WhatsApp streamlines in-app support process

If you’ve ever tried to get in-app support on WhatsApp, you know the process used to start with filling out a form, possibly attaching a few files, and waiting for a support rep to eventually get in touch.

Now, that form is on its way out, and the screening process is, you guessed it, becoming AI-based. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Out with the form, in with AI

Unless you’re Stephen Hackett, support knowledge bases are never fun to navigate, especially if you are in a hurry and already feeling aggravated as you try to sort through large quantities of help options that rarely fit your specific problem.

On WhatsApp, the old process could be especially anxiety-inducing. Filling out a contact form and sending it into the void, not knowing exactly when you should expect a response, wasn’t the most reassuring experience in an emergency situation.

Now, as reported by WABetaInfo (via Tecnoblog), going to Settings > Help > Help Center > Contact Us takes you straight to a new chat window, where a support bot tries to understand the issue, search WhatsApp’s help docs, and walk you through a solution in natural language.

If necessary, it can ask for more information before escalating the conversation to a human.

Interestingly, WABetaInfo notes that the feature was recently added to the TestFlight beta of WhatsApp, but it already appears to be live for some users. I was able to access the new form-free support chat in the regular app, so the rollout may be imminent, or possibly happening gradually by region.

AI-based support is inevitably becoming the rule

It is worth noting that WhatsApp is not the only company heading down this path. As recently reported, on bringing a generative AI assistant to its Support app, likely to help handle common issues automatically and escalate only the trickier ones to a human.

If implemented correctly, AI-based chatbots can handle the more common issues, allowing for human agents to focus on more tricky cases. And with fewer of those piling up, users might get to them faster, too.

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