Mobile-first channels like WhatsApp will be the biggest CX opportunity — enabling businesses to scale by blending automation with human support.
Source: © 123rf
123rf Customer expectations are rising fast. They expect real-time answers on the channels they already use every day. In South Africa, that channel is WhatsApp
WhatsApp is South Africa’s most trusted digital touchpoint, with 94% of South Africans using WhatsApp daily.*
Described as fast, familiar, and personal, but making WhatsApp work at enterprise scale requires more than plugging in a chat app. It demands integration, automation, and a balance of AI with human empathy.
“WhatsApp has become South Africa’s frontline channel for CX. The real challenge is not adoption — customers are already there — but integrating it into systems and workflows that genuinely improve business performance," says Xander Barnard, MD of The Messenger Network.
The Messenger Network is the official WhatsApp partner to Zendesk and its certified implementation partner in South Africa, CX Experts. Together, they work to ensure WhatsApp is fully embedded in business operations, without the complexity of switching systems.
As Dave Hobbs, head of customer success at CX Experts, explains, “WhatsApp is already the channel South Africans use every day. With Zendesk, companies can meet customers there seamlessly, without asking them to learn a new tool.”
It’s not just about customers; agents benefit as well as automation handles repetitive queries so they can focus on conversations that actually build loyalty.
Omnichannel platform
A case study is Leroy Merlin South Africa, which, during the first Covid lockdown, missed 90% of customer requests because calls couldn’t be answered outside the office.
Their legacy systems weren’t built for mobile-first service.
By moving to an omnichannel platform which included WhatsApp to meet shifting customer preferences around engagement, they saw dramatic results.
Within months, Customer Satisfaction Scores rose by 15% to 79% (up from a negative Net Promoter Score). Agents were handling 20,000+ tickets a month across home, store, and contact centre.
“Zendesk gave us the agility and flexibility to deliver on our promise of customer happiness," says Leroy Merlin CIO and market director Dmitriy Anderson.
Integration
Too often, companies buy service software but see little return. The difference here is integration.
As Hobbs notes, “By centralising WhatsApp in Zendesk, businesses respond faster, capture better data, and benefit from clear reporting. The result is higher customer satisfaction and measurable ROI.”
Global research supports this as early adopters are 128% more likely to report high ROI from their AI tools for CX.
3 local capabilities
Local partnerships are where the technology becomes tangible.
In South Africa, this includes three practical capabilities:
- WhatsApp status-triggered messages — automatic notifications when tickets change.
- In-Zendesk chat management — WhatsApp conversations handled directly inside Zendesk.
- Bulk WhatsApp campaigns — reaching customers at scale.
“Global platforms like Zendesk provide the foundation. Our role is to make them work in the South African market, where WhatsApp is already part of daily life. That’s what turns technology into real customer experience gains," says Barnard.
He adds, “The next wave of growth won’t come from bigger call centres — it will come from smarter, integrated CX on the channels customers already trust. And right now, that means WhatsApp."
Zendesk Presents: South Africa was a two-city event that brought together the best minds in customer experience to explore how technology, people, and processes can work hand-in-hand to deliver world-class support in September. (*Statista)
