Beko, one of the top 3 large home appliance brands in Europe with a strong footprint in Africa, announced its entry into the mobile commerce space with the rollout of a WhatsApp-powered service. Through the innovative use of instant messaging, it aims to diversify its communication strategy to better serve the needs of its mobile customer base in Kenya. Using WhatsApp, consumers across Kenya will be able to shop for a wide range of electronic products via their mobiles and communicate directly with local dealers as well as current and potential Beko customers.

Mustafa Soylu, CEO of Beko Appliances in Sub Sahara, said: “WhatsApp is the most widely adopted form of communication in Kenya and an intuitive move for the Beko brand. Our development teams have worked hard behind the scenes to create a seamless user experience that includes a product catalogue and additional, useful information. We have also ‘closed the loop’ by enabling direct purchases through WhatsApp. The result is an end-to-end digital experience that meets the needs and buying preferences of our Kenyan customer base.”

How To Make A Purchase Via WhatsApp

Expanding on how the platform will work, Soylu explained that customers can select products they are interested in purchasing and then opt into one-on-one communication with any of the Beko partner stores in the country. Digital assistants will stand by to answer the questions of customers, attend to any queries that come through via WhatsApp and facilitate the sales process which will occur in-app, without requiring a physical visit to a Beko store.  

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Consumers will have access to a quick view of the full range of Beko products through an automated catalogue on WhatsApp as well as additional information on the products. They can make purchases through the available agents and pay for them using the mobile money platform, M-Pesa. The service also allows users to register warranties, request user manuals and log service calls.