Netflix teams up with WhatsApp in India to communicate with customers

Netflix has teamed up with popular messaging service WhatsApp in India to communicate with users. For now it seems Netflix will be using this platform to send messages related to account as well as suggestions to its customers.

Netflix wants to send recommendations on Whatsapp now... pic.twitter.com/LsAqQUfs5j

— Sahil Khan (@sahilk) December 27, 2017

Users with Netflix and WhatsApp will get a notification to opt into the service. Once chosen, users will get a message from Netflix on WhatsApp asking it to add it to your contacts. For now, it's a one-way traffic, with the user getting messages from Netflix and any attempt to reply will be greeted with a standard message telling the user it can't chat with you.

smh pic.twitter.com/kx8OAurMAL

— jugal · jugal.co (@joogasama) December 27, 2017

The choice to go with WhatsApp over SMS is not surprising considering the massive userbase for the service in the country, second largest in the world in fact after Brazil. Although in all honestly, this does not seem like a terribly useful service for the users. All it does is let Netflix nudge the user every once in a while about new content so as to keep user engagement up. I can't see a lot of people using it. However, it's likely both companies have bigger plans in future other than just informing users of new shows.

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