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Popular messaging app <keyword id="790242" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="whatsapp" source="Orion">WhatsApp</keyword> has announced a new feature that will help users who have multiple accounts. One can soon have two <keyword id="6950081" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="whatsapp-accounts" source="Orion">WhatsApp accounts</keyword> logged in at the same time. Yes, you read it right. <keyword id="6354630" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="mark-zuckerberg" source="Orion">Mark Zuckerberg</keyword> recently announced that the particular feature will be rolled out to Android users in the coming weeks and months, TechCrunch reported. "Helpful for switching between accounts - such as your work and personal - now you no longer need to log out each time, carry two phones or worry about messaging from the wrong place," the company said in a blog post. To set up a second account, you will need a second phone number and SIM card, or a phone that accepts multi-SIM or eSIM. Simply open your WhatsApp settings, click on the arrow next to your name, and click "Add account". This will allow you to manage two separate accounts within the app. While setting up, you will need your second phone with SIM or a phone with physical or eSIM facility for multi-SIM as you will have to authenticate your account while logging in. The company said that you will be able to manage separate notifications and privacy settings for each account. It is available on both WhatsApp beta and stable versions. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/webstories/oneplus-open-vs-samsung-galaxy-z-fold-5-battle-of-the-foldable-smartphones/slidelist/104581006.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/webstories/oneplus-open-vs-samsung-galaxy-z-fold-5-battle-of-the-foldable-smartphones/slidelist/104581006.cms" target="_blank">OnePlus Open vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 – battle of the foldable smartphones</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/google-pay-everything-you-need-to-know-about-googles-new-credit-offerings/articleshow/104573817.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/google-pay-everything-you-need-to-know-about-googles-new-credit-offerings/articleshow/104573817.cms" target="_blank">Google for India – Sachet loans to credit on UPI, tech giant bets on lending</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/elon-musk-says-x-to-soon-launch-a-premium-subscription-to-remove-ads/articleshow/104576727.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/elon-musk-says-x-to-soon-launch-a-premium-subscription-to-remove-ads/articleshow/104576727.cms" target="_blank">Pay to post on X soon? Musk says two new subscription plans in the works</a>

WhatsApp now allows users to have two accounts on one phone within the app

Meta-owned messaging platform <keyword id="790242" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="whatsapp" source="Orion">WhatsApp</keyword> is reportedly working on a new feature which will allow users to schedule calls within their group chats. Users will be able to select a title, date and time for their call, making sure that everyone in the group is aware of when it will take place, reports WABetaInfo. It is useful when the group is organising an event, by allowing members to schedule a call to discuss the details and confirm that everyone is available. The ability to schedule a call within the group chats is currently under development and is expected to be released in a future update of the application, the report said. Meanwhile, last week, it was reported that the messaging platform was working on a new feature which will allow users to create calling shortcuts. With the new feature, it will be possible to create a calling shortcut by just tapping the contact cell within the list of contacts. This feature will be helpful for users who frequently make calls to the same person and do not want to go through the same process again-and-again, that is, opening the application and searching for the contact every time. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/after-chinese-apps-the-indian-government-cracks-down-on-indian-betting-and-quick-loan-appsheres-why/articleshow/97690062.cms">After Chinese apps, the Indian government cracks down on Indian betting and quick loan apps—here’s why</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/swiggy-cracks-down-on-password-sharing-allows-users-to-use-same-account-on-only-two-devices/articleshow/97548345.cms">Swiggy cracks down on password sharing, allows users to use same account on only two devices</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/samsung-galaxy-s23-s23-plus-and-s23-ultra-price-availability-india/articleshow/97544314.cms">Samsung Galaxy S23, S23 Plus, and S23 Ultra priced starting at ₹74,999 in India</a>

