For Ruli Setiawan, silver is in his blood. Ruli, who grew up in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, learned silver artistry from a long lineage of craftsman in the business his parents built and named after him. Committed to preserving his family's artisanal roots, Ruli has transformed Rully Silver into a customized jewelry brand specializing in wedding bands.

Located in a small alley, Rully Silver is a tiny store with just enough room for customers to have their fingers measured and pick up their orders. Since January 2018, the WhatsApp Business app has helped Ruli expand virtually and internationally. Now he engages with more than 20 customers every day via the private messaging service — from Papua province on the other side of Indonesia all the way to Paris, France.

"WhatsApp Business definitely helps us connect with clients and suppliers in faraway places," says Ruli. "Recently, we had a client from India and an agent in Hong Kong who contacted us via WhatsApp."

"WhatsApp Business definitely helps us connect with clients and suppliers in faraway places"

The away messages feature allows Rully Silver to actively engage with customers after hours - including those half way around the world and the labels feature streamlines its workflow, neatly organizing customer inquiries and orders. Thanks to the WhatApp Business app, Ruli says his traditional family business has found a new generation of young, stylish consumers.

"It's easier to chat about designs and exchange pictures via WhatsApp," says Restiadi Bayu Taruno, a customer who discovered Rully Silver online while researching designs for his fiancé's wedding band.

Evan Anggana, who purchased wedding bands for himself and his wife from Rully Silver, says with WhatsApp, "The response time was faster and the process smooth."

With the help of the WhatsApp Business app, Ruli is connecting with new, tech-savvy customers eager to search far and wide for unique, customized rings. In doing so, he is not only preserving but also re-energizing his family's artisanal traditions.