Last Updated on August 16, 2024
Many brands rely on the WeChat ecosystem to expand their audience reach and visibility in China. Beyond its social media and e-commerce function, did you know this super app has external systems that can be utilized as an effective business communication tool?
The WeCom platform (formerly WeChat Work) includes advanced features that allow businesses to improve internal collaboration and customize customer engagement channels.
In this post, we’ll discuss how implementing WeCom can enhance a brand’s business processes and the resources this app can provide to connect with WeChat customers more effectively.
What is WeCom used for in China?
WeCom or WeChat Work is a business communication and automation platform developed by Tencent. With the same parent company, every aspect of this tool seamlessly integrates with the WeChat ecosystem.
Beyond sending and receiving messages, WeCom users have access to customer contacts and purchase histories. This feature allows sales associates and marketers to initiate inbound marketing strategies like sending personalized one-on-one client messages, creating group chats, and securing financial transactions.
WeCom is also equipped with WeChat Official Account features, giving businesses the power to access third-party applications and over 200 APIs. This integration makes it easier for enterprises to unify their internal business processes and private sales channels in a single platform.
Today, WeCom (WeChat Work) has over 125 million monthly active users. It’s currently hailed as China’s second most popular business app. Its ability to manage private traffic is one of the many reasons why many companies in China choose to integrate the platform into their systems.
7 Best Features of WeCom that Businesses Can Use in China
1. Integration with WeChat Mini-Programs
Mini-programs enable businesses to create sub-applications on WeChat without leading potential customers to third-party apps. With a WeCom account, companies can develop and deploy their own lightweight apps that are exclusively accessible to both employees and active customer contacts.
This feature is particularly useful for customer service, sales, and marketing teams. If a company already has an existing Mini-Program on WeChat, the app can run directly on the WeCom platform as well.
Process of Mini App Creation on WeCom (Source: Weixin Official Website)
This integration opens an important consumer touchpoint where existing customers can browse products, make purchases, or participate in loyalty programs—all within the familiar WeChat interface.
Moreover, the integration helps businesses maintain consistent branding and communication across all consumer entry points. Since WeCom is designed for corporate use, it ensures that all customer interactions remain within the company’s control, even if an employee leaves the organization.
2. Internal Communications for Remote Work
WeCom’s built-in private messaging system supports text, voice, and video communication, allowing internal employees to collaborate in real time regardless of their differing locations.
In a remote work setting, the ability to assign tasks, track progress, and share documents without switching between different apps is crucial. WeCom’s integrated task management tools ensure that all communication is organized and accessible, reducing the clutter often associated with using email threads or multiple messaging platforms.
WeCom also supports video conferencing and virtual meetings. It includes features like high-quality audio-visual settings, video recording storage, and enhanced screen-sharing options.
3. Integration with Existing CRM Systems
Another handy feature of WeCom (WeChat Work) is that it lets companies connect their CRM systems directly to the platform. It synchronizes real-time customer data, ensuring that every sales associate has immediate access to the latest information about their clients.
For example, when a customer interacts with your business on WeChat, their actions can be automatically logged into your CRM. These engagements may include their social media preferences and other demographic details.
After that, a WeCom account with the proper permissions can access the data and gain valuable insights on how to engage with a specific consumer group. This creates a more efficient workflow, reducing the need for manual data entry and minimizing the risk of errors.
4. The Ability to Create Group Chats
As you know, creating a group chat on China’s most popular super app requires a personal WeChat profile. This limitation often affects the level of visibility a brand can get from these private sales channels.
With WeCom accounts, the company owns all customer interactions and data within these group chats. This is a crucial distinction from personal WeChat profiles, where such data could be lost if an employee leaves the company.
Businesses can effectively retain and manage this data, ensuring continuity and protecting their customer relationships from disruption by staff turnover.
Unlike personal WeChat groups, which are limited to 500 members, WeCom chat sessions can have a maximum of 2000 members. Customers can be invited to join these chats via QR codes or direct invitations, making it easy to bring them into the fold without requiring them to switch platforms.
Foreign brands that manage large customer communities can rely on WeCom’s data analytics features to track group activity, member engagement, and overall performance. The insights from these tools can help marketers and sales associates make data-driven decisions that optimize group interactions.