WhatsApp may soon let users schedule calls within group chats

<ul><li><keyword id="8939913" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="jio-haptik" source="Orion">Jio Haptik</keyword> and <keyword id="3498585" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="cashe" source="Orion">CASHe</keyword> partner to enable automated instant credit lines on <keyword id="790242" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="whatsapp" source="Orion">WhatsApp</keyword>. </li><li>This will aid business owners and solopreneurs to access instant credit via WhatsApp. </li><li>Jio <keyword id="4380499" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="haptik" source="Orion">Haptik</keyword> and CASHe claim to provide revolving loans on WhatsApp within a minute.</li></ul>Jio Haptik partnered with financial wellness platform CASHe on Tuesday to enable instant credit line disbursals on Whatsapp. Jio Haptik is a WhatsApp chatbot solution provider, which was acquired by <keyword id="6355199" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="reliance-industries" source="Orion">Reliance Industries</keyword> in 2019. The overriding technology powering this solution is Haptik’s advanced conversational commerce capabilities and CASHe’s AI-powered bot. The Whatsapp chatbot matches the user’s inputs and automatically facilitates a formal application, along with a Know-Your-Customer (KYC) check. Once verified, it sets up a credit line in a few clicks through a guided conversational flow. The user’s details are generated and displayed based on the name entered – the only key input that the borrower needs to enter is at the start of the conversation. “Haptik is pleased to be partnering with CASHe, India’s leading financial wellness platform, with the aim of helping borrowers get access to loans and credit seamlessly and in under a minute. Since going live with our WhatsApp bot, CASHe has witnessed over 50,000 credit line issuances, more than ₹25 crore in loan disbursals, and more,” said Swapan Rajdev, co-founder and CTO, Haptik. However, this is not the first time that an Indian company is offering loans via Whatsapp. <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/how-to/need-a-loan-just-say-hi-on-whatsapp-and-get-rs-10-lakh-instantly-heres-how-to-apply/articleshow/86961211.cms?from=mdr">Last year</a> IIFL Finance, a non-banking financial company, offered an instant loan disbursement of ₹10 lakh on WhatsApp, where users could access it by typing ‘Hi’ in a chat box, in five minutes. Jio Haptik and CASHe, however, claim to provide revolving loans on WhatsApp within a minute. Revolving loans provide more flexibility with drawdowns and repayments as opposed to traditional loans. “With this solution on offer, we have successfully pivoted our credit model to adapt to the shifts in the lending space by offering instant sachet loans to existing and prospective borrowers through an engaging and conversational flow. The digital assistant on WhatsApp helps us to reach out to new customers and support the existing ones,” said <keyword id="12757264" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="yashoraj-tyagi" source="Orion">Yashoraj Tyagi</keyword>, CTO of CASHe. <keyword id="15651702" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="jio-on-whatsapp" source="Orion">Jio on Whatsapp</keyword> This August, <keyword id="58448" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="reliance-retail" source="Orion">Reliance Retail</keyword> launched a grocery delivery service called Jio on Whatsapp. In the September ending quarter, Reliance Retail said that <keyword id="8506093" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="jiomart" source="Orion">JioMart</keyword> on WhatsApp brought in 37% orders from ‘new’ customers on JioMart. “The business launched JioMart on WhatsApp native app during the quarter, a novel and disruptive initiative that brings the simplicity of instant chat service to the online shopping experience to millions of consumers. An impressive 37% of orders received from this platform are from new customers who had not shopped on JioMart before,” Reliance said. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/government-listed-private-companies-capex-to-touch-21-lakh-crore-in-fy23-icici-securities/articleshow/95858117.cms">Government, listed private companies’ capex to touch ₹21 lakh crore in FY23: ICICI Securities</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/recent-ipo-successes-could-lead-to-recovery-in-the-primary-market-ey/articleshow/95858664.cms">Recent IPO successes could lead to recovery in the primary market: E&amp;Y</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sustainability/news/mumbai-delhi-ranked-lowest-among-6o-global-cities-for-public-transit-systems/articleshow/95857282.cms">Mumbai, Delhi ranked lowest among 6o global cities for public transit systems</a>

