By Marinel Peroy
From its humble beginnings to the present, Rakuten Viber has grown into a powerful super app, offering innovative features and services designed to empower Filipino businesses.
Joined by Rakuten Viber’s Executive Team, the Philippines becomes the first country to launch Viber’s new solution for micro and small business enterprises (MSMEs) — becoming a free messaging platform and self-sever communication hub to its users — as shared through a press briefing on Tuesday, October 10, in Conrad Hotel, Pasay City.
During the first six months of 2023, Viber saw a 30% growth in the number of business accounts established, with a 34% rise in the volume of business messages successfully delivered in the Philippines when compared to the previous year. Rakuten Viber Senior Director, APAC, David Tse mentioned that “the most important thing [in this superapp] is that we’re also cultivating a friendly [and] robust ecosystem.” He also highlights the app’s commitment to security and privacy for all of its users.
Rakuten Viber reveals that there is 71% penetration in the Philippines, showcasing its bullish way of potentially helping microenterprises in various industries. Cristina Constandache, Chief Revenue Officer at Rakuten Viber shares that the App’s new innovative features focus on becoming the “one-stop shop for businesses of all sizes.” With the mission to offer customized services for different types of enterprises, Viber is ready to be their growth partner in their business journey. She also shared that this game-changing global launch will be beneficial to users, specifically Gen Zs having their small businesses with the superapp’s updated lenses.
Some new features are the following:
- Public business profile
- Brand visibility
- 1:1 Customer chat
- Discoverability
- Chat folders
- Product Catalog
- Additional features
The Viber team ensures that they bring the best in their app — from conveniently being able to engage with local customers, managing incoming queries, enhancing business discoverability, and increasing sales through user-friendly features.
Viber for Business Solutions: Trends in the Philippines 2023
- +30% business messaging accounts created
- +46% chatbots created
- +29% avg. monthly ads and impressions
- +34% business messages delivered
- +62% conversational
- +42% promotional
- +21% transactional
In addition, there are over 1,300 brands that use Viber for Business here in the Philippines. With various industries utilizing this, the top three include Retail and E-commerce, IT and telecom, and Finance.
What’s next with the Viber super app ecosystem: Businesses of all sizes
| FOR MSMEs: Broadcast messages Voice calls Automatic repliesAnd more | FOR MEDIUM BUSINESSES: A viber business account with advanced features | FOR ENTERPRISES: Business callsOTP solution Enhanced-protection messagesClick-to-message ads |
It’s time to grow your local business with Viber today!
Visit their website for more information here.
While transactions are currently finalized offline, Viber has plans to streamline the process. Moving forward until the next year, we can expect even more exciting developments by providing limitless possibilities for all users.
The Philippines takes pride in being the first country to present Viber’s app tailored specifically for MSMEs. With its innovative features, commitment to security, and dedication to serving businesses of all sizes, Rakuten Viber is set to continue its game-changing super app for Filipino entrepreneurs and other business owners across the world.
Currently, Rakuten Viber’s new self-serve business accounts are available in the Philippines and Greece and will launch in additional countries soon.