NEW YORK— American Express Global Business Travel (GBT) has introduced WhatsApp to its GBT’s chat channels.
With two billion monthly active users across 180 countries, WhatsApp is the most popular messaging platform in the world. By expanding its existing live-chat assistance to WhatsApp, GBT can speed up on-the-go service and better serve travellers on their favorite messaging platforms. Users will have more convenience and choice in the way they communicate with travel counselors.
“The channel shift to chat is even more profound than when people switched from the telephone and fax machine to email in the 1990s,” says Felicia Schneiderhan, head of GBT’s chat-adoption strategy. “Messaging is becoming the dominant communication channel in people’s private and professional lives. We want to meet our travellers where they are and where it is most convenient for them.”
“Being able to get new digital channels to our customers quickly is an important part of getting ready for the return to travel. The pandemic was a catalyst for a rapid rollout of the WhatsApp solution,” she adds.
WhatsApp is currently available to GBT’s SME clients in the U.S. and will be available to large and global clients around the world in the coming months.
