WhatsApp Business Calling API: Everything You Need to Know
Table of content
What is WhatsApp Business Calling API?
Before the Calling API, businesses who use WhatsApp Business API couldn’t provide any in-thread, native calling option, and instead had to direct customers to call other phone numbers off-platform. Now, businesses and customers can call each other directly on the platform.
Past
Present
Before Calling API was implemented
Native calls were not supported, and calls had to be directed off-platform.
Now with Calling API implementation
Phone icon can be enabled/disabled. Interactive message templates can be used to prompt a native call from a customer or business can request to call the customer on WhatsApp themselves.
Quick refresher on WhatsApp Business API
If you’re a WhatsApp Business App user, you may wonder what’s new – after all, your app already supports calling. The difference is scale: the App is perfect for small business, but when it comes to bigger scale of business, you will need more advanced features, such as chatbot dialogues, CRM integration and multi-agent access. Here’s a quick comparison of WhatsApp Business API and WhatsApp Business App.
| WhatsApp Business API | WhatsApp Business App | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Devices | Unlimited | 5 |
| Broadcast Limit | Unlimited | 256 contacts |
| Supports Integration | Yes | No |
| Supports Automation | Yes | Limited |
👉 You can now try WhatsApp Business API for free through WOZTELL.
How does the Calling API work?
First, to protect users from unwanted calls, your business must receive the user’s permission before placing a call. The permission can be temporary or permanent. Temporary permission works for 7 calendar days (168 hours), from time of user’s approval, and users can grant ongoing permission to businesses they trust.
Note: Your business can make only 10 connected calls every 24 hours with a customer. The 11th call is only allowed 24 hours after the first call. If the call is involuntarily disrupted, it will not be counted as one.
Obtaining calling permission
There are 3 ways to obtain calling permission:
1. Send a call permission request
Send a free-form or templated message requesting calling permission from the user
Note: Call permission request messages are subject to messaging charges
Call permission request flow
2. Callback permission
If the user calls your business first, temporary permission is automatically granted. The callback setting must be enabled on the business phone number.
Call permissions automatically provided to business — User calls business
3. WhatsApp user provides call permission via Business Profile
The WhatsApp user can grant call permissions directly from your business profile.
C2B
B2C
Criteria for sending call permission request messages
Note: You can send a maximum of 1 permission request in 24 hours and 2 requests in 7 days. These limits reset once a connected call (business-initiated/user-initiated) takes place. Businesses can also choose to make their business unavailable for customer calls (for example, during non-business hours or if they don’t have capacity to respond to expected call volume). However, 4 consecutive missed or rejected business initiated calls will result in an automatic cancellation of the call permission. The customer may however re-allow the call permission.
Benefits of Using WhatsApp Business Calling API
Deliver stronger outcomes
Handle complex support issues or guided purchase scenarios where messaging alone is not enough.
Improve efficiency
Shorten handling and resolution times with higher call quality and better pick-up rates compared to other calling solutions.
Create seamless journey
Escalate from chat to voice without losing context, giving agents and customers a smoother experience.
Top Use Cases
Marketing
Speed up lead conversion by allowing prospects to jump on a quick call, supported with rich media follow-ups.
- Upsell/cross-sell opportunities
- Lead generation & nurturing
- Conversion optimization
Customer Service
Resolve issues faster by offering escalation to voice calls for urgent or complicated cases.
- Troubleshooting & support resolution
- Scheduling & inquiries
Pricing
- Customer-initiated calls: Free
- Business-initiated calls*: Charged based on the customer’s country code, call length, and volume tier
Note: Business-initiated calling (based on business number country code) is supported in all countries where WhatsApp Business Platform operates, excepts U.S., Nigeria, Canada, Egypt, Vietnam and Turkey.
Stay tuned!
We are excited to share that WhatsApp Business Calling API will be available on WOZTELL soon. Contact us now and stay tuned for the launch!