Businesses can now build on Twitter’s Direct Messages platform by requesting and sharing locations with people. Alongside quick replies and welcome messages, this is yet another feature in the canvas we’re providing for businesses to create great human- and bot-powered customer experiences on Twitter.

People have complete control over the location information they share with a business. Businesses must first ask a person to share a location. That person can then choose to ignore the request, share a precise location, or pick a place name from a list – regardless of whether or not they are physically there.

For many businesses, delivering a great customer experience depends on understanding location for context — whether to engage with a location-aware bot or to get better customer service. For example, TGI Fridays has made it quick and easy to find a local store from which to place an order or make a reservation using Direct Messages.

Benjamin Ampen, Head of Revenue for Twitter in MENA, commented, “Across the MENA region, we have worked with several leading brands, including Emirates airlines, Etisalat and Emirates NBD, who enhanced their customer service offerings on Twitter through multiple features that we had launched on the platform. From enabling businesses to address customers that they provide help on Twitter, to indicating when they’re most active on the platform, these brands are now able to better serve their consumers. We anticipate that the new location sharing feature will provide a more personalized experiences that will have a lasting impact on a consumer, contributing to best-in-class customer experiences.”