Government Organization
Otoritas Jasa Keuangan
Government agency uses WhatsApp to simplify the public’s access to critical financial industry information
Otoritas Jasa Keuangan (OJK) is an independent institution in Indonesia that regulates and supervises the financial services industry — and protects consumers who engage those services. Its mission is to create a stable, sustainable system that operates fairly and transparently and protects the public interest. Honoring this mandate requires the agency to ensure citizens can easily contact OJK to ask questions and access information.
Challenge
Previously, the public could gather specifics about financial institutions, such as their legal status, by calling, emailing or visiting an OJK office in person. In each case, the option proved less than optimal for citizens. The rapid development of information technology solutions and social media platforms has challenged OJK to continuously innovate how the public can retrieve financial services information. The aim is to make access faster, easier and effective.
Solution
OJK selected WhatsApp as its go-to technology for enabling citizens to communicate with the agency. WhatsApp offered a fast, simple ramp-up for OJK, financial institutions and the public. The choice also helped OJK conserve costs compared to other technology options.
The official Kontak 157 (Contact 157) WhatsApp account provides the public access to authoritative information from OJK regarding the financial industry. Among the most notable benefits, citizens can quickly determine if a financial entity is registered with OJK via a chatbot. This offers vital protection against possible scams and fraud by unauthorized institutions. People simply message the Kontak 157 account on WhatsApp to check the legitimacy of the financial firm. If needed, human agents are also available to answer questions.
Results
The public has clearly made its choice. Since 2020, WhatsApp has become OJK’s top communication channel — and by January 2025, it accounted for nearly two-thirds of all inquiries. That’s more than twice the volume of email and nearly eight times more than phone calls.
OJK’s effectiveness increased significantly once it began using a combination of a chatbot and human agents. Most inquiries that focused on checking the registration status of financial organizations were solved with the chatbot alone. Agent productivity also dramatically increased. While a human agent can process only one call at a time, with WhatsApp, agents can manage up to four simultaneous conversations.
5x
WhatsApp traffic compared to other OJK channels
4x
Productivity increase of human agents using WhatsApp compared to the phone
80%
Percentage of inquiries about financial organization registration resolved via chatbot
“The public needed a trusted, inexpensive and easy way to contact OJK. WhatsApp provides all those benefits. We combined its chatbot technology with dedicated human agents to create a fast, seamless, satisfying experience for citizens. Now people can get instant answers to inquiries with the ability to also connect with human representatives if they want. It’s a win-win that leads to greater productivity for us and more knowledge for those we serve.”
Rudi Agus P. Raharjo
Department Head of Consumer Protection
Otoritas Jasa Keuangan/Financial Services Authority
Learnings
- Maintain a human connection: Even with an effective technology like WhatsApp, OJK found that preserving a human-to-human option was key. Citizens felt more supported when they had the ability to speak with a live agent, which ultimately increased the program’s credibility and effectiveness.
- Automate the right tasks: OJK incorporated chatbots to handle routine inquiries, freeing up staff to help people with more complex concerns and higher priorities. This shift allowed the agency to serve more people without sacrificing quality or responsiveness.
- Remove friction for the public: By adopting WhatsApp, OJK removed frustrating communication obstacles for citizens. As a result, inquiry resolution accelerated and public sentiment toward government services improved.
- Choose trusted tools: When evaluating the available solutions, OJK selected WhatsApp, a well-established channel widely used and trusted by Indonesians. That familiarity inspired confidence and accelerated adoption.
- Measure along the way: OJK was able to determine the program’s relative success and make refinements by comparing key data. These included measuring WhatsApp use versus other methods and chatbot resolution rates compared to relying on a chatbot plus a human.
