As the pandemic continues and companies are increasingly turning to digital solutions to provide services to customers, chat platforms via WhatApp have been cropping up with regularity.

The latest business to embrace chat commerce is Dis-Chem, with the company leaning on specialists Clickatell to help bring its WhatsApp solution to the fore.

Customers of the pharmacy chain can now access a number of services through WhatsApp by sending “Hi” to 0860 347 243. This will prompt an easy to navigate menu to appear, according to Dis-Chem, allowing shoppers to choose which action they want to perform.

“Dis-Chem will use the channel to alert customers when their repeat medication is due for collection or when delivery from their preferred store is ready through ‘Pack My Meds’, which is Dis-Chem’s online repeat medicine ordering platform,” the company explains in a press release sent to Hypertext.

Other functions built into this chat commerce solution include the ability to register for a Benefit Card, existing members updating their personal details, checking of loyalty points, reporting lost or stolen cards and a general FAQ section the company’s in-store and delivery services.

“Delivering the WhatsApp channel to our customers resolves an immediate customer experience need, adds to our ability to continue to deliver superior convenience, and gives us an excellent opportunity to expand our digital offering in the future,” notes Lynne Blignaut, head of Loyalty & Customer Rewards at Dis-Chem.

“Our teams have worked closely to ensure our customers will find the user interface intuitive and the service immediately convenient and valuable,” she concludes.