Just before the launch of WhatsApp payments service, WhatsApp Pay (or WhatsApp UPI), the Facebook-controlled instant messaging platform is going to provide round the clock support for its over 250 million users in India.
According to a WhatsApp spokesperson, they will maintain a 24-hour customer support system where customers can contact the support team via e-mail and a toll-free number after WhatsApp Payment’s full-fledged launch in India.
This will be an add-on service for WhatsApp as customers often complain about payment failures and reimbursements. While customers can connect with WhatsApp for queries related to payments offering, they would have to reach out to their banks for any dispute resolution.
This has been a major concern for customers as they get stuck between payment platforms and banks after a failure of payments. In such conditions, payment firms suggest their customers to contact their home branch and this is a tedious task for those who live away from home.
Major UPI-enabled platform such as Paytm, PhonePe, and the government-run BHIM have been providing the service since they have entered the NPCI-owned payments platform.
Like the aforementioned apps, WhatsApp also indicates that it is not liable for unauthorised transactions and assumes no responsibility for the underlying transfer of funds, or the actions or identity of any recipient or sender involved in one.
Further, the report added that the support will be available in English as well as three Indian languages—Hindi, Marathi, and Gujarati.
The development comes on the heels of company’s updates on privacy policy, which is a matter of concerns for users. WhatsApp has clarified that it strictly abided by the norms of the Reserve Bank of India and the government of India regarding the handling of payments data.
The application simply uses the Facebook payments infrastructure in order to offer UPI payments and also confirms that the social media giant did not store any data pertaining to payments and use it for commercial purposes.
On launching the payments service for mass users, WhatsApp maintains its ambiguity by saying that it is testing the payments service with only 1 million customers but the evidence suggests otherwise.
The development was first reported by Business Standard via PTI.
