European B2B companies selling into China often struggle to communicate effectively with prospects and existing customers.
While email, CRM systems and LinkedIn messaging are standard in the West, these channels simply don’t work well in China.
Chinese buyers expect instant, mobile-native communication.
That means one platform becomes central: WeChat.
But using personal WeChat accounts for business brings major risks—no data control, no CRM integration, and poor visibility for managers.
That’s where WeCom (WeChat Work) comes in.
Below, we break down why WeCom has become essential for B2B sales in China, how it is used, and how European companies can successfully integrate it into their sales workflows.
Why Email Fails in China
Email is still the default B2B channel in Europe.
But in China, it underperforms:
- Low open and response rates
- Deliverability challenges (especially to .qq and .163 domains)
- Slow communication cycles
Chinese business culture favors real-time communication over asynchronous formats like email.
Instead, most communication happens on mobile—via WeChat.
This shift creates a crucial challenge for global companies:
How do you manage sales, customer relationships and CRM tracking if everything happens on WeChat?
Why WeCom Matters
WeCom is Tencent’s enterprise version of WeChat.
It looks and feels similar to WeChat, but adds functionality needed for B2B sales and customer management.
✅ Company ownership of customer data
✅ CRM and marketing automation integration
✅ Sales pipeline visibility
✅ Workflows for follow-ups and reminders
In short:
WeCom brings structure and oversight to WeChat-driven B2B sales.
A European industrial supplier that moved to WeCom improved client handover consistency and increased retention by ~30%, thanks to shared contact ownership and structured follow-ups.
What Makes WeCom Different from WeChat?
| Feature | Personal WeChat | WeCom |
|---|---|---|
| Contacts belong to company | ❌ | ✅ |
| CRM integration | ❌ | ✅ |
| Sales data visibility | ❌ | ✅ |
| Process automation | ❌ | ✅ |
| Manager oversight | ❌ | ✅ |
| Business identity | Limited | ✅ |
WeCom provides a professional, compliant, trackable environment to manage B2B relationships—without asking customers to use a new tool.
Real-Time Engagement = Faster Sales
Chinese buyers expect fast responses.
If a customer waits hours for an email reply, the deal risks being lost.
WeCom enables:
- Instant messaging
- Voice notes
- File exchange
- Group chats
This immediacy shortens sales cycles and increases engagement.
A European company shifted customer support to WeCom and saw customer satisfaction improve by 35%.
Stronger Customer Relationships
Good after-sales engagement is critical in China.
WeCom helps companies build structured, segment-based communication.
Examples:
- VIP client groups for support + updates
- Distributor training sessions
- Product launch broadcasts
- Industry insights sharing
These formats drive loyalty and repeat business.
A European engineering company used WeCom groups to train distributors, resulting in a 50% increase in sales over six months.
Key WeCom Features for B2B Sales Teams
✔ Official verified company identity
✔ Customer contact ownership
✔ Automated follow-ups
✔ Conversation analytics
✔ Role-based team collaboration
✔ Integration with WeChat Official Accounts
Sales managers can track:
- Conversation volume
- Response times
- Customer engagement metrics
This helps identify performance and coaching needs.
CRM + WeCom = Full Visibility
This is where WeCom becomes a game-changer.
It integrates directly with:
- Salesforce
- HubSpot
- Xiaoshouyi (SalesEase)
- Marketing automation systems
This enables:
- Consolidated customer histories
- Scored leads
- Automated nurturing
- Handover transparency
Implementation Roadmap
1) Set up WeCom
- Register company account
- Define user roles
- Connect existing systems
2) Migrate contacts
- Move customers from personal WeChat → WeCom
- Communicate rollout to clients
3) Train your sales team
- How to use WeCom for day-to-day selling
- Best practices: segmentation, follow-up, analytics
4) Run engagement programs
- WeChat ads → WeCom sales groups
- VIP customer groups
- Automated nurturing flows
What This Means for B2B Companies
To succeed in China, European suppliers must adapt to buyers’ expectations.
✅ Email is not the primary communication channel
✅ Personal WeChat is risky and difficult to track
✅ WeCom gives structure, control and automation
✅ Real-time chat accelerates deals
✅ Groups support education, retention and upselling
Put simply:
WeCom is the bridge between how Chinese buyers communicate and how B2B sales teams operate.
Companies that adopt WeCom gain:
- Faster sales cycles
- Stronger relationships
- Higher retention
- Better data visibility
- More scalable processes
Those who delay risk losing ground to faster local competitors.
Final Thoughts
Today, most B2B buyers in China expect communication through WeChat.
But using personal accounts is inefficient and risky.
WeCom provides the professional infrastructure required to:
- Manage customer relationships
- Automate engagement
- Track sales pipelines
- Retain customer data
Companies embracing WeCom are seeing:
- Shorter sales cycles
- Stronger customer retention
- Better visibility for sales managers
- More scalable operations
Those who adapt their sales processes to reflect how Chinese buyers actually communicate will be better positioned to compete with fast-moving local players.
Want to learn more about how B2B companies are winning in China using platforms like WeCom?
Contact NBH to start the conversation.
