What are the business communication tools used by companies in Thailand and Vietnam? We'll explain the differences compared to Japan.

In Thailand and Vietnam, messaging apps such as LINE and Zalo are used for internal and external business communication, in addition to email and web conferencing tools. When communication methods and record-keeping differ between the Japanese headquarters and local subsidiaries, the history of business operations and decisions become scattered across multiple tools and personal accounts.

This article outlines the main business communication tools used in Thailand and Vietnam, highlighting the differences in their usage compared to Japan, and explains key points for managing communication channels and business information between headquarters and local subsidiaries.

What tools are used for business communication in Thailand and Vietnam?

In Thailand and Vietnam, in addition to email and web conferencing tools, messaging apps popular in those countries are also used for business communication. LINE is a typical example in Thailand, while Zalo is a popular choice in Vietnam.

The main tools, categorized by their purpose, are as follows:

In Thailand, LINE is sometimes used for business communication.

LINE is widely used in Thailand, and government agencies, banks, and private companies all use LINE's business services for distributing information to customers and handling inquiries.

LINE is sometimes used for communication among employees, scheduling with business partners, and sharing photos and location information. Some companies also use LINE for customer support and Microsoft Teams or email for formal internal communications and document sharing, thus differentiating their uses.

In Vietnam, Zalo is used for internal and external communication.

In Vietnam, Zalo, developed by a local company, is widely used and can be accessed not only from smartphones but also from PCs and web browsers. It is used not only for contacting colleagues but also for communicating with customers and business partners.

Global tools are also used for email and web conferencing.

Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and Zoom are among the tools used for email, web conferencing, and document sharing. A common tool that allows the company to manage accounts and data is also used for communication with the Japanese headquarters and other international offices. 

The way tools are used differs between Japan, Thailand, and Vietnam.

In Japan, messaging apps like LINE are used for internal communication and customer service. The difference from Thailand and Vietnam lies in the extent to which personal apps are used for business purposes and the method of recording specific information via chat. 

Personal messaging apps are easily integrated into work.

LINE in Thailand and Zalo in Vietnam are used not only for contacting family and friends, but also for communication with colleagues and business partners.

Because you can connect via phone number or QR code and share photos and location information, you can stay in touch with employees who don't have company email addresses and with small business partners. In some cases, apps that stakeholders are already using are also used for business communication.

In Japanese companies, it's common to see the centralization of business communications into company-managed tools such as Microsoft Teams, Google Chat, and LINE WORKS. In contrast, in Thailand and Vietnam, personal LINE and Zalo accounts are used for daily communication both inside and outside the company.

Sometimes, the means of communication within the company and outside the company are not clearly separated.

In Japanese companies, it's common to see a distinction in usage: business chat for internal communication and email for formal communication with external parties.

In Thailand and Vietnam, it's common to create groups on the same messaging app that include not only colleagues and superiors, but also clients and business partners.

Chat is often prioritized for urgent communications and routine checks.

Messaging apps allow you to send short messages quickly and see if they've been read. They're used in situations where you need to quickly get a response from the other person, such as changing meeting locations, confirming deadlines, or reporting problems.

Multiple methods are used depending on the purpose; for example, chat is used for routine checks and urgent communications, while email and business systems are used for formal reports and approvals.

Common communication challenges between the Japanese head office and local subsidiaries.

If the communication methods and record-keeping locations used locally are not shared with the Japanese head office, business information will be scattered across multiple tools and personal accounts. The main challenges are as follows: 

Information is scattered across email, chat, and verbal communication.

Work processes proceed through multiple channels: scheduling with clients is done via messaging apps, quotations are sent via email, internal approvals are done through Microsoft Teams, and final confirmation is done verbally.

If decisions made via chat or verbally are not formally recorded, it becomes impossible to track the decision-making process, approvers, the latest documentation, and the next person to take action. Even if progress is being made locally, the Japanese headquarters cannot see the history of the communication and decisions. 

The Japanese head office is unable to ascertain the communication routes used locally.

Local subsidiaries sometimes create separate LINE or Zalo groups for each customer, business partner, and external vendor. If the Japanese head office is unaware of these groups, it becomes impossible to track customer requests, specification changes, or the history of troubleshooting.

If information sharing is limited to reports from local managers or expatriates, there is a possibility that communication channels may be interrupted due to the absence or return of the person in charge.

Work information remains on personal accounts and personal devices.

If you use LINE or Zalo with your personal phone number or personal device, your company cannot directly manage your account or saved data.

Even if a device is lost or an employee leaves the company, it may not be possible to reliably suspend access, retrieve conversation history, or remove the user from the group. If contract terms, customer information, and incident response history remain only on the individual's device, it could affect not only information leaks but also business continuity.

Information cannot be transferred when an employee leaves the company or their responsibilities change.

With company-managed Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace accounts, you can deactivate an employee's account after they leave and manage their necessary emails and files. However, conversations stored in personal LINE or Zalo accounts may not be transferable in the same way.

If agreements with clients, specification changes, or unfinished requests remain in the personal chats of local staff or expatriates, their successors may not be able to review the history.

Key points for managing communication between headquarters and local subsidiaries

Instead of consolidating all conversations into a single tool, define the purpose of each tool, its official recording location, and who will be managing it.

We use LINE and Zalo to communicate with local customers and business partners, and company-managed tools for internal decisions and confidential information, using different tools depending on the purpose.

Confirm the actual usage situation on site.

Before creating rules, we will review the tools that the local subsidiary uses for communication within the company, with customers, and with business partners.

This includes not only email and business chat officially implemented by the company, but also personal apps, group chats, personal devices, and emergency contact channels. By understanding how these are actually used, we can determine the scope of standardization with headquarters and the scope of local-specific usage that should be permitted.

Use company-wide tools and local tools separately.

Using Microsoft Teams or Google Workspace as a common platform for headquarters and local subsidiaries allows for unified information sharing and account management within the company.

On the other hand, changing the communication methods used by local customers and business partners would create a burden on daily interactions. Therefore, it's best to use company-managed tools for internal communication and allow the use of LINE or Zalo for external scheduling and simple confirmations, thus dividing roles based on the recipient and purpose.

Determine the official record-keeping location and the information to be recorded.

Conversations conducted via chat, including quotes, orders, contract terms, specification changes, and delivery date changes, are also recorded in a location managed by the company.

For example, you can define roles such as using chat for communication and consultation, a workflow system for approval, and a file-sharing service for final versions of documents. Instead of saving every conversation, you make it possible to review the reasoning behind decisions, approvers, decisions made, and deadlines later.

Manage accounts, groups, and employee departures.

For business group chats, the local subsidiary will be able to see the purpose, administrators, and participants. For tasks requiring continuity, such as customer support and troubleshooting, multiple administrators will be assigned.

When an employee leaves the company or transfers to another department, we check not only company-assigned accounts and devices, but also group chats with clients and business partners. We remove the departing employee from the group chat and transfer their contact information, agreements, and any unfinished projects to their successor.

To prepare for situations where personal account history cannot be transferred, we will also incorporate a system to retain necessary business information at the company's record-keeping location.

Determine the scope of information that can be sent.

Before comparing the features of each tool in detail, let's categorize the information to be sent.

When handling customer or employee personal information, we also review Thailand's PDPA and Vietnam's Personal Data Protection Act. We discuss storage locations, sharing partners, and data transfers abroad with our company's legal and security departments. 

By specifying not only which information should not be transmitted, but also alternative sharing methods, local employees can choose the appropriate communication method depending on the information. What should be standardized between headquarters and local subsidiaries is not the tools used, but the official record-keeping locations and management rules.