Jio Haptik and CASHe partner to deliver instant credit lines on Whatsapp

<ul><li>A <keyword id="6380214" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="credit-score" source="Orion">credit score</keyword> is an important metric that helps in getting <keyword id="6362287" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="loans" source="Orion">loans</keyword> and <keyword id="6387037" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="credit-cards" source="Orion">credit cards</keyword>.</li><li>A credit score indicates the creditworthiness of an individual to lenders and potential employers.</li><li>Here are the factors that affect your credit score and how you find your <keyword id="15721037" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="credit-score-for-free" source="Orion">credit score for free</keyword>.</li></ul>A credit score is important when applying for a loan or credit card. Employers also often consider it to check the financial stability of existing and prospective employees. Now that you know that a credit score is important, you must think about what a credit score is and how it is calculated. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="What is a credit score?" comment="subhead" text="What is a credit score?">What is a credit score?</cmsannotation> A credit score is a rating between 300 to 900 given by credit bureaus like TransUnion <keyword id="6380215" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="cibil" source="Orion">CIBIL</keyword>, Experian, <keyword id="2302542" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="crif" source="Orion">CRIF</keyword> High Mark, and others that help identify a user’s creditworthiness. A person with a higher credit score can avail loans at a cheaper interest rate or get a higher credit limit. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="What are the factors considered to calculate your credit score?" comment="subhead" text="What are the factors considered to calculate your credit score?">What are the factors considered to calculate your credit score?</cmsannotation> Several factors are considered while your credit score is calculated. Here are the top factors that may have an impact on your credit score – <ul><li>Your payment history</li><li>Number of loans and credit cards you have</li><li>Credit utilization</li><li>Recent credit inquiries on your account</li><li>Length of your credit history</li><li>Types of credit availed</li></ul><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="How to check your credit score?" comment="subhead" text="How to check your credit score?">How to <keyword id="15721036" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="check-your-credit-score" source="Orion">check your credit score</keyword>?</cmsannotation> It is important to keep track of your credit score to ensure that you have not done anything to adversely affect it. Several applications and websites allow you to check your credit score for free. Do note that each credit bureau has a different methodology for calculating your credit score, meaning your credit score will be different on each report. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Credit bureaus" comment="subhead" text="Credit bureaus">Credit bureaus</cmsannotation> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Get a free CIBIL report" comment="subhead" text="Get a free CIBIL report">Get a free CIBIL report</cmsannotation> CIBIL allows users to get a free credit report once a month using its website, allowing you to keep track of your credit score. <ul><li>Go to CIBIL’s <a href="https://www.cibil.com/">website</a>.</li><li>Click on “GET FREE CIBIL SCORE &amp; REPORT.”</li><li>Now, create an account by entering your personal information.</li><li>Confirm your identity and enter your PAN.</li></ul>You will receive your credit report in the email you signed up with. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Get a free Experian report" comment="subhead" text="Get a free Experian report">Get a free Experian report</cmsannotation> You can also check your credit score on Experian for free. <ul><li>Go to Experian’s <a href="https://www.experian.in/consumer-services">website</a>.</li><li>Click on “Free Credit Score.”</li><li>Now, enter your phone number and click on “Send OTP.”</li><li>Enter the OTP and click on “Verify.”</li><li>Enter your personal details and click on “Get Report.”</li></ul>You will receive your credit report in your email. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Get free CRIF report" comment="subhead" text="Get free CRIF report">Get free CRIF report</cmsannotation> You can also get your free CRIF report from the bureau’s website. <ul><li>Go to the CRIF High Mark <a href="https://www.crifhighmark.com/">website</a> and click “Get your score now.”</li><li>Enter the required details and click on “GET MY CREDIT SCORE.”</li></ul>You will receive your credit report by email. If you do not wish to use the websites of these credit bureaus to check your score, you can also use the below applications to check your credit score for free. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Check your credit score for free on WhatsApp" comment="subhead" text="Check your credit score for free on WhatsApp">Check your credit score for free on WhatsApp</cmsannotation> Experian has launched a new service that allows you to use WhatsApp to check your credit score for free. <ul><li>Click on the <a href="https://api.whatsapp.com/message/ZF22WUR5A54MC1?autoload=1&amp;app_absent=0">Experian API</a> link from your phone and tap on send.</li><li>Now, click on “View Credit Report.”</li><li>Now, enter your name and tap on send.</li><li>Then, enter your email ID and click on send.</li><li>Click “Yes” if your mobile number is registered to your credit account.</li><li>If not, click “No” and share your registered number.</li><li>Then, click “Send OTP “ and enter the OTP you received.</li></ul>You will receive your credit report in your email. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Check CIBIL and Experian score for free on OneScore" comment="subhead" text="Check CIBIL and Experian score for free on OneScore">Check CIBIL and Experian score for free on OneScore</cmsannotation> OneScore, an app developed by FTL Technologies, allows you to check your CIBIL and Experian scores for free once a month. <ul><li>Download the OneScore app from the <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tech.fplabs.score&amp;hl=en_IN&amp;gl=US">Play Store</a> or the <a href="https://apps.apple.com/in/app/onescore-credit-score-insight/id1462059417">App Store</a>.</li><li>Open the app and enter the required details, including your phone number and PAN.</li></ul>Once you have entered all the required details, your credit score will be fetched, and you can view important information on the OneScore app. Your credit reports will be sent to your email. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Check your Experian and CRIF score for free on CRED" comment="subhead" text="Check your Experian and CRIF score for free on CRED">Check your Experian and CRIF score for free on CRED</cmsannotation> Popular fintech Cred is another app that allows you to check your credit score for free. <ul><li>Download the CRED app from the <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dreamplug.androidapp&amp;hl=en_IN&amp;gl=US">Play Store</a> or the <a href="https://apps.apple.com/in/app/cred-credit-card-bill-payment/id1428580080">App Store</a>.</li><li>Enter your mobile number and other personal information.</li><li>CRED will fetch your Experian and CRIF credit reports for free.</li></ul>You will be able to view your credit score on CRED, and you will receive the credit reports in your email. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/what-is-chatgpt-and-how-does-it-work/articleshow/95994901.cms">ChatGPT is a new AI chatbot that can find mistakes in your code or write a story for you</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/google-pixel-fold-the-companys-foldable-phone-could-soon-become-a-reality-as-it-appears-on-geekbench-ahead-of-its-launch-next-year/articleshow/96021605.cms">Google Pixel Fold, the company’s foldable phone, could soon become a reality as it appears on Geekbench ahead of its launch next year</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/whatsapp-introduces-the-message-yourself-feature-working-on-voice-status-updates-and-more/articleshow/95851566.cms">WhatsApp introduces the “Message Yourself” feature, working on voice status updates and more</a>

