Mark another first for KLM and its social media team. The airline launched its WhatsApp verified account today, delivering booking confirmation, check-in notification, boarding pass, flight status updates and customer support interaction in 10 different languages on the platform. KLM is one of only a handful of companies – and the only airline – confirmed as a verified WhatsApp business account.
“I am very proud that KLM is the world’s first airline with a verified WhatsApp account. This unique partnership with WhatsApp underlines our position as an aviation pioneer. We want to be where our customers are and, given the 1 billion users, you have to be on WhatsApp. With an account verified by WhatsApp, we offer our customers worldwide a reliable way to receive their flight information and ask questions 24/7. This truly is a major next step in our social media strategy.” -KLM President & CEO Pieter Elbers
It's official: KLM is the first airline on WhatsApp with a verified account! Are you on board? pic.twitter.com/Kbilo3kL5Z
— KLM (@KLM) September 5, 2017
Growing into WhatsApp is a natural evolution for KLM given its pioneering position in other platforms. In 2016 the airline introduced booking confirmation and support through Facebook Messenger. Earlier this year that solution extended to the Twitter and WeChat platforms. Last month KLM became the first non-Chinese airline to activate the WeChat Pay option for travelers to pay for flights or ancillary fees in the WeChat app. With a 40% mobile transaction penetration rate in China that’s a huge market to be a part of.
[Quick Take] KLM Takes to Messenger for Bookings, Support
With the new WhatsApp play KLM now offers service across ten languages on seven different social media platforms: WhatsApp, Facebook, Messenger, Twitter, LinkedIn, WeChat and KakaoTalk (Korean).
Key to delivering this coverage is a blend of automated systems and human interaction. Flight status or processing a simple booking can be handled by bots, for example, while more complex requests are covered by one of the 250+ members of the carrier’s social media team. By integrating the WhatsApp enterprise services KLM can ensure service coverage and show off a badge of pride: The little green check mark next to its name proving that it is a verified account representing the company.
Never miss another post: Sign up for email alerts and get only the content you want direct to your inbox.
One Comment
Comments are closed.