Business Partner | 
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It is back-to-school season once more and there is too much at stake this time. This staggering year has left parents, students, and educators scratching their heads. With concerns regarding a new wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, mixed with extra precautions and paranoia, the status of the nearing academic year remains unclear. As the circumstances have proven, however the role of technology is more prominent than ever, presenting alternative virtual solutions for the current dilemma.
Technology has affected our personal and professional lives – in a good way. For example, we use text messaging to stay in touch with friends and coworkers, social media platforms for personal branding and career elevation, and VoIP software to attend events or take online classes. There are so many options to choose from, when it comes to using technology, especially to survive a pandemic. Different industries and sectors are aware of that. In fact, they have implemented it into their strategies ever since it started. For the Education sector, one of the most powerful and popular tools right now is WhatsApp.
What is a WhatsApp Business API and Why Use it?
WhatsApp Business is an all-new experience in business communication. The WhatsApp Business application, first introduced in 2018, helps small business owners (e.g. educational centers and private tutors) market themselves locally. They can share information, showcase products, and offer services through a verified business profile.
WhatsApp Business API on the other hand is targeted towards medium and large businesses (like schools, universities, or other institutions) for mass scale communication. They can offer a personalized experience through two types of messaging, which are:
- Session Messages (Customer Care Messages): Conversations that are initiated by customers and sent privately to customer support agents who can respond to any inquiries.
- Template Messages (Notification Messages): Messages that are initiated by businesses in the form of alerts, notifications, reminders, etc.
Using WhatsApp Business in the Education Sector
With the new school year starting soon and with it the shift to remote learning, both students and educators need to make use of every available resource. This is where the magic of WhatsApp comes in. The world’s most popular instant messenger offers so much more than texting capabilities. The simplest example is that it can act as a digital communication platform between students and educators. However, with its APIs , WhatsApp Business can operate on a much larger organizational structure.
Here is how educational institutions can use the power of WhatsApp Business APIs for remote learning, application processes, and much more.
1. Important Alerts:
Class rescheduling, quiz timing, official holidays; there are many times where a quick alert or reminder needs to be broadcast in bulk to students or parents. WhatsApp is a quick and personal way of doing that.
2. Remote Learning Support:
With new features such as group video calls teachers can hold study groups for a small number of students in a familiar and secure environment.
3. Community Building
Group chatting is a very powerful tool not only for high engagement but for the safe space it represents. Students feel more encouraged in a group chat to ask questions or express any concerns. Additionally, such form of in-depth communication strengthens the bond between students and educators and assists in any learning difficulties.
4. Surveys and Feedback
Feedback is the best method to enhance customer (or student) satisfaction. During challenging times, feedback is extra important to point out certain points of difficulty. Surveys can be carried out through WhatsApp in the form of a simple conversation to make sure responses are collected and all students are collectively represented.
5. Attendance Status
Wouldn’t it be amazing if students could keep track of their attendance and absence through a dedicated chatbot? That can be a possibility with WhatsApp Business APIs where they can simply send an inquiry about their numbers.
6. Student Schedules and Course Guides
Scheduling is one of the most meticulous processes for an education institution. To ensure its smoothness, schools and universities can send out their course offering and details to parents and students and use WhatsApp to help them choose their preferred timings.
7. Student Admissions
For high school seniors, applying to colleges is a daunting process with a lot of paperwork involved. Universities can use WhatsApp to keep applicants informed of their status and even schedule interviews. Moreover, it is also a useful tool for both sides once the student is enrolled. Payment information and documentation copies can be transferred via WhatsApp.
Pulling Through the Pandemic
Education is facing a big challenge this year. Many institutions and learning centers can use the latest technologies to enhance their operations and save too much time and effort on their hands. If you work in the education sector in management or teaching and want to find out more about how you can integrate WhatsApp with your institution, reach out to our team.
To explore the powers of WhatsApp Business API, you can use our dedicated Sandbox to simulate a WhatsApp conversation between your devices.
About CEQUENS
We're a leading Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) provider in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region that aims to bridge communication gaps in a communication-driven world.
Powered by innovation and guided by a Cloud-First and Mobile-First approach, we provide omnichannel communication services and APIs that enable enterprises and developers to communicate with their customer base worldwide.
As an Endeavor Member and GSMA associate member, CEQUENS plays a pivotal role in transforming communication in the region.
CEQUENS proprietary, PCI/DSS compliant Communication Platform leverages the latest cloud technologies and features a comprehensive portfolio of products and solutions that are industry-focused, agile, scalable, and cost-effective.
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