How does the implementation of webhooks for message status updates enhance the efficiency of an order fulfillment process, compared to relying solely on API polling?

Webhooks significantly enhance the efficiency of an order fulfillment process compared to API polling because they provide real-time, event-driven updates. 'Webhooks' are automated notifications sent from WhatsApp to your server when specific events occur, such as a message being delivered or read. 'API polling', on the other hand, requires your system to repeatedly query the WhatsApp Business API at regular intervals to check for updates on message statuses. This constant checking consumes resources, even when there are no changes to report. The key difference is that webhooks push data to you, while API polling requires you to pull data. For example, without webhooks, to know if an order confirmation message has been delivered, your system might poll the API every minute. With webhooks, you receive an immediate notification the moment the message is delivered. By implementing webhooks, the order fulfillment process becomes more efficient because your system receives immediate notifications about message status changes (e.g., sent, delivered, read, failed). This allows for real-time updates on order status, faster problem resolution (e.g., resending failed messages), and more accurate tracking of customer engagement. This eliminates the need for constant polling, freeing up resources and reducing latency. It also enables immediate actions to be taken when specific events occur, such as triggering a follow-up message when an order is delivered. For instance, with webhooks, if a delivery fails, the system can automatically notify customer support immediately, whereas, with polling, this would only be discovered during the next polling interval.