Opening a startup that provides digital services to clients in Belgaum, a Tier II city in India, wasn't a cakewalk for Sarvesh Kakkeri and his business partner Shivani Jadhav. The duo had a tough initial period getting clients on board.

Stuck with inertia from their traditional practices, most business owners in Belgaum didn't see the value in taking their business digital. As a consequence, Cubiccode struggled to get their initial break. "When we started in May 2016, we weren't able to capture a single client until mid-August," says Sarvesh.

Realizing they would soon face the reality of going under if they didn't change their strategy, they tweaked their pitches, lowered costs, provided incentives and became digital evangelists. Today, they have a roster of 150 clients, not just from Belgaum but from all across India and the world. And they aim to serve over 500 clients before the year is done.

Cubiccode uses the WhatsApp Business app to drive efficiencies across their operations. It has helped make their business location agnostic, particularly as they operate out of a Tier II city, yet deal with a mix of local, national and international clients. Having integrated the WhatsApp Business chat feature on their website, they connect with at least 12 new customers via the app every month.

Cubiccode uses the WhatsApp Business app to drive efficiencies across their operations

With WhatsApp Business quick replies, video calls, short links, status and business profile, they now confirm orders from clients, register students and engage with their clients and students. They have even created WhatsApp groups for their students and alumni to interact better with each group, respectively.