Discover contact particulars for any native enterprise on WhatsApp through Wire Enterprise Listing
A local business consultancy called Qurious Consulting Pvt Ltd wants to end the time-honored tradition of harassing your friends and loved ones in case you need a plumber, mechanic, or other service. The company launched Wire, a corporate directory chatbot on WhatsApp that registers and catalogs local businesses and operators both large and small.
Before I go any further, I have to say that I like this a lot. Sometimes it seems like we are at the mercy of our immediate environment when it comes to accessing services. If your friends or acquaintances can’t make the contact they want, it becomes a problem. The other way is to search the internet for contact information for a company or operator, but it’s usually a hit or miss.
What I mean by that, for the most part, only a few companies (especially the smaller ones) are listed online or on social media. Even if they are there, chances are the details are out of date. Personally, I’ve got frustrated when I try numbers that are out of order or being answered by someone angrily saying that the person or company I’m looking for is no longer using that number.
What Wire is offering here is great because it attacks the problem on a platform that most Zimbabweans have access to and are familiar with (WhatsApp).
This is how companies can register
It may seem counter-intuitive to start with the company rather than the prospect. We need these guys to be more visible because,
- There are a lot of very good companies and sole proprietorships that don’t have the visibility they deserve
- Bigger companies need competition
- It would be easier for customers to compare prices or tariffs if they knew more players in the market.
To get started, a company just needs to go to the Wire Business Directory website and register (link here). You will then need to fill in all of the information associated with your organization and hit the “Submit” button. You will then receive a confirmation message from Wire about your entry.
Before listing your business, it is wise to review Wire’s Terms of Use. I have seen a number of “colorful” (for lack of better words) advertisements for services in WhatsApp groups. So it would be wise to go through it to see if your particular company meets the scope of the service.
As for the cost of an entry, Wire says on its website that registering with the directory is free. And your listing will appear with your phone numbers, social media handles, web address, location details (including maps), and email.
The only thing the company is working on is registering with WhatsApp. Broader internet services or general data packages are expensive and inaccessible to most. Integrating the registration process with WhatsApp would make it a lot easier for local businesses, especially the smaller ones.
How to Access the Wire Company Directory on WhatsApp
To get into Wire’s directory you need to save the number +263 71 549 0290 and send a hello or something else in the chat. You will then see a message that reads:
Hello, welcome to the Wire business directory. This platform connects you with companies that offer the products and services you need across the country. To get started please select your location below by entering the appropriate number (e.g. 1 for Harare)
0. All cities
1. Harare
2. Bulawayo
Select the region you are in and the chatbot will ask you to enter the company name, product or service you are looking for.
Therefore, depending on the service you are looking for, the results listed may vary. However, the Wire folks said that submissions for listings are very open and they will keep improving the service.
