I would like to check if anyone here has been involved in any way for projects using WeChat to raise work orders or service requests, especially in facilities management, and can share some information or best practices? I would like to seek help in managing such projects. Thanks! Saving Changes...
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
I personally use WeChat but only for socializing. I used to live in Shanghai and WeChat was thr most popular way of socializing but never did projects through WeChat. Saving Changes...
We use Watsapp for interacting with Application Support team (P1 issues). This is not the primary media of communication - we still raise a JIRA ticket and alert the team on Watsapp for quick attention. Saving Changes...
Satish SharmaCertified SAP S4Hana 1909 Financials Expert| FreelanceNew Delhi, India
Work orders and service tickets are formal documents and are governed by service level agreements, thus avoided to be created from informal media.
You can make use of these instant messaging tools to followups and reminders and that too will be informal only. Saving Changes...
Hello all, thank you for your feedback and input. Currently we do have a specific application on a web portal to raise service requests (this is the main/preferred channel). There are also alternative channels such as email, chat, and telephone - we are exploring the possibility of using WeChat as another channel as it's really big in China.
It would be great to see if others here have done something similar and can share. Once again, thank you, Rami, Prateek, Satish, and Mayte.
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2 replies by Rami Kaibni and Satish Sharma
Feb 24, 2017 1:15 AM
Rami Kaibni
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You're Welcome. When you say service requests, can you be more specific please ?
Feb 24, 2017 3:48 PM
Satish Sharma
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If this the case that WeChat can directly create service requests automatically by use of some acronym as we use to sms to the telecom operator, well this could be a great idea...
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Feb 23, 2017 10:39 PM
Replying to Alice Teh Larsson
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Hello all, thank you for your feedback and input. Currently we do have a specific application on a web portal to raise service requests (this is the main/preferred channel). There are also alternative channels such as email, chat, and telephone - we are exploring the possibility of using WeChat as another channel as it's really big in China.
It would be great to see if others here have done something similar and can share. Once again, thank you, Rami, Prateek, Satish, and Mayte.
You're Welcome. When you say service requests, can you be more specific please ? Saving Changes...
Satish SharmaCertified SAP S4Hana 1909 Financials Expert| FreelanceNew Delhi, India
Feb 23, 2017 10:39 PM
Replying to Alice Teh Larsson
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Hello all, thank you for your feedback and input. Currently we do have a specific application on a web portal to raise service requests (this is the main/preferred channel). There are also alternative channels such as email, chat, and telephone - we are exploring the possibility of using WeChat as another channel as it's really big in China.
It would be great to see if others here have done something similar and can share. Once again, thank you, Rami, Prateek, Satish, and Mayte.
If this the case that WeChat can directly create service requests automatically by use of some acronym as we use to sms to the telecom operator, well this could be a great idea... Saving Changes...
Nico SchusterManagig Director / CEO| Tecpal Ltd. Hong KongFrankfurt, Hesse, Germany
Wow, just found this topic - even though it is already a bit old it is very interesting to read the comments.
I am currently researching usage of mobile PM tools. As a first step on a more general level but goal is to drill down to identify cultural influence on usage behaviour of those tools.
This discussion is the perfect example as Wechat is mainly used in mandarin speaking parts of Asia but rapidly growing.
Would the commenters here be so kind and also participate in my initial poll on mobile PM tools:
https://www.projectmanagement.com/polls/44...-mobile-device-
Thank you very much for your support and comments! Saving Changes...
The key issue in handling service requests is not the communication channel - it is the structure of the received information.
It is for this reason that most ticketing solutions have specific fields (or specific IVR menu paths) for specific data - these can be used to automate the initial activities and ensure the ticket reaches the appropriate processor more quickly.
The problem with using an "open-ended" communication framework (like phone conversations, email, chat) is that the received information is unstructured and in the free text format. The processing time for such requests usually increases dramatically while the issue is being bounced around between processors until it reaches the appropriate person.
So, yes, while chat solutions provide an additional channel, an analysis will need to be conducted on whether that channel actually contributes value. In B2C environments - the received value is much higher. But for projectised and operational environments, at least from the hypercare process set-ups I have witness (albeit obliquely), it usually opens a whole new can of worms.
(Of course, one way these apps can add value is if they are used as a means of informing ticket-raisers of the status of their issues - more of a one-way communication like the automated SMS services.)
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1 reply by Nico Schuster
Mar 10, 2018 12:13 PM
Nico Schuster
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I agree that if only used with unstructured information like a pure chat conversation - it will actually increase workload and effort.
But WeChat has evolved massively during the last years and unlike Whatsapp - which still is not pretty much more than a messenger - WeChat offers 3rd parties to write mini programs for it which can be linked directly to other systems using APIs. Just the Digital Wallet function that comes with Wechat alone has revolutionised the way Chinese spend money - most of my friends in Beijing do not carry any cash at all. Need a taxi? There is "DiDi" included in Wechat app, you can hail and pay the taxi with it, go for dinner, just pay by scanning a QR code, movie tickets? Order them on Wechat...
So whilst it may seem unstructured on one end on the other end there can be a system tied to one specific chat which logs every interaction with the customer to an issue management system. It is just a little difficult for those of us who are not able to read Chinese characters :-)
Nico SchusterManagig Director / CEO| Tecpal Ltd. Hong KongFrankfurt, Hesse, Germany
Mar 08, 2018 11:14 PM
Replying to Karan Shah
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The key issue in handling service requests is not the communication channel - it is the structure of the received information.
It is for this reason that most ticketing solutions have specific fields (or specific IVR menu paths) for specific data - these can be used to automate the initial activities and ensure the ticket reaches the appropriate processor more quickly.
The problem with using an "open-ended" communication framework (like phone conversations, email, chat) is that the received information is unstructured and in the free text format. The processing time for such requests usually increases dramatically while the issue is being bounced around between processors until it reaches the appropriate person.
So, yes, while chat solutions provide an additional channel, an analysis will need to be conducted on whether that channel actually contributes value. In B2C environments - the received value is much higher. But for projectised and operational environments, at least from the hypercare process set-ups I have witness (albeit obliquely), it usually opens a whole new can of worms.
(Of course, one way these apps can add value is if they are used as a means of informing ticket-raisers of the status of their issues - more of a one-way communication like the automated SMS services.)
I agree that if only used with unstructured information like a pure chat conversation - it will actually increase workload and effort.
But WeChat has evolved massively during the last years and unlike Whatsapp - which still is not pretty much more than a messenger - WeChat offers 3rd parties to write mini programs for it which can be linked directly to other systems using APIs. Just the Digital Wallet function that comes with Wechat alone has revolutionised the way Chinese spend money - most of my friends in Beijing do not carry any cash at all. Need a taxi? There is "DiDi" included in Wechat app, you can hail and pay the taxi with it, go for dinner, just pay by scanning a QR code, movie tickets? Order them on Wechat...
So whilst it may seem unstructured on one end on the other end there can be a system tied to one specific chat which logs every interaction with the customer to an issue management system. It is just a little difficult for those of us who are not able to read Chinese characters :-)
btw: Please feel free to provide your quick vote on my poll on mobile device and PM tool usage - I still need a few more participants to reach my target of 50 voters
https://www.projectmanagement.com/polls/44...-mobile-device- Saving Changes...
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