How to find your CIBIL, Experian and CRIF credit score for free

<ul><li>WhatsApp is reportedly working on an instant credit feature. Its latest regulatory filing states that providing credit is one of its main business objectives.</li><li>This comes at a time when instant loans have become popular with companies like Amazon, Paytm and others have started offering these services.</li><li>WhatsApp’s massive user base in India gives it a great platform to launch revenue-generating services like digital loans.</li></ul>WhatsApp loans could be the next big feature for the popular messaging service. With India being one of the biggest markets for WhatsApp and instant loans gaining popularity, WhatsApp loans have the potential to take off. In a filing with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs accessed by <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2020/04/28/whatsapp-eyes-credit-feature-for-users-in-india/">TechCrunch</a>, WhatsApp has listed ‘providing credits or loans’ as one of its main business objectives to be pursued in India. WhatsApp’s parent company <keyword id="6354576" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="facebook">Facebook</keyword> recently entered into a partnership with <keyword id="6354504" type="DEFINITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="reliance-jio">Reliance Jio</keyword>, acquiring a stake of 9.9% in a $5.7 billion deal. Subsequently, the Mukesh Ambani-owned company <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/ecommerce/news/how-to-order-groceries-from-jiomart-using-whatsapp/articleshow/75403670.cms">launched JioMart service on WhatsApp</a>, allowing users to order groceries and other essentials from the messaging app. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="75283937" title="Mark Zuckerberg's Facebook picks up 9.9% stake in Mukesh Ambani's Jio for $5.7 billion" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> “In my mind, Whatsapp Pay and Jio money will all hopefully get rolled into one. It will just make it quicker since there is nobody in India that doesn't have WhatsApp,” Vikram Sud, an independent director at DBS <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/whatsapp-is-the-secret-sauce-in-the-deal-between-facebook-and-reliance-jio/articleshow/75296172.cms">told</a> Business Insider. WhatsApp’s existing payments service, WhatsApp Pay, is yet to take off after more than two years of testing. Regulatory hurdles have played spoilsport in this regard, but WhatsApp has reportedly reached out to the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) stating that it will ensure compliance with the local data protection laws by May. In January, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/india-whatsapp-pay-global-rollout-zuckerberg/articleshow/73760554.cms">Mark Zuckerberg said</a> that WhatsApp Pay will roll out in India within six months. Joining the dots, it seems plausible that it could launch by May. “This is an amazing partnership on the payments side. Whatsapp Pay did not have the commercial sides of it as Whatsapp was trying to creep into the business. Now, between Whatsapp, Instagram and Facebook — all the commerce can be done through Whatsapp Pay,” said Sud. Amazon Pay Later makes an entry in India Amazon has also launched its credit service called Pay Later. It allows users to purchase products on Amazon, pay utility bills, do recharges and more. Users can make the payment in the next month at no extra cost. The Amazon Pay Later feature is not available on products like gold, jewellery, Amazon Pay balance top-up and Amazon Pay gift cards. How will WhatsApp loans work? It is not clear as to how WhatsApp plans to offer loans and to which users. However, looking at other companies like Amazon, Paytm, or PayU which offers LazyPay, WhatsApp could offer a fixed credit limit to its users based on certain criteria. Users who avail WhatsApp credit could then be required to repay the amount due in a certain time period. For reference, services like LazyPay Pay Later allow you to make payments once in every 15 days, essentially giving you 15 days of interest-free loan. Paytm Postpaid works on a monthly basis – your credit bill is generated on the first of every month and you are given 7 days’ time to repay. For example, if you avail the credit facility on May 1, you will have to repay by June 7, giving you 36 days of interest-free credit. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/facebook-picks-up-10-stake-in-jio-platform-for-rs-43574-cr/articleshow/75283937.cms">Mark Zuckerberg's Facebook picks up 9.9% stake in Mukesh Ambani's Jio for $5.7 billion</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/india-whatsapp-pay-global-rollout-zuckerberg/articleshow/73760554.cms">WhatsApp Pay to roll out in India and other countries over the next six months: Zuckerberg</a>

WhatsApp has reportedly listed giving loans as a ‘main’ objective—  and it could be a big feature in Facebook and Reliance Jio’s partnership

<ul><li><keyword id="790242" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="whatsapp" source="Orion">WhatsApp</keyword> is reportedly working on a paid subscription for Business users.</li><li>This subscription will improve multi-device support for the app.</li><li>It will allow users to use the app on up to 10 devices.</li></ul>Popular messaging app WhatsApp recently introduced <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/whatsapp-multi-device-support-what-is-it-how-to-use-and-everything-you-need-to-know/articleshow/87601130.cms">multi-device</a> support, a much-awaited feature that has been available on its rival app Telegram for a long time now. <keyword id="4936066" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="whatsapp-business" source="Orion">WhatsApp Business</keyword> has become popular not only for businesses but also for users with two SIM cards who want to use WhatsApp on both their phones. Businesses have been able to use WhatsApp to connect with their customers, answer queries and take orders. Currently, WhatsApp allows users to connect four additional devices for free, both on the WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business. According to a <a href="https://wabetainfo.com/whatsapp-is-working-on-a-subscription-plan-for-businesses/">report</a> by WaBetaInfo, this may change soon as WhatsApp is looking to introduce a paid subscription for WhatsApp Business. According to the above report, the paid subscription will allow WhatsApp Business users to connect up to 10 devices to a single WhatsApp account, making it easier for businesses to connect with their customers as multiple employees will be able to access the same account on their phones. At the moment, it is not known if the subscription brings other features to the account but we expect the Meta-owned messaging app to introduce several other features to make the subscription plan more exciting. Even the cost and subscription period of this are not known yet and there’s non-information if this is a one-time subscription or if users need to pay a recurring fee. The subscription will probably be limited to WhatsApp Business and regular WhatsApp users may not get this option. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/qr-codes-product-tagging-exclusive-content-and-other-upcoming-instagram-features/articleshow/90928407.cms">Upcoming Instagram features: QR codes, Product tagging, exclusive content and more</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/upcoming-new-whatsapp-features-download-timers-message-reactions-and-more/articleshow/90774182.cms">Best upcoming WhatsApp features – download timers, message reactions and more</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/truecaller-is-working-on-a-new-feature-to-help-tackle-unsolicited-calls-from-insurance-companies-loan-providers/articleshow/90951781.cms">Truecaller is working on a new feature to help tackle unsolicited calls from insurance companies, loan providers</a>

