In brief
Instant messaging apps can help businesses reach customers, provide service and sell goods. This 2014 article highlights WeChat’s potential for Hong Kong companies entering mainland China, alongside commercial uses for Line and WhatsApp.
Instant messaging apps have enormous growth potential. With 438 million active users worldwide, WeChat is used for much more than casual conversation. In mainland China, it has become a revenue-generating platform for businesses, supporting not only information sharing but also flight bookings, online shops, taxi bookings and other services. Ocean Park has opened an official WeChat account to reach independent travellers from mainland China. The account provides basic customer service, automatically answering enquiries about opening hours and ticket prices. It also regularly sends animal photos to subscribers, which is expected to help build the park’s image.
So far this year, the user numbers of globally popular instant messaging apps WhatsApp, Line and WeChat have exceeded 600 million. This shows that instant messaging apps rank first worldwide in popularity and importance among mobile apps.
Official accounts offer more interaction than Facebook
Two years ago, WeChat launched its official account platform, which has since become a booming business opportunity in mainland China. WeChat’s official account platform offers greater interactivity than Facebook. Besides sending promotional information to users, it allows automated replies to be configured for basic enquiries. Some mainland businesses have already invested resources in comprehensive customer service, with dedicated staff responding to user enquiries in real time. Official accounts can also integrate businesses’ systems to provide a range of services.
Powerful features let businesses imagine more possibilities
However, people in Hong Kong have limited knowledge of WeChat and see it as the mainland version of WhatsApp. WeChat has considerable potential to become the platform of choice for Hong Kong companies entering the mainland market. Businesses can explore more possibilities, such as opening online shops or embedding a mobile website within WeChat to create a “microsite” that facilitates instant communication and the buying and selling of goods. Some people in Hong Kong plan to open WeChat shops offering mobile internet devices for travellers to rent. By connecting to a phone’s GPS function, nearby locations can be displayed to make collection and return easier. In fact, WeChat offers many possibilities that Hong Kong businesses have yet to discover.
Tencent acknowledges that the only aspect of the system still incomplete is that payments cannot currently be made through WeChat in Hong Kong. However, WeChat says that, after nearly a year of operating WeChat Pay in mainland China, the service has expanded to support even purchases of funds and lottery tickets, giving it considerable technical experience. In Hong Kong, approval has already been obtained from government departments, and a Hong Kong version of WeChat Pay could be launched within a year.
There is also a “public platform” accessible to business merchants, offering data and chart analysis. Businesses can check daily follower numbers and the most-viewed information, as well as see what followers have shared and forwarded, helping them understand user preferences. SMEs interested in developing their WeChat platform through embedded integrations can consider commissioning IT specialists.
Although the discussion above focuses only on WeChat’s business potential, other instant messaging apps, including Line and WhatsApp, also offer commercial opportunities. Online shops in Hong Kong have already begun using Line and WhatsApp to communicate with customers in real time. Line also offers a desktop version for people working in offices, along with fan pages and mini-games to attract the attention of potential users. Businesses looking to develop dedicated apps could attract greater attention from smartphone users by connecting those apps with instant messaging apps.