WhatsApp Business has recently introduced a new feature that allows businesses to share their location with customers in real-time and receive their location, with a click of a button. This new feature is known as the Location Sharing Template. It is designed to help businesses provide better customer service by enhancing the engagement experience and thus helping you grow and retain your customer base. This feature is an addition to the existing interactive templates offered by WhatsApp.

Before we tell you more about this new feature, let us give you a little more information about the interactive features already available on WhatsApp Business.

WhatsApp Interactive Message Features

WhatsApp Interactive features are designed to provide a simpler way for users to interact with businesses without having to type a lot of information. WhatsApp Business chatbots enabled via WhatsApp BSPs, like Verloop.io, have seen better results in terms of response rate and overall conversation when compared to traditional all-text messaging.

There are 5 interactive templates offered by WhatsApp, including the new location sharing template.

1. List Messages

This option gives users the ability to choose from up to 10 options that the business can enable for the customers. This is mainly used to provide a selection option to users, rather than them having to search themselves and this also helps businesses to cross-sell.

2. Reply Button Messages

This interactive template allows users to choose from 3 options in button form. Rather than businesses having to type, they can provide 3 CTA buttons, from which the customers can choose any, making the conversation quicker and more efficient.

3. Single Product Messages

Single product messages allow businesses to share a single product detail with customers, which they can view to get more information.

4. Multi-Product Messages

This template allows businesses to add up to 30 items from the product inventory and send them to customers during the WhatsApp interaction. Every item in this would compromise the header, body, footer and an action button to view the product information or shop from the same interaction.

5. New-Location Sharing 

This feature was already present in the past, which allowed users to share their information with the business. But what has changed is that users no longer have to go to the attachment menu in WhatsApp. They can just click on a button and share their details with businesses and now even businesses can share their location with users. To know more about it keep reading. 

What is the Location Sharing Template? 

The Location Sharing Template is a revolutionary new feature that allows businesses to easily and securely share their location with customers in real-time. With just one click of a button, businesses can quickly and easily share their current location with customers, allowing for quicker and more efficient customer service.

Not only does the Location Sharing Template allow businesses to share their location with customers, but it also allows them to receive the customers’ location. This is especially useful for businesses that rely on location-based services or require customers to come in person for certain services. With the Location Sharing Template, businesses can now quickly and easily receive customers’ locations to quickly and efficiently provide service.

The Location Sharing Template is a powerful tool that allows businesses to quickly and easily share and receive location data with customers. It provides businesses with a simple and efficient way to better serve their customers, while also providing customers with a more secure and reliable way to access the services they need.

As inferred from the above, there are two types of location sharing on WhatsApp.

Types of Location Sharing on WhatsApp

1. Business Location Sharing

This feature can be especially beneficial for businesses that provide food or product delivery services, as well as ride-hailing services. However, it’s important to note that live location sharing is not currently available. 

Businesses can create location templates by including location headers in new message templates. This feature, as of now, is only available in the marketing and utility category.

By utilising business location templates, customers will be able to view a clickable map of the business’s location, making it more convenient for them. This feature can be used to start a conversation with customers. 

2. Customer Location Sharing

To share their location with a business, customers can utilise a CTA location button, manually input their address, or attach their location. This feature can particularly benefit businesses that offer ride-hailing, delivery, or emergency services. 

Additionally, it allows businesses to show their customers the nearest shop to their location with ease. Customers cannot use customer location CTA to start a new conversation, but they can use it within an existing conversation or within 24 hours of the last communication from a business.

How does the Location Sharing Template work? 

The Location Sharing Template works by sending a real-time location update to the customer’s WhatsApp account. This update includes a map view of the business’s current location and an estimated time of arrival (ETA) for the delivery or service appointment. 

To use the Location Sharing Template, businesses simply need to enable location sharing in their WhatsApp Business account and then send a message to the customer containing the Location Sharing Template. Once the customer receives the message, they will be able to see the business’ location in real-time and track the progress of their delivery or service appointment. Or in the case of a cab system, they can even share the location with the driver in real time.

Benefits of the Location Sharing Template

The Location Sharing Template offers a number of benefits for businesses, including: 

1. Improved Customer service

By providing customers and receiving real-time updates on the location of their deliveries, service appointments or delivery location, businesses can improve customer satisfaction and reduce the number of inquiries they receive about delivery status or are unable to find the delivery location. 

2. Increased Efficiency

The Location Sharing Template can help businesses optimize their delivery and service routes by providing and receiving real-time location data. This can help businesses reduce delivery times and increase the number of appointments they can schedule in a day. 

3. Enhanced Security

By sharing their location with customers, businesses can increase the security of their deliveries and service appointments. Customers will be able to track the progress of their delivery and ensure that it is being delivered to the correct location.

Also, when it comes to riding services, rather than customers having to send their current location over to the driver personally, they can opt for sending it over secure WhatsApp business channels, all with a press of a button.

How Can Businesses Use the Location Sharing Template?

Businesses can use the Location Sharing Template in a number of ways, including 

1. Delivery Tracking

Businesses can use the Location Sharing Template to provide customers with real-time updates on the location of their deliveries. 

2. Service Appointment Tracking

The Location Sharing Template can be used to provide customers with real-time updates on the location of a service technician or other service provider.

3. Directions to Physical Store Locations

Businesses can use the Location Sharing Template to provide customers with directions to their physical store locations.

4. Ride-Hailing Services

As discussed above, rather than customers having multiple to-and-fro communications to explain their current location to the driver. They can just send their location via WhatsApp business account. Thus, improving the efficiency and security of the ride-hail services.

These are just some of the ways the features can be utilised. It all depends on your use case and imagination, and how you want to use this feature.

Powerful-New WhatsApp Feature for Improving Customer Experience

In conclusion, the WhatsApp Location Sharing Template is a powerful new feature for businesses that can help improve customer service, increase efficiency, and enhance security. By using this feature, businesses can provide their customers with real-time updates on the location of their deliveries, service appointments, and physical store locations and even receive customers’ location detail for re-check; all with just one click. So why not give it a try and see how it can benefit your business today?