Overview

As educational institutions increasingly leverage WhatsApp to engage with prospective students, maintaining trust and respecting communication preferences is paramount. The new WABA (WhatsApp Business API) communication opt-out feature empowers you to prevent unwanted communication by recognizing and honoring opt-out requests.

This feature ensures that when a student opts out by replying with keywords such as "STOP" or "UNSUBSCRIBE," their preference is acknowledged, preventing further communication and eliminating unnecessary lead creation.

Plan & Permissions

• Available for you if  using the RAW data module for WhatsApp communication.

• Permissions Required:

• Access to Manage Communication Preferences in the WhatsApp settings.

• Permission to configure unsubscribe keywords and manage opt-out data.

• API permissions to sync opt-out requests with lead management.

Important: You can customize unsubscribe keywords and manage opted-out users under the WhatsApp Suppression Management section.

Core Functionalities

Prevention of Unwanted Lead Creation

The system prevents new lead creation when a student replies with predefined unsubscribe keywords, ensuring that:

• No New Leads: No lead is created for students who opt out, reducing the risk of follow-ups and notifications.

• Lead Status Update: The system updates the student's status to reflect their opt-out request, marking them as “Opted-Out” or “Unsubscribed.”

Outcome: This reduces unnecessary administrative effort and prevents unwanted communication.

Automatic Suppression and Opt-Out Flag

Upon receiving an unsubscribe request:

• No Future Communication: The system ensures that opted-out students are excluded from future WhatsApp messages, marketing material, and reminders.

• Opt-Out Flag Assignment: A suppression flag is added to the student’s profile to prevent automated outreach or engagement activities.

• Exclusion from Campaigns: Students marked as “Opted-Out” will not receive further communications, ensuring that their preferences are honored.

Outcome: Enhanced trust and compliance with communication preferences.

Customizable Unsubscribe Keywords

You can define and manage unsubscribe keywords to refine the opt-out mechanism:

• Add or Modify Keywords: Administrators can modify or add up to five unsubscribe keywords through the settings page.

• Real-Time Updates: Any changes to the unsubscribe keywords are applied immediately, ensuring that user preferences are always respected.

Outcome: Flexibility to customize opt-out triggers as per your needs.

Comprehensive Suppression Management

A suppression management system is accessible under the "WhatsApp" menu, offering:

• View Opted-Out Students: Administrators can view a list of students who have opted out, providing transparency in communication.

• Download Unsubscribe Data:You can download unsubscribe data for record-keeping or analysis, maintaining a clean communication list.

Outcome: Improved control over outreach efforts and better compliance with communication policies.

System Behavior After Opt-Out

When a student replies with an unsubscribe keyword, the system initiates the following actions:

• Lead Creation Blocked: No new lead is created, and subsequent actions (such as notifications or follow-ups) are automatically prevented.

• Status Updated in Lead Management (LM): The student's status is updated to “Opted-Out” or “Unsubscribed,” reflecting their communication preferences.

• Communication Suppression: The opt-out flag ensures the student is excluded from any future WhatsApp communication, including updates, reminders, and marketing messages.

Outcome: A streamlined process that respects student preferences while maintaining system integrity.

Benefits of the WABA Opt-Out Feature

Improved User Experience

• Students no longer receive unwanted messages after opting out.

• Communication is aligned with user preferences, enhancing satisfaction.

Reduced Administrative Effort

• No unnecessary follow-ups or notifications for opted-out students.

• Automated lead suppression prevents misaligned engagement.

Enhanced Trust and Compliance

• Transparent communication builds trust with prospective students.

• Compliance with opt-out requests ensures adherence to data privacy standards.

Flexibility in Communication Management

• You can customize opt-out triggers to refine your communication strategies.

• Real-time suppression management ensures consistent updates.

Conclusion

The WABA Communication Opt-Out Feature empowers you to enhance transparency, control, and trust in your communication practices. By preventing unwanted lead creation, respecting user preferences, and automating opt-out management, this feature significantly improves the student experience.You can now ensure that communication is aligned with the preferences of prospective students, contributing to a positive and trustworthy engagement process.