Brand
WhatsApp Business
Solution Provider
The UK banking group’s Commercial and Institutional Contact Channels Team partnered with LivePerson, a Meta Business Messaging Partner, to develop an efficient new way to contact customers and verify their cheque payments with utility messages on WhatsApp, resulting in a 10X faster average customer response time and an 83% reduction in average cost per message compared to SMS.*
“Utility messages on WhatsApp have been a game changer compared to traditional contact methods such as SMS. The simplicity and familiarity resonate strongly with both customers and colleagues, making it a popular choice across the board. We’re receiving excellent feedback, highlighting this solution’s effectiveness in enhancing customer experience and supporting our teams.”
Amanda Scott
Head of Contact Channels, NatWest Group
Their Solution
Proactive customer outreach
NatWest Group serves UK customers across the retail, commercial and institutional banking sectors. Its core brands include NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, Ulster Bank, Coutts and Lombard. The company’s Cheque Exceptions Team is tasked with processing business cheques that can’t be handled through automated clearing systems. When an exception like these occurs, the team reaches out to the customer to verify the cheque before approving the transaction.
Previously, these messages were sent to customers via SMS (Short Message Service), but this presented several challenges. SMS messages had low engagement rates, agents didn’t have visibility into if messages were delivered or read, and follow-up calls were frequently needed, which required additional time and resources. NatWest Group’s Commercial and Institutional Contact Channels team worked with LivePerson, a Meta Business Messaging Partner, to develop a new approach that involved proactively sending utility messages on the NatWest Business WhatsApp channel to verify cheques.
The team sent prewritten messages to business customers on WhatsApp. Once the customer replied, they entered into an automated messaging experience developed by the Contact Channels team and LivePerson. The team received delivery and read confirmations to gain more visibility into customer communications and determine if follow-up was needed. Each message included quick-reply buttons that made it easy for customers to respond with a single tap. A NatWest Group agent processed the request and triggered a confirmation message once done. The conversation also provided a link for customers to contact the company’s support centre for additional help if needed.
As it does with every new channel, NatWest Group ran a thorough risk assessment before implementing this new WhatsApp approach. Then the team ran an eight-week test (August 1-September 25, 2025) comparing utility messages on WhatsApp to SMS and reported faster customer response times and a reduction in cost per message, in addition to strong read and reply rates and a high CSAT (Customer Satisfaction Score). As a result of the test, the Cheque Exceptions Team started using SMS only in rare instances when utility messages on WhatsApp could not be delivered.
- 10X faster average customer response time for utility messages on WhatsApp vs. SMS*
- 83% reduction in average cost per message for utility messages on WhatsApp vs. SMS*
*Results are self-reported and not identifiably repeatable. Generally expected individual results will differ.
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