WhatsApp could soon introduce a paid subscription for multi-device support

<ul><li><keyword id="163007" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="muthoot-finance" source="Orion">Muthoot Finance</keyword> is one of the largest <keyword id="130134" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gold-loan" source="Orion">gold loan</keyword> NBFC in India and it has been using its <keyword id="6354839" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="marketing" source="Orion">marketing</keyword> strategies effectively to make the brand a household name.</li><li><keyword id="9213956" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="abhinav-iyer" source="Orion">Abhinav Iyer</keyword>, GM, Marketing &amp; Strategy, Muthoot Finance tells us all the brand has been doing to not only grow its business but also to grow the category as a whole.</li></ul>It is no secret that Indians love gold. In fact, gold accounts for a large part of most Indian family’s wealth. While for years, securing loans against jewellery was looked at as a last resort, the last few years, especially the pandemic, has brought about an attitudinal shift in Indian consumers. Gold loans have been on a consistent rise over the last few years and this growth is coming from both micro enterprises and individuals. The pandemic hit many businesses and while things have been slowly moving towards normalcy, a lot of sectors still remain impacted, and people are still trying to find the balance. In such a scenario, gold loan has come up as both a convenient as well as a quick option to get cash. Over the years, there has been a shift in perception when it comes to taking a loan out on gold jewellery and one brand that has been trying to help the segment grow by trying to fasten this change is Muthoot Finance. Over the last few years, the brand has consistently stayed in the public consciousness with its marketing strategies. <keyword id="6357912" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="amitabh-bachchan" source="Orion">Amitabh Bachchan</keyword> has been a face of the brand for four years now. It has also been the Principal Team Partner for Chennai Super Kings, having turned it into a trusted, household name. <div type="Youtube" id="WZl9-VYIErY" title="Muthoot Finance - Haathi Pe Bharosa Karogey Toh Pakka Jeetogey - 2.5 Lakh Customers" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/WZl9-VYIErY/mqdefault.jpg"></div> <div type="Youtube" id="ZpFUp9_P4X8" title="Muthoot Finance- Haathi Pe Bharosa Karogey Toh Pakka Jeetogey!" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ZpFUp9_P4X8/mqdefault.jpg"></div> We recently caught up with Abhinav Iyer, GM, Marketing &amp; Strategy, Muthoot Finance to understand how the pandemic impacted the company’s business and the role the brand has been playing in not only educating consumers about the sector but also helping the sector grow. Muthoot Finance’s growth story While the pandemic was not kind to many sectors and businesses, Muthoot Finance was able to sustain its growth, Iyer tells us. The consolidated AUM has grown by nearly 80% in the last three financial years from 2017-18 to 2020-21. Its consolidated net profit has grown by 114% during the same period. In other words, it has more than doubled during the said period. “We have grown considerably when it comes to our book size in the last few years. This year too, we are looking at growing our book size by 15%. We have made similar growth in terms of percentages when it comes to our profitability too. We serve over 2.5 lakh customers every day through our network of over 5000 branches. Contrary to common perception that we are a South-based brand, we are today a national brand, and grown consistently over the last decade,” shared Iyer. The brand has also been on an expansion mode. Over the last 2-3 years, it has added over 200 branches across the country. “If stock prices are a testament, we have made a healthy northward stride. From every stretch of imagination, we have grown, in terms of our physical branch presence, our customer base and our profitability over the last two, three years. And our marketing strategies have contributed considerably to this healthy and sustained growth,” added Iyer. Creating a winning marketing strategy It is often said that during times of crises, marketing budgets are usually the first to get slashed. We saw a lot of brands that stopped communicating with its consumers during the pandemic. However, Muthoot Finance is one brand that does not believe in this. In fact, it believes in staying in the public consciousness, staying constantly engaged. It has a half-yearly marketing strategy where it comes up with a high decibel campaign every six months, a strategy that has worked well for it. The brand recently launched its campaign ‘Hathi pe bharosa karoge toh pakka jeetoge’, featuring Amitabh Bachchan. The brand also recently launched the second season of its radio campaign called Muthoot Finance Sunheri Soch. At a time when more and more brands are steadily increasing their spends on Digital, while decreasing spends on traditional mediums, Muthoot Finance is one brand that has been consistently using mediums like Print, Radio and Outdoor. Speaking about its latest radio campaign, Iyer said, “Storytelling is the oldest form of teaching’ and we also believe that radio has always been seen as a credible and authentic medium of communication, hence we chose it as our primary medium of communication to reach out to our target audience and new customers. We also wanted to have a female voice this season and bring freshness to the table, hence this year we are extremely delighted to partner with <keyword id="6355846" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="madhuri-dixit" source="Orion">Madhuri Dixit</keyword> for Season 2. We have extensively researched and customized our series to be launched via radio alongside strong amplification across all prominent digital channels. We recorded a significant increase in our new customer acquisition and queries post the launch of Season 1. Thus, we did not hold back ourselves in investing again in radio and celebrating the art of <keyword id="282281" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="storytelling" source="Orion">storytelling</keyword>." On why the brand continues to invest on traditional mediums while also investing on newer mediums like Digital, Iyer added, “We are a national brand with around 5440 branches across India. More than 70% of our branches are in semi-urban and rural areas. We have served nearly 70 crore customer (including repeat customers) since our inception. So from all those parameters, we are a large, spread-out, national brand. So its important that some of these mass mediums are always there as part of our media mix. It would never be possible for us to do away with any of the mass mediums because the reach from mass media is critical for us. Meanwhile, digital is also a very important cog in the wheel. In the last three years, our digital and our IT teams have been working tirelessly to ensure the technological upgradation of our products and services. We launched our Gold Loan at home offering during the pandemic. That was a huge value-add from a technology perspective. There was a time you had to visit a branch to repay your loan interest. Today, you can do that using any digital payment platform, our chatbot or our WhatsApp business account. So today, it is not compulsory for people to visit the branch physically for availing loans or paying their interest. We are also investing substantially on digital marketing. Atleast 10% of our marketing budget is invested into digital marketing.” He also added that TV still makes for the largest chunk, between 40-45% of its marketing budgets. On what it got right when it comes to its marketing strategy, Iyer said it was a combination of a few things. “In the last few years, we have been on a marketing transformation journey. Firstly, partnering with Mr Bachchan has helped us cut across geographies, gender and age groups. Secondly, we partnered with Chennai Super Kings in 2018 when they were just coming back after a short break. <keyword id="6354832" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ms-dhoni" source="Orion">MS Dhoni</keyword> is also someone who enjoys almost the same stature that Mr Bachchan does in Bollywood. He’s a trustworthy, dependable and balanced individual. So our partnership with CSK helped us in the Tamil Nadu market where we have about 900-950 branches. We have also been using transit medium very effectively and The Greater Kailash metro station and the Nandanam station in Chennai have our branding and it has completely transformed the stations. We also came up with a unique initiative during the Kumbh mela when we created huge gold lockers to help devotees keep their valuables at a safe place. This campaign helped us win numerous awards. Lastly, over the years, we have created a culture of launching half-yearly campaigns, new communications to bring about an attitudinal change in the minds of people. We try to be present throughout the years on all major ATL and BTL mediums. I believe these strategies have helped us grow as we are also trying to grow the category.” Owing to its presence in smaller towns and cities, the brand also focuses a lot on regional communications. The brand puts out its communications in 11 languages to ensure its reach is far and wide. Future areas of focus In what the scope for the segment is in the future, Iyer said, “Overall there are around 25,000 tonnes of gold (household jewellery) in the country and less than 5% of it is monetized. So there’s a huge potential for growth, both for us and the industry as a whole. So the focus would be on getting new customers to try and opt for gold loans. Its also a very simple product, you only pay interest for the number of days for which you have availed the loan. There is a whole lot of customer benefits which can help people benefit from the product. So our primary objective, even from a marketing perspective would be to grow the category significantly and help the category prosper by itself. We will also constantly keep working on bringing about an attitudinal change in people through our marketing and communications,” concluded Iyer.

