Soon, WhatsApp to launch app for businesses

Facebook is building and testing new tools via a free WhatsApp Business app for small companies

Facebook-owned WhatsApp has announced it would soon be launching features to take businesses on board and make it easy for them to interact on the messaging platform.

"In the coming months, we'll be testing new features that aim to solve some of these challenges, and make it easier for people to communicate with the businesses they want to reach on WhatsApp," the company said in a statement late on Tuesday.

"Our approach is simple - we want to apply what we've learned helping people connect with each other to helping people connect with businesses that are important to them," it added.

Facebook is building and testing new tools via a free WhatsApp Business app for small companies and an enterprise solution for bigger companies operating at a large scale with a global base of customers, like airlines, e-commerce sites and banks.

"We want to apply this same approach to bringing businesses onto WhatsApp in ways that create value for people. We're looking forward to making it possible for people to connect with businesses and giving businesses the tools to make that easier to do," said Matt Idema, WhatsApp Chief Operating Officer.

These businesses will be able to use the company's solutions to provide customers with useful notifications like flight times, delivery confirmations and other updates.