Apple Business Chat (or ABC for short) allows you to connect with millions of iOS users around the globe. What is it and how can you use it to benefit your business? In this article, we’ll break down its USPs and show you how to use it within the Saysimple platform.
What is Apple Business Chat?
Apple Business Chat is a native and fully integrated service that allows your customers to contact you easily through the Messages app on their iOS device. With your information easily available in Maps and Search results, customers can directly start a conversation by choosing the ‘Chat’ option. Alternatively, you can add a link or button to your website with the same function. Both of these will lead customers directly into their Messages app, ready to send you a message.
How many people are using Apple Business Chat?
There are now more than 1.5 billion active iOS users in the world, accounting for nearly 30% of the market share of mobile operating systems. With that said, Apple Business Chat is available for iOS users running iOS 11.3 or higher. Globally, 93% of iOS have iOS 13 or higher installed on their devices. That means that nearly 1.4 billion iOS users have access to the services Apple Business Chat offers.
What are the most important features of Apple Business Chat?
Apple Business Chat can be used by all types of companies, from small ecommerce businesses to multinational enterprises. Because Apple Business Chat is natively integrated into iOS, other native iOS apps are easily integrated to provide a seamless customer experience. So, what can you do with Apple Business Chat?
- Engage in conversations with your customers.
- Webshops can enable customers to pay without leaving the conversation.
- Restaurants can enable visitors to make reservations without leaving the conversation.
- Movie theatres can enable moviegoers to see the theatre capacity for their chosen screening.
- Concert venues can enable their visitors to check remaining available tickets for the biggest show of the season.
What are the benefits of Apple Business Chat?
It’s your (potential) customers who initiate the conversation. They can start chatting with you from Search results, Apple Maps, Spotlight, Safari, and even your company’s website. As long as you have a click-to-chat option enabled where your customers can find it, they can contact you.
Once you’re in conversation with your customers, Apple Business Chat provides a number of different features you can use to provide the best customer service from within the Messages app. We’ll go through each one below and let you know how you can make the best use of each.
Apple Business Chat List Picker
The list picker feature allows you to share a list of items or information within the conversation. Customers can select one or more of the items; you can choose to enable multiple selection if needed. You will receive the selection as a reply so you can move forward with the conversation. List picker is especially useful to showcase products or services. The list items can include the name, details, and image of what you’re sharing.
Apple Business Chat Time Picker
The time picker feature lets you share available time slots when customers are looking to schedule an appointment. Customers then select the time slot that suits them the best, and you receive the selection as a reply. Through third-party integrations, the appointment can be logged in your CRM. You can also immediately create an iCal event for the customer.
Apple Business Chat Apple Pay
Apple Pay allows customers to make purchases directly through native iOS apps. Apple Business Chat enables you to submit payment requests to customers directly in the Messages app using Apple Pay. Customers can then easily respond to the request using their preferred Apple Pay payment method.
How can customers start an Apple Business Chat conversation?
As mentioned above, customers can start chatting with you from Search results, Apple Maps, Spotlight, Safari, and even your company’s website.
The three main entry points for starting a conversation are:
- Business Chat URLs
- Chat Suggest
- Maps and Siri
Business Chat URLs
A Business Chat URL is a unique URL that you can implement as buttons, share through email and social media, and even use with QR codes.
Sticky and embedded buttons are the most common example. You can place a button on your website or in your email communication linking to the Business Chat URL. When a customer clicks the button, they are redirected to the Messages app and can start the conversation.
Chat Suggest
Chat Suggest is an effective way to reduce phone call volume. Make sure one of your registered Apple Business Chat phone numbers is in your business information and it will show up in Safari search results. When a customer taps the number, an overlay appears on the screen and they can choose to either call or message you.
Maps and Siri Search
If a customer searches for your business through Maps or Siri, they can start an Apple Business Chat conversation from the company information displayed in the search results.
How does Apple Business Chat can be used within the Saysimple Customer Contact Platform?
Saysimple enables you to manage and reply to incoming messages from Apple Business Chat. Currently, Saysimple supports receiving and sending messages, emojis, images, and videos. Keep an eye out for added features!
In the last few years, Apple Business Chat has really matured as a messaging channel. With options like list pickers, time pickers, and chat suggest, it enables businesses to work more efficiently while keeping the customer satisfaction high. Apple Business Chat is now available within the Saysimple Inbox. Request a demo to learn more!