For this posting, we want to start by asking you a question.

What comes up first when you think about communication tools or work chat?

Microsoft Teams? Google Hangouts? Slack?

Of course, we would be glad that if LINE WORKS comes up in your mind first.

Still, we know little too well about how many communications tools are available, ready to be tried out and chosen.

Also, more and more people are using LINE for work purposes to communicate with company members and customers.

Many prefer using LINE due to its familiarity and connection to users around the globe.

With this in mind, you may be confused as to what communication tool you should choose for your company.

Yes, we understand how difficult it is to make a choice when there are so many.

After all, the best choice may differ depending on your company’s needs and situations.
If you are unsure of where to start, consider reading the interview with the LINE employee on Slack, LINE, and LINE WORKS.

The interview was carried out by Tagusagawa san of Sales Promotion, Works Mobile Japan and then translated into English. Tagusagawa san had interviewed LINE’s General Manager of the IT Support Office, Kensuke Kamoike san. In the interview, Kensuke san shared his view and experiences on three different communication tools: LINE, Slack, and LINE WORKS.

Please note that this post is written in the format of an interview postscript.

If you are interested, read the detailed LINE WORKS usage case by LINE.

LINE Corporation (hereinafter referred to as LINE), best known for the LINE messaging app, encompasses the development and operation of mobile-first services: communication, content, and entertainment. There are employees around the world, many of them being developers who support LINE services.

Of course, the employees as you may have guessed use the LINE app for work. However, they also use Slack, known as a chat tool for developers, and LINE WORKS, the business version of LINE.

First, about Slack.

It is well-known how Slack is loved by developer teams. Some even say that developer teams of all sizes must adopt Slack. Why? Slack is said to be perfect for communicating with developers, especially the ones working overseas.

Another strength is that communication is more open in Slack. For casual conversations such as asking simple questions that come up here and then, Slack is an option you may choose.

Moving onto LINE.

Many employees use LINE at work as they do personally. LINE allows employees to use LINE for work purposes but does not necessarily provide smartphones or separate LINE account.

Mr. Kensuke, the General Manager, informed that the HR team recommends new joiners to save LINE ID in the profile accessible to all members in company contacts. The reason behind this is to contact employees during emergencies such as natural disasters. And to my surprise, the General Manager also had LINE ID saved in the profile, open to company members in contacts.

LINE makes sure that new joiners are aware that LINE ID will be open to other company members. Therefore, new joiners are advised to change set names that are hard to understand or profile pictures that are too private before they start working.
As a side note, employees in their 40s were most comfortable sharing their LINE ID. However, the younger generations who have joined recently are relatively reluctant to share LINE ID.

After all, this indicates younger employees tend to feel ‘LINE is for private matters’. 

Ranging from family members to friends and other connections, LINE pretty much has all private contacts in one. That is why employees are not allowed to exchange personal or confidential information related to work over LINE.

In particular, departments that handle a lot of personal information explicitly prohibit their employees from using LINE for work purposes. For such cases, LINE WORKS play a role as a communication tool for work!

Lastly, about LINE WORKS.

LINE WORKS is used in all business situations since its introduction to LINE: Message for work communications, Board, and Mail for sharing company-wide announcements effectively. Also, LINE’s back offices that handle a vast amount of confidential information prefer LINE WORKS due to its audit log feature, easy-to-use UI, and enterprise-grade security.

Another interesting fact was that new joiners at LINE share greetings to entire company members via LINE WORKS Mail. This helps existing company members to learn more about new joiners even without meeting them in person. Of course, meeting new joiners in person may also seem like a good option. However, since LINE has new joiners every month and sizeable existing members, email greetings come in handy. When new joiners include information on their hobbies and personality in the greeting email, activity clubs and circles can reach out to them more easily.

Furthermore, LINE creates a Group Message Room for new joiners to provide a community space where bonding and networking can happen. In this aspect, you can see how much LINE cares about its employees and try to make onboarding and networking easier.

Overall, it seems evident that a company that values communication makes good use of work chat tools.

Lastly, when asked about the differences between Slack and LINE WORKS, Kensuke san responded the following.

“Slack is an open space and a chat room while LINE WORKS is 1:1 or group meeting rooms with right members.”

In summary,

Slack is an open-style communication tool that has all the features developers need.

