Instagram opens up to help businesses handle customer service Premium ANN-MARIE ALCÁNTARA , The Wall Street Journal Companies are confronting a rising tide of digital communications with consumers, across a wide variety of channels Share Via Read Full Story Companies large and small are increasingly reliant on outside providers to manage their customer communications, enabling consumers to reach businesses through a range of digital means, including email, text messages and social media. One major link, however, has been missing: The ability to connect these third-party tools with direct messages on Facebook Inc.’s Instagram platform, especially as the social media app has become more of a shopping destination.