Summary of chat tools preferred by different countries

For Sales, communication is the essential means to drive progress and close deals. While emails and phone calls can facilitate communication, they have very clear advantages and disadvantages. The advent of instant messaging tools has well addressed these shortcomings. So, do you know which remote meeting tools and instant messaging apps are preferred in different countries?

Remote Meeting Tools
 
Zoom
Zoom is the most popular online meeting tool among foreign trade professionals. It supports both mobile and desktop platforms and doesn't have high hardware requirements. Zoom offers a free version that supports one host and 100 participants, with meetings up to 40 minutes.
 
Usage Suggestions:
1. When initiating a meeting, pay attention to the client's time zone. If participants are from multiple time zones, you can negotiate to coordinate or schedule according to the most important participant's time zone.
2. Before the meeting, test and check your equipment, prepare relevant content, and anticipate possible questions and answers.
3. Zoom invitations are usually sent as links. Once the client clicks the link, they will automatically enter the meeting room, and you'll receive a notification when they join.


 
Google Meet
Google Meet doesn't require app download and can be used directly in a web browser. The free version supports meetings of up to 60 minutes with 100 participants and includes voice, video, screen sharing, and document sharing. Paid features include setting up call groups, defining video panels, and saving meeting records.


 
Instant Messaging Apps

WhatsApp
WhatsApp is the most widely used instant messaging tool among foreign trade professionals, with over 2 billion users. It ranks first in market share in India, Brazil, the United States, Russia, Germany, and other markets. WhatsApp not only meets office communication needs but also allows adding clients from different countries as friends, supports various video conferences, and is free of charge. Whether for daily chatting or office use, this software is very handy.


 
Facebook Messenger
Facebook Messenger is an instant chat software developed by Facebook. Thanks to Facebook's vast user base, Facebook Messenger has more users than WhatsApp in the United States and ranks second globally in terms of user numbers. Besides basic voice messages, text messages, and voice calls, Facebook Messenger supports video chats with up to 8 people and can cross-application message and call with Instagram and Facebook.


 
Viber
Although Viber's user base is smaller than the previous two, it is powerful. It allows free communication without registration or login. Thanks to its push mechanism, users can receive incoming call notifications and ringing alerts even when offline. Viber's user base is mainly concentrated in Greece, Russia, Bulgaria, and is growing in the Asia-Pacific region, especially in Iraq and Myanmar.


 
Telegram
Telegram is a highly popular and widely used encrypted instant messaging tool, allowing users to send messages, pictures, videos, etc. Telegram has 600 million monthly active users, mainly in Russia, Belarus, Italy, Spain, Egypt, and Iran.


 
LINE
LINE is an instant chat tool launched by a Korean internet group. LINE's user base is concentrated in Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, etc. For foreign trade professionals with customers in East Asia, downloading and using LINE is a good choice.


 
Many new foreign trade professionals are unsure which tool to download. Actually, we should download whichever tool our clients use. Even if we are not familiar with the software, if it allows us to contact clients, it is worth downloading and using.