86% of Indian adults message a business at least once a week, highest in the world: Kantar survey

India wants to connect with a business the same way they chat with their friends and family, according to the global ‘Business Messaging Usage’ research by Kantar, commissioned by Meta that polled people in countries like India where WhatsApp is the messaging app of choice.

The survey highlights that 86% of adults message a business at least once a week, considerably higher than the global average of 66%. The online survey, conducted by Kantar delves into the growing messaging preferences among consumers while communicating with a business. 

The pandemic has changed the way people communicate with their favourite businesses. Majority (83%) of the people surveyed expect businesses to deploy quick and easy modes of communication, such as messaging. 72% of the people surveyed in India said they message with a business more often since the start of the pandemic. Interestingly, 75% are more likely to do business with/purchase from a company that they can contact via messaging. 

Ravi Garg, Director Business Messaging at Meta, said, “We are seeing a massive shift in the way people and businesses communicate. Today, customers not only want a quick and easy way to connect with brands, but they also want to engage with a brand to learn more about their product while considering a purchase. In India, as the festive demand picks up, WhatsApp Business Platform is serving as a simple and scalable solution for many brands to stay close to their customers, provide product information, give personalised offers, get post purchase feedback and build richer customer engagement journeys."

With over 400 million users in India, WhatsApp is one of the most frequently used platforms for communication. Understanding the evolving consumer needs, WhatsApp has built specific solutions for businesses to connect with its users. The WhatsApp Business Platform empowers midsize and large businesses to create unique solutions that deliver interactive conversational experiences that engage and delight users.  

As per the survey, people in India increasingly prefer messaging over other forms of communication such as email, call or website. More than 70% of Indians surveyed said they prefer to message businesses rather than sending an email, calling or visiting their website. 75% Indians surveyed said they are more likely to do business with/purchase from a company that they can contact via messaging.

“Conversational messaging is not only helping brands connect with consumers but also build brand experiences that grow their business. In India, businesses in various verticals including ecommerce, retail, financial services, travel and hospitality are using business messaging to build interactive and personalized 1:1 customer journeys especially during this festive season,” said Ravi Sundararajan , Chief Operating Officer, Gupshup.

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