WeCom – 10 Benefits in 2024 (WeChat for Business)

WeCom is a useful corporate communication tool for both international and local brands in China. Think of it as the Slack communication app for the Chinese market with deep compatibility with WeChat, making it easier to connect with other WeChat contacts inside AND outside your organization.

In this article, the China marketing experts of WeChat Advertising reveal all you need to know about WeCom, and how to leverage this tool for your business. 

Today, meet Andrea, a long-time manager for renowned private sector companies and China specialist for five years. With recent contributions to the WeChat Advertising blog, she makes it easy for readers to gain a deeper understanding of the Chinese online environment, which is vastly different from the Western world.

Now, without further ado, let’s get started.

What is WeCom?

You are probably already familiar with WeChat, which is basically a lifestyle in China. But what about WeCom?

In a nutshell, WeCom is a professional communication and office tool for companies in China and abroad. It is typically used by brands that already use WeChat for their China business.

WeCom interconnects with the WeChat ecosystem, making it the most used SCRM (social customer relationship management) tool among Chinese companies.

Synonyms

• 企业微信 
• Enterprise WeChat
• WeChat for Business
• WeChat Work

All of this may be a bit confusing. Let us shed some light.

Key facts

Launched in 2016 by Tencent (the same company behind WeChat), more than 12 million companies use WeCom with more than 180 million active users.

In 2023, the WeCom app was downloaded almost 23 million times worldwide. Although the vast majority of downloads took place in mainland China, the WeCom app was also downloaded in the US, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.

Overall, every day more than 1.2 million corporate employees conduct 140 million service interactions with WeChat users through WeCom.

Who is WeCom for?

WeCom is ideal for local and international businesses to connect with Chinese consumers and business partners. All industries can benefit from this tool to increase productivity.

It is essential a work communication tool, which is particularly suitable for larger brands seeking to streamline their

• B2C communication
• B2B contacts

Mainly, these brands use it for

• Internal communication and management
• Customer support
• Sales and marketing
• Feedback and surveys
• Collaboration and partnerships
• Events

Wait. Why do I need WeCom? Can’t I just use WeChat for that purpose? The short answer is “Yes”, and the long answer is “It depends”…WeCom adds a lot of value to bigger brands. 

Let’s take a look at how the two apps compare side by side.

WeCom vs. WeChat

Created for business purposes, WeCom is a separate app and entity from WeChat. It allows employees of a company to communicate without using their personal WeChat account. Notifications on WeCom are turned off by default after office hours (7pm – 7am) to help staff separate between work and private life.

WeCom’s messaging interface is very similar to WeChat, making it easy for users, especially in China, where basically everyone uses WeChat.

Users also sign up for a WeCom account with their WeChat account – no email required, and no new password required.

Here is how WeChat and WeCom compare next to each other. For business purposes, we have selected a WeChat Service Official Account.

Main interface screenshot comparison side by side: WeCom (left) vs. WeChat (right).

In terms of features, this is how WeChat and WeCom differentiate themselves.

To sum it up, WeCom helps to bridge the shortcomings of WeChat when it comes to corporate communication, in particular scattered information and blurry lines between private and professional.

A Word on Data Safety

As WeCom is developed by Tencent, a Chinese company, it is subject to Chinese laws and regulations. This means that the Chinese government can potentially access data on WeCom. Remember that user data is stored on servers located in China, and

WeCom vs. Slack

Both tools are for corporate communication, but they have different integration, features, and use cases. Let’s take a look:

This is an example of what Slack looks like on PC:

Next, let’s take a look at the specific advantages of WeCom.

10 Benefits of WeCom

Using WeCom for China business as a professional clienteling solution has the following advantages:

1. Trust and Professionalism: WeCom displays the official company branding and employee names, and is compatible with WeChat. For example, if you add a business in WeCom, you can see the brand and employee name in your contacts in WeChat.
2. Simplified Mass Messaging: Sending group messages with one click (not available in WeChat)
3. Improved Security: WeCom is the first enterprise office solution in China to achieve SOC2 Type2 certification. It has international authority audits and encryption levels, which are normally used by banks. Advanced features like end-to-end encryption further improve data security, which is particularly important for sensitive corporate information. 
4. Organization and Workflow: Task management, calendars, and customizable automation tools increase workplace productivity. Employees can record their attendance, request financial reimbursement, report on their tasks, and much more.
5. Better Control: Administrators can set user permissions and content management rights.
6. Third-Party App Integration: The integration of popular CRMs, project management, and HR tools streamlines the workflow. What sets WeCom apart is that larger Western CRMs like Salesforce (the global market leader) can be integrated.
7. Corporate Communication: Employee directories, announcements, and team collaboration spaces simplify corporate communication. 
8. Enhanced Communication Features: Video conferencing with virtual backgrounds, breakout rooms, and more increase the efficiency of remote meetings.
9. Customer Service Tools: Customer service is made easy with the help of AI-powered chatbots and tools.
10. Compliance: Practical reports, data, and audit information make it easy for companies to comply with legal and regulatory requirements.

Now, with all this information in mind, let’s explore what WeCom actually looks like, how to set up an account, and how to use this app.

WeCom Features

With your official WeChat account serving as a brand space, a direct connection between employees and customers through WeCom is quick, efficient, and customary in China.

Get started with WeCom

1. Download the app or use the desktop version
2. Sign up or log in 
3. Set up your enterprise
4. Create an admin account
5. Invite employees

To set up your WeCom enterprise, you need

• Personal WeChat account (WeChat ID): for authentication (more about WeChat setup for businesses here)
• Company information: business registration
• Administrator information: Admin name, phone number, email
• Verified documents: Chinese business license or equivalent => overseas brands can set up a WeCom account

Registering a WeCom account is normally straightforward and it takes 1-5 days until the documents are checked and verified.

