With 2022 around the corner, WhatsApp has shared some predictions that could potentially change the business scenario in India. The Meta-owned messaging app believes that in 2022, India’s journey to becoming digitally inclusive will come from the most simple, accessible, and scalable technology solutions that have the power to bridge the urban-rural divide and address local challenges. Here’s a list of WhatsApp’s predictions for 2022.
Citizen engagement and governance
Just like 2021, when WhatsApp chatbots, played a crucial role in helping authentic information reach the masses amid the coronavirus-induced pandemic, the trend will continue in 2022. WhatsApp predicts more innovation ineffective governance and efficient citizen engagement by city and state administrations.
Digitisation of small and micro businesses
Digitisation will help revive small and micro businesses in the post-Covid scenario. The social media company believes that the digitisation of micro businesses is the need of the hour to propel the country’s economic recovery and growth.
Multilingual chatbots
Multilingual chatbots will be adopted impressively in the country. A multilingual chatbot is capable of supporting and conducting conversations in multiple languages to amplify your reach and scale your localisation efforts.
WhatsApp said that businesses with high customer engagement are increasingly relying on chatbots to deliver a more natural and customised user experience.
Digital Payments
Digital payments will continue their boom. The collective goal for players in the payments ecosystem in 2022 will be to scale financial inclusion through a seamless and frictionless payments experience.
Services will rely on simple user interfaces
In rural India, the number of internet users is set to surpass those in urban areas by 2025 and many of those will be first-time internet users in rural India. To facilitate services for marginalised communities, companies will push out simpler user interfaces that take away tech inhibition and effectively lower barriers to mobile internet adoption.
Business messaging
WhatsApp’s own survey revealed that more people are comfortable conducting business through messaging. At least 75 per cent of people want to be able to communicate with businesses through messaging, while 68 per cent are more likely to do business or make a purchase from a company that they can contact via messaging, the company said.
Additionally, WhatsApp predicts an increased reliance on AI-driven customer service that will help drive business efficiencies and improve customer engagement.
