SMBcrm Supports WhatsApp Username Contact Capture
WhatsApp is rolling out usernames, which let people message a business without sharing a phone number. SMBcrm now supports contact capture for first-time inbound messages from WhatsApp users who have adopted usernames as the feature reaches supported markets.
This helps keep your SMBcrm communication workflows connected when a customer chooses phone-number privacy.
What changed
When a WhatsApp user who has adopted a username messages your business for the first time, and is not already a contact, SMBcrm creates a contact using the customer’s username and business-scoped user ID, also known as BSUID.
Contact creation for these username adopters is automatic. There is nothing to activate.
What does not change
- Phone-number messaging continues to work as before.
- Contact imports by phone number are unchanged.
- Existing contacts, records, and conversation history stay intact.
- Existing workflows and automations continue without migration.
- WhatsApp billing and template approval are unchanged.
The main difference is that for a first-time inbound message from a customer using a WhatsApp username, WhatsApp may not share the customer’s phone number. SMBcrm uses the username and BSUID so the conversation can still be captured as a contact.
Availability
WhatsApp usernames are in beta with Meta and are being released gradually by region. The first listed markets are:
- Algeria, Azerbaijan, Ghana, Libya, Nepal
- Colombia, Dominican Republic, Singapore, Malaysia, Peru
More regions will follow as Meta expands the beta.
Important details
A WhatsApp username is a display label, not an address. You cannot start a brand-new conversation with someone you only know by username.
If a customer messages you first, SMBcrm captures the BSUID, and you can reply and continue the conversation under the same WhatsApp session-window and template rules that apply to other conversations.
You also cannot proactively message a username-only lead if they have not contacted you first, because there is no way to resolve a username to a phone number or BSUID.
A BSUID is a business-scoped user ID. It is unique to the customer for your business and helps keep the conversation connected even when the phone number is hidden. It is not a phone number and is not shared across other businesses.
Customers can change their usernames at any time, so the username is not used as the stable identifier. The BSUID remains stable for your business.
Why this matters
WhatsApp usernames give customers more phone-number privacy, and adoption is controlled by the customer. With this update, first-time username inbound messages can still be captured automatically as contacts as the feature rolls out to your markets.
You can keep WhatsApp enabled without changing your existing setup, imports, contacts, or automations.
In Case You Missed It
For another workflow update, read Multi-Role Signing for Documents in Workflows.
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