Here’s how Muthoot Finance is bringing about a perception change around gold loans with its marketing initiatives

<ul class="summary-list"><li>I am a mom of two young kids who were at home for a while because of the pandemic.</li><li>My husband and I also own a restaurant, which meant added stress in the early days of COVID-19.</li></ul>I had just put the kids down for a nap when my phone buzzed with a <a href="https://www.insider.com/how-to-use-whatsapp-on-iphone">WhatsApp</a> notification from my husband. I opened the app to a selfie he'd sent: naked, hard, and in the shower. I ducked into our bedroom, lifted my shirt, snapped a pic, and sent it back.We weren't <a href="https://www.insider.com/how-to-sext-safely-experts-2019-4">a couple who sexted regularly</a> until the pandemic hit. With our kids at home all day and the stress of trying to keep our businesses afloat, it was no surprise that <a href="https://www.insider.com/how-to-date-have-sex-in-during-ccoronavirus-pandemic-2020-3">sex was the last thing</a> we <a href="https://www.insider.com/less-sex-with-partner-during-pandemic-what-does-it-mean-2020-7">had time or energy for</a>. But a messaging app came to the rescue, and now, two years later, we still have fun with it.<h2>How it started</h2>My husband and I own a restaurant and have two young kids. Back in the spring of 2020, we were simply struggling to make it through each day.Andrew would be up late into the night applying for loans and government grants to keep our business afloat and planning how to best keep our staff employed. I was writing and recipe-testing a new cookbook with a looming deadline, facing continual hurdles in sourcing from empty grocery stores and gnarled supply chains. On top of all that, our kids were now with us 24/7, learning on Zoom and just trying to understand why their lives had been so shaken up.In those early, blurry days, Andrew suggested we download <keyword id="11896250" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="whatsapp" source="Orion">WhatsApp</keyword>. Any parent of young children will tell you it is difficult to find the time and space to be intimate with your partner; all that was made harder with the worries of a global pandemic.Before March 2020 we were able to find time when the kids were at school all day or with their grandparents for a weekend. Now we weren't so lucky to find the time or energy.<h2>I wasn't so sure about sexting at first</h2>Admittedly, I was skeptical of his suggestion. Our courtship occurred just before online dating became the standard, but we are both young enough to have our phones with us at all times. Sexting wasn't something I'd needed or learned how to do. Andrew was right there. And since we work together and live together, he was right there all the time.There was no need for an app to ramp up our <keyword id="11899146" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="sex" source="Orion">sex</keyword> life. But I downloaded it, ensuring that every word, photo, and video was as private and locked away as possible — that there was no way the prying eyes and fingers of our children could ever find them. Andrew would send me photos and texts, and I would do the same.Two years later, WhatsApp has been great for both our sex and our marriage. It is hours of foreplay at moments throughout the day that are convenient for us. We don't need to be in the same room at the same time. Our quickies we'd try to squeeze in didn't feel like quickies anymore, because we'd spend all day ramping up for them with videos, photos, and ideas. It gave us another avenue of openly talking about sex — what we fantasized about, what we were looking forward to, and what we were feeling.I get to save looking at the app for moments when I am in the mood. It's a little gift waiting for me. Because we didn't use WhatsApp in our daily lives before, it is reserved just for sex, and we don't get bogged down with work or family talk. We continue to use WhatsApp multiple times a week. Getting off has never been more fun.Briana Volk is a cookbook author and writer. She lives in Portland, Maine, with her husband and two kids.