Set Up a WeCom Account – Step by Step (Desktop)

Setting up a WeCom account is free of charge. Basic features and services are available at no cost. However, WeCom offers premium features and additional services that are priced on specific needs and the scale of your business.

1. Go to Website 

Go to WeCom, download the app, and open it. Scan the QR code with the WeChat app on your phone.

2. On your phone (WeChat)

• Allow access of your name and profile photo
• Allow access of friends (contacts)

3. On the app (desktop)

• Enter your phone number (international phone numbers allowed)
• Add your email address

Verify your account via text message code sent to your mobile phone.

If a company account exists, it will be matched. In case, there is no match, you can create

• a business
• an individual team

If you create a business, enter

• business name
• your real name

Add your niche and number of employees. Note that overseas businesses are allowed, but your WeChat account must have a Chinese bank card on file.

4. Verify WeCom

Note that the authentication process costs 300 – 30,000 RMB (~41 – 4,100 USD), depending on your company size. 300 RMB is for companies with less than 1,000 employees. The verification process may take up to 4 days and must be renewed after one year.

5. Synchronization

 If the authentication is successful, the WeCom account is synched to the WeChat Official Account.

6. WeCom Dashboard

This is the WeCom dashboard, where you can see

• General menu, including trip bookings
• Communications menu, including WeChat communication
• Internal management menu, including HR

Every employee can have their own WeCom account with an official business card (QR code) to share. With this, they can add contacts and friends, which is compatible with WeChat.

In WeCom, you can add additional services like mini-programs (e.g. e-commerce), where employees can directly share products, loyalty programs, and so on.

In case an employee leaves the company, the contacts belong to the brand and can be transferred to another employee. This protects the valuable digital assets of a company.

WeCom APIs – Application Programming Interfaces

 Among the most popular WeCom APIs are:

• Chat 
• Directory
• Event
• Contact
• Authentication
• Drive (cloud storage)

 Sounds good. And what’s new?

New Features (2024) 

The latest WeCom additions include practical tools and services to improve corporate communication:

• Improved Video Conferences: New features include virtual backgrounds, breakout rooms, and more, making remote meetings even more efficient.
• AI Chatbots: Advanced chatbots make customer service easier with the help of artificial intelligence. You can automate routine tasks, and provide instant responses to frequent questions, streamlining your workflow.
• Automation: Similarly, automated approval processes, reminders, and task assignments increase efficiency.
• Enhanced Security: End-to-end encryption for all messages and files adds an additional layer of security for sensitive business information.
• Third-Party App Integration: From CRMs to project management tools – seamlessly integrate third-party apps with WeCom to boost your workflow across different platforms.

So, having said all that, what are the best ways of using WeCom in real life?

Tips for Using WeCom

Based on our experience with using WeCom, we have the following golden rules for you to make using this communication app a success.

• Use WeCom daily to keep a high engagement rate
  • Customer communication, corporate chat, live broadcasting, reports, etc.
• Add WeChat Pay to make payments, and send or grab red envelopes (Hongbao)
  • employee engagement, for celebrations and festivals, promotions, and more.
• Avoid being blocked by WeCom
  • Keep the maximum number of friends to be added in mind, stay away from illegal content (gambling, adult content, etc.)
• Opening a WeCom account
  • One Chinese ID card can authenticate 5 WeChat accounts; every WeChat account can open one WeCom account

Finally, we have compiled the answers to your frequently asked questions on WeCom here.

WeCom FAQ

Let’s take a look at the most common questions we got from you:

How much does WeCom cost?

While the basic functions are free of charge, more functionalities and services are priced, depending on the company size. However, the pricing is transparent and there is no clear information, even on WeCom’s official site. Companies have to contact WeCom to discuss their rates.

How long does it take to register a WeCom account?

Usually, it takes 1-5 working days. 

Can I send messages between WeCom and WeChat?

Yes!

Is it possible to save files in WeCom?

Absolutely. 100GB of storage is free.

Can I add friends on WeCom?

On WeCom, you need the mobile phone number of your friends or their personal WeChat accounts to add them on WeCom. You cannot search for a WeChat ID on WeCom to find and add people.

How many people can I add on WeCom?

Brands may add up to 5,000 contacts free of charge on WeCom. After that, companies need to pay. Keep in mind that the number of people you add per day is limited.

Actively adding friends

• scan QR code (most efficient – recommended)
• import WeChat address book
• search for mobile phone number to add people (service notification – often disregarded)

Passively adding friends

• share QR code online, on business cards, etc.
• join relevant groups
• integrate WeCom with your CRM system to sync contacts

It is recommended that new accounts should not send more than 30 requests actively. Established accounts should not send more than 100 requests per day. Again, the official numbers that WeCom publishes differ, and the numbers we share here are based on our experience!

Exceeding these numbers may result in being viewed as a bot or spam and may lead to account deactivation. Therefore, it is advisable to focus on high-value leads and contacts as friends.

The Takeaway – WeCom

To sum it up, WeCom by Tencent is WeChat without entertainment elements. It is a powerful free corporate communication and management tool, making it ideal for B2B and B2C brands that want to enter or expand in the Chinese market. 

Compared to WeChat communication, WeCom is everything in one place. No more scattered information, or blurry lines between private and corporate information. It has additional security layers, and a large portfolio for internal management (from calendar to reports) and client engagement (from customer support to marketing). 

WeCom seamlessly integrates with the WeChat ecosystem, boosting efficiency and productivity. Would you like to learn more?