Zenvia buys Sirena to ease communication between vendors and customers on WhatsApp

Contxto – Vendors will often bend over backward to appease a potential customer. However, it’s uncomfortable if that means using their personal networks, like their WhatsApp, to connect with those buyers.

So to simplify things for sellers, digital communications startup Zenvia recently acquired Sirena for an undisclosed amount.

As a result of the purchase, Brazilian Zenvia will now scale within the continent, as Sirena has operations in the US, Mexico, and its native Argentina.

Sirena and the WhatsApp dilemma

In Latin America, communication between people via WhatsApp is widely adopted. A 2018 survey by Latinobarómetro showed that 64 percent of people in the region use WhatsApp.

It’s a fantastic tool for person-to-person communication. However, when it comes to business affairs, it brings about various problems. For one, many workers may prefer to keep their WhatsApp account personal (boundaries and all that).

Second, company-related conversations can easily get lost among messages from mom checking in that you’re OK, or your friends sharing sticker after sticker with you.

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Meanwhile, customers find email to be unfriendly and slow. As a result, they’ll prefer the visibility, warmth, and speed applications like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger can offer.

To keep everyone happy, Argentine Sirena developed an API for communication between companies and customers.

Through it, sales teams benefit from streamlining conversations and needs with customers through one inbox. It also offers other tools like chatbots to guide customers to the appropriate department (e.g. customer service or collections).

Sirena’s solutions meshed perfectly with Zenvia, who specializes in automating customer service communication.

Zenvia and chatbots on the move

Last December, Zenvia closed a US$54 million follow-on round through Oria Capital. It’s a significant amount with good timing considering how 2020 has played out.

Given the Covid-19 context, companies have realized the importance of digital tools to follow up with their customers.

Nonetheless, rather than hiring an army of agents to answer messages, AI chatbots, and platforms can make many operations more efficient by handling simple tasks.

Likewise, the use of these tools will not fade in the medium term. 

A recent study showed that the chatbot market is expected to grow at a 30 percent CAGR (compound annual growth rate) by 2025.

The chatbot buzz is fueled by how they can reduce operational costs, the fact that they’re available 24/7. Not to mention they offer customers an immediate response.

Related articles: Tech and startups from Brazil!

-ML