My husband and I started sexting when the pandemic began. Now it keeps our sex life alive.

<keyword id="790242" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="WhatsApp">WhatsApp</keyword> on Thursday launched the much-awaited 'Disappearing Messages on its platform for both Android and iOS users that will automatically delete new messages sent to a chat after seven days when turned on. In a one-to-one chat, either person can turn disappearing messages on or off. In groups, admins will have the control on the new feature. "Our goal is to make conversations on WhatsApp feel as close to in-person as possible, which means they shouldn't have to stick around forever. That's why we're excited to introduce the option to use disappearing messages on WhatsApp," the company said in a statement. The Facebook-owned platform is starting with the seven-day limit "because we think it offers peace of mind that conversations aren't permanent, while remaining practical so you don't forget what you were chatting about". The feature will be rolling out to over two billion active users globally this month. The platform has over 400 million users in India. Once enabled, new messages sent in the individual or group chat will disappear after seven days. The most recent selection controls all messages in the chat. "This setting won't affect messages you previously sent or received in the chat. In an individual chat, either user can turn disappearing messages on or off. In a group chat, only group admins can turn disappearing messages on or off," WhatsApp informed. If a user doesn't open WhatsApp in the seven-day period, the message will disappear. However, the preview of the message might still be displayed in notifications until WhatsApp is opened. "When you reply to a message, the initial message is quoted. If you reply to a disappearing message, the quoted text might remain in the chat after seven days". If a disappearing message is forwarded to a chat with disappearing messages off, the message won't disappear in the forwarded chat. "If a user creates a backup before a message disappears, the disappearing message will be included in the backup. Disappearing messages will be deleted when a user restores from a backup," WhatsApp explained. WhatsApp said that people should only use disappearing messages with trusted individuals. For example, it's possible for someone to forward or take a screenshot of a disappearing message and save it before it disappears. "Copy and save content from the disappearing message before it disappears. Take a photo of a disappearing message with a camera or other device before it disappears," the company advised. By default, media you receive in WhatsApp will be automatically downloaded to your photos. If disappearing messages are turned on, media sent in the chat will disappear, but will be saved on the phone if auto-download is on. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/banks/news/rbi-and-indian-banks-wait-as-supreme-court-adjourns-loan-moratorium-hearing-to-november-18/articleshow/79057919.cms">RBI and banks caught in the crosshairs as the Supreme Court adjourns loan moratorium hearing for a second time to November 18</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/sbi-share-price-rises-over-6-after-strong-earnings-with-analysts-pegging-it-to-be-the-first-to-recover-among-public-sector-banks/articleshow/79055329.cms">SBI rallies over 6% after strong earnings with analysts pegging it to be the first to recover among public sector banks</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/foreign-policy/news/donald-trump-vs-joe-biden-us-election-result-and-relations-with-india-and-pm-modi/articleshow/79022098.cms">If Joe Biden wins, he’ll be the third US president to deal with Modi — Here’s how that could play out</a>

