<call-out> We've deprecated support for MessageBird (Bird), Vonage, Twilio and 360dialog WhatsApp APIs to focus on our WhatsApp Business Platform (API) as part of our commitment to providing customers with valuable, innovative and reliable messaging solutions to drive business results. To continue engaging with your Contacts, migrate to our WhatsApp Business Platform (API). <call-out>

A second platform release in a month? Yes, that’s right! Things are moving fast and we can’t wait to share these new improvements with you. In this update, we’ll announce a new pricing plan and we’ve also addressed several highly requested features! 🎉

Without further ado, we introduce you to:

• New Enterprise Plan & Existing Plan Adjustments
• WhatsApp API Feature Support Improvements
• Messages Data Export
• Bits & Bobs

New Enterprise Plan & Existing Plan Adjustments

As time goes on, our customers have evolved and so has our platform. It’s time to optimize plans to cater to businesses of different sizes. On top of the Free, Pro and Business Plans, we're introducing a new Enterprise Plan on 30th August 2021.

While the pricing remains the same for our Pro and Business Plans, there are new limitations for these plans. However, all Organizations currently subscribed to Pro and Business are still entitled to unlimited Users & Spaces.

If you cancel or change plans, you will move to the new Pro & Business Plans with additional limitations. These limitations are 10 Users plus 1 Space for Pro, and 25 Users plus 3 Spaces for Business. The Reports Module is also limited to Business Plan or higher.

The new Enterprise Plan starts at 40,000 Contacts for $399, with plans available all the way up to 300,000 Contacts. Feel free to reach out to our sales team if you need even more. We’ve also reserved some Enterprise features for Enterprise Plan customers.

These features include:

• Unlimited Users
• Unlimited Spaces with Advanced Space Management
• A Dedicated Success Manager
• Data Export for Contacts, Conversations & Messages

For any further concerns or inquiries regarding the limit changes or for those interested in the Enterprise Plan, feel free to reach out to our Sales and/or Customer Support team.

WhatsApp API Feature Support Improvements

Over the last few months, we have made numerous improvements to our WhatsApp API Template Message functionality. Today we will take the time to explain them in detail. Here is a summary of improvements we have made:

• WhatsApp API Message Template Submission & Syncing (New for Vonage)
• WhatsApp API Message Template Broadcast Improvements
• WhatsApp API Reply-To Function (New This Release)
• WhatsApp API Interactive Session Messages

WhatsApp API Template Message Submission & Syncing

To support Multimedia & Interactive Message Templates, we have implemented Message Template syncing. Those using 360dialog are now able to Submit or Sync their Multimedia & Interactive Message Templates and send them from respond.io.

Vonage WhatsApp API Users will be able to sync starting August 30th. For now, Twilio & Messagebird Users will still need to use the old method of adding their templates before sending. However, there are feature requests for Twilio & Messagebird support here.

Plus, these Message Templates are no longer limited to just text. With the syncing functionality, you can now create Media Message Templates with images, videos and documents. They also come with a Call-to-Action and Quick Reply button.

When you’re done creating and ready to submit your Message Templates, fill in the sample values to help WhatsApp understand the purpose and context of your message. Any submission with no sample values will be rejected.

After submission, you’ll be able to see the status for each of these templates:

• If it’s Submitted, it’s still under review and pending approval.
• If it's Approved, it can now be used to message Contacts.
• If it's Rejected, you can't use it. In this update, the Rejection Reason is shown to help you understand why the templates got rejected.

Want to check if the template has been approved? Just sync your templates to get the latest status! For more tips crafting Message Templates, feel free to reach out to our Customer Support team or read our WhatsApp Message Template guide.

WhatsApp API Message Template Broadcast Improvements

We’ve made it possible to send templates via both the Messages module and the Broadcast module. Two improvements requested by our Users were:

• A Preview of the Broadcast
• Allow Dynamic Variables in Buttons.

We’ve added both! Custom Field Values can be used in buttons using Dynamic Variable and text, image, video, document with CTA buttons can be previewed before sending. Reducing the risk of any mistakes.

WhatsApp API Reply To Function for Incoming Messages

One of the biggest frustrations of using WhatsApp API for our customers has been Contacts replying to specific messages by saying this. This function will be released for 360dialog WhatsApp API Users for incoming messages on August 3oth.

If you’d like to see this implemented for Twilio, Messagebird or Vonage please vote!
We’d also like to implement this feature for outgoing messages, but there are currently no channels that support this yet.

WhatsApp API Interactive Session Messages

Last but not least, WhatsApp Interactive Session Messages in the form of Reply Buttons and List Messages are now available to 360dialog and Vonage Users. The Reply Buttons feature up to 3 options, while List Messages feature up to 10 options.

This new interactive way of messaging replaces messages with text-based number options. From Facebook’s testing with chatbots, they found that messages sent with interactive features achieved significantly higher response and conversion rates!

There are 2 ways to send Interactive Messages from respond.io: Survey & Quick Replies. 360dialog & Vonage Users can send these messages as a Survey, but only 360dialog Users can send interactive Quick Replies via the Facebook Response Template in Dialogflow.

For our Twilio and Messagebird WhatsApp Users, we hear you too. To speed things up, you can upvote the feature requests and keep track of the progress on our Roadmap.

Bits and Bobs

This wouldn’t be a respond.io release without Bits and Bobs. This month we've got Messages Data Export, Reply-to Function for Incoming Messages and Mobile Notification Improvements.

Messages Data Export

Need deeper insights into your messaging history to help you with important decision-making processes? We’ve got you. Starting this release, all Enterprise, Reseller & Custom Plan accounts will be able to export messages in CSV format from our platform. 🎉

Reply-To Function for Incoming Messages

We've briefly mentioned supporting reply-to functions for incoming messages as part of our WhatsApp improvements. Besides 360dialog WhatsApp, the reply-to function is also applicable to other messaging apps like Instagram, Facebook, and Telegram.

For businesses that use the Channels mentioned to communicate with their Contacts, this new improvement maintains conversation context with a Contact whenever they reply to a particular message.

If you're looking to having the reply-to function for outgoing messages as well, please upvote your request here.

Mobile Notification Improvements

Currently, mobile notifications are only sent to those who are Offline and have opted in to receive the notifications. We understand this has caused some confusion to our Users with how the notification behaviour was designed.

To fix this, Users will now receive mobile notifications for New Messages & New Contacts Assigned by default - whether they’re Online, Busy or Offline. If you prefer the old notification behaviour, simply check Only send mobile notifications when I am Offline.

Adjustments to RB_NOTIFY Dialogflow Parameter

The RB_NOTIFY Dialogflow Parameter will no longer send an email to all users on the platform. However, Mobile & Web Notifications will still be sent. The notification will also still appear in the Notification Centre.