5. Customization of AI-driven Chatbots
Businesses can customize AI-driven chatbots in WeCom to reflect the tone, style, and personality of their brands. This customization ensures that every exchange with customers feels consistent with your company’s image, whether the chatbot is handling customer inquiries, processing orders, or providing updates.
These capabilities are especially important in the Chinese market, where customer expectations for personalized and culturally relevant services are high, even for foreign businesses.
Activating Auto-Reply Features on WeCom (Source: Official WeCom Help Center)
When you integrate WeCom’s AI-driven chatbots, you’re also reducing the redundant workload that your company’s customer service team spends a lot of time handling.
These chatbots can be programmed to handle common customer inquiries about product availability, order status, or business hours, freeing up human agents to focus on more complex issues.
These AI chatbots can handle a high volume of incoming queries, enabling companies to respond promptly to eager customers during peak times or outside office hours.
6. Access to WeChat Pay or Other Payment Systems
With WeCom (WeChat Work), third-party applications like e-wallet systems are easily accessible. You can manage payments directly through the platform if you’re dealing with external parties like local business partners or existing consumers.
Using WeChat Pay, companies can collect payments from customers, process financial transactions with partners, and even distribute employee salaries without needing to switch to other applications. It also automatically handles currency conversions whenever a payment comes through.
Beyond just facilitating customer payments, WeCom also allows corporate payments to be managed on the same platform. Businesses can bind their WeChat Pay merchant accounts to their WeCom accounts, enabling internal employees to collect payments on behalf of the company.
These payments are then directed into the corporate account rather than the employee’s personal account for better financial control and transparency.
With end-to-end encryption and bank-level security protocols, all payments made through the platform are protected from the risk of fraud and are compliant with China’s financial regulations.
7. Leverage WeCom Live-Streaming Features
WeCom allows businesses to host live streams directly within the platform. This feature is particularly useful for internal training sessions, company-wide announcements, or customer-focused events such as product launches, webinars, or Q&A sessions.
When brands initiate live streams on WeCom, they can be simultaneously broadcast on WeChat Channels. This dual-streaming capability not only allows brands to engage with internal customers but also gives them a chance to tap into WeChat’s massive public domain traffic.
Audience Cycle from WeChat Channels to WeCom (Source: 36KR)
Businesses can also integrate WeCom advertising cards into promotional live-selling videos on WeChat Channels. When users click on these entry points, they’ll be redirected to a chatbox, where they can talk directly to the brand’s sales associate.
If the live stream was conducted exclusively on a group chat, the administrators can record it and share it later as video content on WeChat Channels, extending the event’s life and impact beyond WeCom users.
How to create a WeCom account for your business?
If you want to register a business account on WeCom (WeChat Work), you must visit the app’s official website: https://work.weixin.qq.com/. From there, you’ll be required to enter specific company information like brand name, industry, and contact details.Once you enter these details, you’ll be prompted to create an administrator account. This step requires an email address and a secure password. After email verification, the admin can send invites to employees through their contact numbers or work emails.
Another way to sign up for a WeCom (WeChat Work) account is through logging in via your brand’s official WeChat account. Just tap on the enterprise option and follow the next steps. You’ll also see a QR code prompt that you’ll need to scan from your WeChat app.
WeCom Official Registration Page
Quick Q&A
What is the difference between WeCom and WeChat?
WeCom is a business-focused platform designed for corporate communication and collaboration. Meanwhile, WeChat is a super app that combines social and e-commerce features into one app.
WeCom integrates with WeChat but offers additional features, such as CRM tools, data management, and the ability to manage customer interactions under a corporate account. It’s ideal for companies looking to maintain professional communication and manage customer relationships beyond social media platforms.
Your Trusted WeChat Marketing Partner in China!
WeCom’s capabilities expand beyond the usual business communication strategy. With the ability to manage private traffic, it’s an important platform to utilize, especially for foreign brands trying to break into the Chinese market.
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At Sekkei Digital Group, we emphasize the importance of WeChat applications in China’s digital ecosystem. With our team’s extensive industry experience and expertise, we can help you maximize WeCom’s features.
Whether you intend to develop better business processes in China or planning your market entry strategy, we have all the digital solutions you need. Contact us today, and let us help you achieve your brand goals.