LINE WORKS is a tool that is easy to use even for non-developers. Also, LINE WORKS is more suitable for exchanging confidential and internal information within HR, Accounting, and Business Support teams.

LINE is a tool that ensures messages are read even when such is not available on Slack or LINE WORKS.

Using communications tools can be less time-consuming and more interactive compared to exchanging emails. Anyone can have more reliable open and private conversations than phone calls as well. Better communication makes your business more efficient and we recommend trying work chats in the near future.

For more information, go check out the details on how LINE Corporation uses LINE WORKS.

※All details, affiliations, and positions specified were gathered at the time of the interview.

LINE WORKS, security and reliability for everyone!

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Help Center

From collaborating with partners to responding to customers’ needs, just remember that LINE WORKS has you covered.

Connect faster and improve work efficiency while reducing the security risks to a minimum on LINE WORKS!

1. Before connecting with users outside your company 

For the paid plan users, the administrator must turn on the ‘Chat with LINE users’ or ‘Chat with LINE WORKS users from other comapnies’. For the free plan, the permission to connect with external users are given as default.

Please note that LINE WORKS users you want to connect with must have permission to connect with external users.

More on external message settings >

2. Getting started 

3. Fact checking 

Message room with LINE users

• • What you can do
  • 　Message and video call
• • What you cannot do
  • 　Voice call
  • 　LINE-specific functions (Notes, Albums, LINE Pay, etc.)
  • 　Functions unique to LINE WORKS (translation, event invitation, etc.)

Message room with LINE WORKS users from other companies

• • What you can do
  • 　Message(Up 500 participants in one message room)
  • 　Voice・Video call
• • What you cannot do
• 　None

4. Managing users outside your company

5. Replying automatically to external messages after work

Connecting with customers, partners, or candidates who use LINE

On LINE WORKS, you can have a conversation with LINE users by adding them to the contacts list. You can exchange 1:1 or group messages, including text, images, videos, and document files. Also, the Audit feature of LINE WORKS allows administrators to check any unusual or suspicious activity to prevent information leakage or better understand issues.

More on connecting with LINE users >

Grow customer relationships and increase repeat purchase

Connect with customers who use LINE to respond faster, gain customer insights, and increase sales. Instead of relying on phone calls, emails, and letters, speed up agent response with real-time messages. You can check whether customers read the response you sent as well.

Also, your LINE WORKS account will be displayed as ‘Official Account’, providing credibility without the need to create a LINE Official Account on LINE for Business. In this sense, promotions sent to loyal or VIP customers who use LINE via LINE WORKS will be trusted and likely increase sales.

Please note that LINE WORKS is not suitable for sending sales coupons or advertisements to unspecified LINE users. Please consider LINE Official Account for sending general information and promotions in bulk.

More on LINE Official Account >

Contact business partners on a daily basis

Use LINE WORKS to contact external business partners who use LINE daily. Ask the business partner who uses LINE to add you as a friend on LINE. Then you can start a conversation and exchange text messages, images, and files. For an easy start, share your QR code to have your business partner add you as a friend on LINE.

Similarly, if your business partner uses LINE WORKS, you can communicate by adding the person to the contacts list. For LINE WORKS user from other companies, you can use the Group function to share notes, manage files and schedules for better teamwork.

More on connecting with external LINE WORKS users >

Stay up to date with candidates and new hires

Stay connected with candidates and new hires during the hiring and onboarding process. Ask candidates or new hires to add your LINE WORKS account as a friend on LINE to start communicating. Consistent and responsive communication is necessary to prevent the new hires from leaving the company. The HR team can be sure that all questions are answered and delivered with a read receipt feature.

Learn how to turn on the ‘Login with LINE’ function >

Mobile app 

Enable ‘Login with LINE’ in ‘Settings > Login Information’. Connect your LINE account by approving access to LINE WORKS.
Please note that your LINE account is only used for verification.

Browser

Click your profile picture or initials on the top right.

Then click ‘Security’ and then ‘Connect’ next to ‘Login with LINE’.
Once you log in to your LINE account, the connection is complete.

Tips

Your LINE ID will not be disclosed to the administrator.

The administrator can only view the members who use the ‘Login with LINE’ function, not the LINE ID.