Send an email to WhatsAppEnablement@salesforce.com
- The subject should be – WhatsApp Number Setup.
- In the mail body mention these details:
- Salesforce Org ID.
- Facebook Business Manager ID.
- Name associated with your Facebook Business Manager account.
- The WhatsApp phone number,
- Contact person details – name, email ID, and phone.
- Business name that will show up on WhatsApp
- Brief company description, logo, and website URL.
Step 2: Next, open Salesforce’s Lightning Service settings to see your WhatsApp channel.
Step 3: Here you can view all the channels that have been enabled. The administrator can also add new channels.
Step 4: After setting up a flow in Salesforce, the administrator starts adding WhatsApp by following a few instructions. Start by choosing to create a new WhatsApp channel if you are the administrator. Once these administrative steps are completed, you can start using WhatsApp for customer support.
Points to consider when implementing Salesforce WhatsApp integration
- With prior consent from WhatsApp, you can use a maximum of 250 phone numbers that are linked to your Facebook Business Manager account.
- A message’s maximum character count is 1600.
- Image formats supported include .png, .jpeg, and .jpg.
- Attachments or media size is limited to 5 MB.
- WhatsApp prohibits sending contacts, locations, audio files, or stickers.
- Responses to particular messages are not visible to you. Agents will only see the new message that the consumer is sending if they respond to a specific message.
Can one send and receive texts in Salesforce?
Of course! Businesses can start 2 way text messaging directly from Salesforce. Through an SMS integration or the CRM software’s Digital Engagement and Mobile Studio add-ons, texting from Salesforce is feasible. Your company’s budget, texting use case, and desired features will all influence the optimal approach.
Businesses must locate a native Salesforce messaging app such as GirikSMS that can easily connect with Salesforce in order to integrate SMS and WhatsApp messaging.
Benefits of using a native Salesforce integration to send and receive texts over SMS and WhatsApp
Businesses that utilize Salesforce can profit greatly from integrating SMS, regardless of the use case. Let’s examine the most prominent ones:
AAdded choice. SMS and WhatsApp integrations give companies options. Numerous solutions with Salesforce connectors are available to businesses but it’s best to go with a native one. Companies can select the platform that best suits their objectives, use case, and financial constraints. Examine their features, reviews, pricing structures, security, and other aspects to determine which is ideal for your company.
Streamlined processes. Businesses can streamline processes by integrating Salesforce with an enterprise messaging platform like GirikSMS which can drive both SMS and WhatsApp conversations. To communicate, one doesn’t have to toggle multiple apps. Rather, teams can interact with their contacts from a single window, increasing productivity and efficiency.
Greater reach. Businesses can contact more prospects or leads by integrating SMS and WhatsApp with Salesforce. With a very high read and response rate, text messages are the world’s preferred choice for communication. Additionally, compared to phone conversations, texts allow sales and customer service teams to reach a larger audience at once.
Convenient communication. Salesforce WhatsApp and SMS integration supercharges customer interactions. Customers just use their smartphones to send a message using your company number. To reply on the business side, you just need to sign into Salesforce.
Keep data in a single location. Your text message conversations will automatically sync with Salesforce with this integration. This enables your team to operate more efficiently and customize interactions by logging every conversation.
What are the benefits of an SMS and WhatsApp integration with Salesforce?
With WhatsApp and SMS for Salesforce, marketing, sales, and customer support teams can interact with customers more effectively. In particular, teams can utilize GirikSMS’s Salesforce integration to:
Text contacts one-on-one. You can easily text each of your contacts individually if you have a native SMS/WhatsApp integration. This empowers businesses to respond to customer questions quickly.
Configure auto-replies. When you’re not in the office or not available for any reason, you still want to respond to texts. Configure auto-replies to trigger when contacts message you during off-peak hours or while you’re on leave.
Configure message templates for SMS and WhatsApp: Leverage the in-built GirikSMS template library and make it simpler for your staff to respond to incoming messages. One can easily set up auto-replies to FAQs.
Schedule messages. You can quickly plan a message to be sent at a later time with the GirikSMS integration. This is excellent for following up with leads or sending out reminders for meetings over SMS and WhatsApp.
Send teammates confidential notes. To leave your teammates private notes regarding a certain chat, use Whispers. You can ask inquiries with this function without changing tabs.
Sync contacts. You will always have an up-to-date list because Salesforce contacts will automatically sync into the GirikSMS platform and vice versa.
Transfer or resolve messages. You can settle a text thread, move texts to another coworker, or claim a message to indicate that you are in charge of a conversation.
Send attachments. Users can send MMS without leaving Salesforce. Sharing images, PDFs, videos, links, and other assets is now possible.
Setting up a Salesforce SMS/WhatsApp integration with GirikSMS
GirikSMS integration with Salesforce involves a few steps. These are high-level pointers. For more details, the GirikSMS support staff can assist you with setting it up. All you need to do is SMS or WhatsApp us.
1. Check your Salesforce plan. You need to be on a plan with API access in order to use the GirikSMS Salesforce connector. The Performance, Developer, Unlimited, and Enterprise editions are all included in this. By purchasing the Professional Edition, you can also obtain access to the API.
2. Create a GirikSMS account. This is the next step. Customers on a Professional or Enterprise subscription of GirikSMS can access our Salesforce SMS/WhatsApp integration. Professional and Enterprise features are available in the 30-day free trial.
3. Connect Salesforce. Connect to Salesforce using the integrations tab from the GirikSMS dashboard. When prompted, provide your Salesforce credentials.
4. Add APEX code. When you first join, GirikSMS will sync all of your contact information. However, you’ll need to add some APEX code to Salesforce in order to enable a continuous contact sync.
5. You’re synced. All messaging between will continue to sync once the APEX code is added.
Leverage a Salesforce SMS/WhatsApp integration to improve customer engagement.
Users of Salesforce are aware of the enormous advantages of having all of their data in one location, including their text message history. Without requiring significant changes to your operation, an SMS/WhatsApp integration can help you increase client reach and enhance communication.
However, don’t rely solely on our word. To learn more about GirikSMS’s Salesforce integration, schedule a demo with one of our professionals right now.