WhatsApp launches new tool that makes week-old unread messages disappear

<ul><li><keyword id="790242" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="WhatsApp">WhatsApp</keyword> will soon introduce multi device support and a shortcut for Messenger Rooms.</li><li>Multi device support will allow users to use the same WhatsApp account on multiple devices.</li><li>Messenger Rooms will allow users to start a video call on the Facebook Messenger.</li></ul>Popular messaging app WhatsApp is all set to introduce two new features that will make it easier for users to use the same account on different devices and start video calls on Facebook’s Messenger app. The features were spotted by WABetaInfo in two beta versions of the app. Multi device support was spotted on the <a href="https://wabetainfo.com/whatsapp-beta-for-android-2-20-152-whats-new/">2.20.152</a> version of the app and Messenger Rooms support was spotted on the <a href="https://wabetainfo.com/whatsapp-web-2-2019-6-whats-new/">2.2019.6</a> version. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="75601668" title="WhatsApp is touting steps taken to cut the viral spread of coronavirus misinformation, but experts question whether it's done enough" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> Multi device support Multi device support is currently being tested and the company has not revealed when the feature will be available on the stable version of the app. Currently, WhatsApp does not allow users to use the same account on different devices, a feature that has been available for quite some time on Telegram. Telegram allows users to log into a secondary device by sending an OTP to the first device. The multi device support is expected to be named as ‘Linked devices’. It will allow users to log in on a new device by clicking on the ‘Link a new device’ button. As per the report, WhatsApp recommends users to use a Wi-Fi connection while using the WhatsApp account on a secondary device. While it’s not clear why mobile data is not recommended, it’s possible that WhatsApp may copy all the messages and media on the new device. Messenger Rooms As people are stuck at home due to the coronavirus pandemic, Facebook recently introduced Messenger Rooms that allow users to quickly place a video call and invite your friends with a link. Now, Facebook is reportedly <a href="https://twitter.com/Facebook/status/1253757982833168385">working</a> on adding a shortcut for Messenger Rooms on WhatsApp. This will allow users to quickly start a video call <a href="https://twitter.com/Facebook/status/1253757986398298114">with up to 8 people</a>. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/how-to/how-to-use-ifcns-whatsapp-fact-checker-to-fight-coronavirus-misinformation/articleshow/75546862.cms">How to use IFCN’s WhatsApp fact checker to fight Coronavirus misinformation</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/whatsapp-has-reportedly-listed-giving-loans-as-a-main-objective/articleshow/75445825.cms">WhatsApp has reportedly listed giving loans as a ‘main’ objective— and it could be a big feature in Facebook and Reliance Jio’s partnership</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/india-whatsapp-pay-global-rollout-zuckerberg/articleshow/73760554.cms">WhatsApp Pay to roll out in India and other countries over the next six months: Zuckerberg</a>

WhatsApp's upcoming feature will allow you to open the messenger in many devices at the same time

<keyword id="6354731" type="DOMAIN" weightage="20" keywordseo="state-bank-of-india">State Bank of India</keyword> on Friday announced an <keyword id="413700" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="interest-concession">interest concession</keyword> of up to 30 basis points on home loans and a 100 per cent waiver on <keyword id="515211" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="processing-fees">processing fees</keyword>. The new home loan interest rates are linked to CIBIL score and start from 6.80 per cent for loans up to Rs 30 lakh and 6.95 per cent for loans above Rs 30 lakh, a bank release said. Women borrowers will get a <keyword id="44979" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="concession">concession</keyword> of 5 bps, it said. "With an aim to offer attractive concessions to the home buyers, country's largest lender SBI announces further interest concession of up to 30 bps on home loans and 100 per cent waiver on processing fees," the release said. The bank said interest concession of up to 30 bps is also available in eight metro cities for loans up to Rs 5 crore. Customers can also apply from the ease of their home via <keyword id="6961637" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="yono-app">YONO App</keyword> and get additional interest concession of 5 bps, the release said. "We are pleased to improve our concessions to prospective home loan customers up to March 2021," the bank's managing director (retail and digital banking), C S Setty, said. The lender's eligible existing home loan borrowers can also avail a paperless pre-approved top-up home loan through the YONO App, he added. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/tcs-ongc-tata-power-punjab-national-bank-nhpc-and-other-top-stocks-to-watch/articleshow/80164057.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">TCS’ market share, ONGC’s borrowing, Tata Power gets new territories⁠— these and other top stocks to watch</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/whatsapp-is-forcing-users-to-share-personal-data-with-facebook-and-elon-musk-is-urging-people-to-switch-to-signal-a-smaller-encrypted-messaging-app/articleshow/80156317.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">WhatsApp is forcing users to share personal data with Facebook, and Elon Musk is urging people to switch to Signal, a smaller encrypted messaging app</a>

You Searched For "whatsapp loans" and got 11 results

WhatsApp now allows users to have two accounts on one phone within the app

ANI

WhatsApp may soon let users schedule calls within group chats

IANS

Jio Haptik and CASHe partner to deliver instant credit lines on Whatsapp

Eetika Kapoor

How to find your CIBIL, Experian and CRIF credit score for free

Sourabh Jain

WhatsApp has reportedly listed giving loans as a ‘main’ objective— and it could be a big feature in Facebook and Reliance Jio’s partnership

Rounak Jain

WhatsApp could soon introduce a paid subscription for multi-device support

Sourabh Jain

Here’s how Muthoot Finance is bringing about a perception change around gold loans with its marketing initiatives

Samarpita Banerjee

My husband and I started sexting when the pandemic began. Now it keeps our sex life alive.

Briana Volk

WhatsApp launches new tool that makes week-old unread messages disappear

IANS

WhatsApp's upcoming feature will allow you to open the messenger in many devices at the same time

Rounak Jain

SBI offers discounts on home loans, waives of processing fees

PTI

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