WhatsApp Business is now a important tool for businesses and has changed they way businesses are done. It helps them communicate with customers, send automatic messages, and efficiently manage customer queries. The need to delete WhatsApp business might be a need for an hour for any business. It can be due to several reasons including business closure, a change to a different communication platform. The deletion of a WhatsApp Business account is not an easy decision. This is a one-way process, and once the account is removed, all related data, messages, and customer interactions cannot be recovered. The irreversible impact of the deletion, it is very important for the businesses to take the right steps to avoid any sort complications. This makes transition easy and hustle free.
What Happen When You Delete a WhatsApp Business Account?
The major impact after you delete a WhatsApp Business account is that all related data will be deleted from the servers of WhatsApp. This means chat backups, messages, media will be deleted as well. The connection with customers via that number will not be possible, or nay sort of APIs or chatbots will not work anymore. The customers will not be able to see the profile. The past record of conversations or any chat will be erased. There will no more interaction with customers or potential clients.
Why Would a Need to Delete a WhatsApp Business Account will arise?
There are several factors for the businesses to take decision to delete their WhatsApp Business accounts. One of the reason might be company closing down, and the account is no longer required. Other reason could be the change in the communication platform, businesses might be switching to other Apps or email marketing, SMS Marketing or any other CRM tool. The privacy can also be the concern, as business might not want their data to be on the service of WhatsApp. If the company is rebranding, and they would be changing the contact number as well. This helps in the new identity when they start WhatsApp business account with the new number. The change in the entire structure of the exiting company, can also be the potential reason for companies to remove their accounts for WhatsApp Business.
Steps To Delete Your WhatsApp Business Account
The Step by Step Guide
- Logging into the WhatsApp Business App
- Click on settings in the Application
- Go to Accounts
- Click on delete the Account
- Phone number will be required for the confirmation to ensure the right account is being deleted
- Then user has to confirm the deletion
- WhatsApp will initiate the deletion for the account and all the details
- The reason for deletion might be asked by WhastAap, but this step is optional
- Confirm and then this cannot be reversed.
How Much Time Does it Take to Delete a WhatsApp Business Account?
The deletion process starts as soon as your confirm the deletion of the account. However, WhatsApp can take ninety days to completely delete all relevant data from its servers. Throughout this time, some of the data can still be available in backup systems, but it will no longer be accessible or reversible by the owner. This longer period of time ensure that all data is deleted forever, and in order to comply with the WhatsApp retention policies.
Can You Recover a Deleted WhatsApp Business Account?
The moment a WhatsApp Business account gets deleted, there is no way back to access the data of the account. If you make account again from the same number, it will be starting from the scratch. You will have to register the number again, create the business profile, and doing all the settings again. There will be access to the previous chats, media or numbers. The business will have to start everything again.
What Happens to Customer Messages Upon Deletion of Your Account?
The customers will be able to read the past messages, until they delete the conversation from their WhatsApp. However, there messages will not be delivered to the deactivate account. They will be able to see the name of the company, but they will no longer to reach out to the business. The automated messages or chatbots will also stop functioning.
How to Back Up Data Before Deleting Your WhatsApp Business Account
Before shutting down a WhatsApp Business account, companies might want to save some of the data that is important for them. The data might be required for the future or business records. The chats can be exported through the chat settings, so they can save it in readable text form. While as far as the media is concerned including images, videos, documents have to be downloaded manually and to be saved in any storage space. Companies that are dependent on WhatsApp Business analytics can keep important information by taking screenshots or make a report of all key performance indicators before the deletion of the account.
What Happens If You Accidentally Delete Your WhatsApp Business Account?
If you delete the account of WhatsApp Business by mistake, it deletes all data related to it. If a business accidentally deletes its account, the only way is to setup the account again with the sanme number. However, no old messages, media, or contacts, however, will be restored or available. Any automation settings or chatbots integrations will have to be reconfigured again from the start. To prevent such errors, companies should be careful and take a wise decision before taking any step.
How to Delete a WhatsApp Business API Account
API accounts cannot be deleted like a normal WhatsApp Business accounts. The process is different, API-based accounts are handled via Business Solution Providers (BSPs). In order to delete API account businesses have to get assistance from their BSP. The BSP then request Meta (previously Facebook), who controls WhatsApp Business API accounts. It takes a longer time as compared to normal WhatsApp business account deletion.
Does Closing a WhatsApp Business Account Delete it from Google My Business?
If the business has updated the number on Google My Business, Social Media platforms or local listings, then it has to be deleted manually from there. The deletion of WhatsApp Business account does not automatically delete it from connected platforms. It has to be ensured by the marketing team and the business as whole that the old WhatsApp Number is not shown in any marketing.
Conclusion
Deletion of a WhatsApp Business account cannot be reversed and result in deletion of all messages, media, and documents. Although deletion is very easy three step work. Businesses need to think through the impact before proceeding. Data will be removed from WhatsApp servers, and deleted accounts cannot be recovered by any means,. Companies intending to delete their accounts need to save information and files to prevent losing important data. API-based accounts need to be contacted with Business Solution Providers for deletion. Companies also need to manually update external listings to ensure the elimination of their WhatsApp presence on marketing material. Through the right procedure, companies can have a smooth transition while having control over their online presence.
