The popular instant messaging service from China, WeChat,
has recently launched a new separate service which is devoted to the working
world. Named WeChat Enterprise, this service will directly compete with Slack
which is popular among companies today.
Besides bringing standard features of WeChat, the new
service also provides other features which will facilitate the communication in
the workplace. One of them is a kind of status button of "Coffee
Break", where colleagues can instantly know that you are resting and could
not be reached.
Another interesting feature is the "Receipt" that
serves to notify all other users that you have read an announcement. This
feature is similar to the 'Reactions' feature in Slack, which will minimize the
number of short-answer such as 'OK' or the like.
WeChat Enterprise also allows companies to create form
systems for specific purposes. So for example an employee is about to ask for
reimbursement of transportation costs, he can simply access the form in the
application menu that's available for iOS, Android, Mac and Windows. It can
also be used when he wants to apply for leave permission and other purposes.
The phone calls via WeChat Enterprise will connect to the
company's account, which means the billing cost will be redirected
automatically to the company. This feature is fairly new in the office chat
applications segment.
So far WeChat Enterprise is only available in China, and
companies that want to use this service will be required to have a formal
business license that meets the standards of state regulation. There is no
information about its availability in other regions.