Jul 13, 2022, 8:15 am
Last edit by: moondog
The "FT People on WeChat" group
Our group chat is comprised of FT members and friends of FT members. We talk about pretty much anything except for politics (because Papa Bear has the ability to watch over us). The group has its own QR code, but it has a short shelf life (e.g. about 5 days), so I'm not including it here. The easiest way to join is to add me as a contact (moondogsh) and let me put you in the group.
Contacting Tencent Customer Support
If you want to get in touch with Tencent customer service (e.g. to update your passport number or change your name format so it aligns with your bank accounts), most web resources will advise you to simply message the "WeChat Team" contact. It is extremely difficult to get a human response when using this approach. Calling them also results in a bot experience.
However, the following drill works as of July 2022 (specific menu options can always change, of course; the key is getting yourself to step 5 below):
1. Dial 95716 (or +86 4009100100 from outside of China)
2. Select option 1 for personal accounts
3. Enter your connected phone number followed by #
3. Select option 2 for other questions
4. The bot will ask you to describe your issue using voice; just speak to it in English; it won't understand and will ask you to repeat 3-5 times before giving up
5. Now, the bot will give you ~8 menu options; through trial and error, I can state that option 7 is good for immediate transfer to a human (some of the others might work as well)
6. When the representative picks up, you definitely need to speak Chinese, but your request is presumably fairly easy to convey, and their responses are also pretty simple
7. They might want to move the conversation over to WeChat; this is okay because they will send you an invite to a special customer service queue, which is only ~60% automated
Our group chat is comprised of FT members and friends of FT members. We talk about pretty much anything except for politics (because Papa Bear has the ability to watch over us). The group has its own QR code, but it has a short shelf life (e.g. about 5 days), so I'm not including it here. The easiest way to join is to add me as a contact (moondogsh) and let me put you in the group.
Contacting Tencent Customer Support
If you want to get in touch with Tencent customer service (e.g. to update your passport number or change your name format so it aligns with your bank accounts), most web resources will advise you to simply message the "WeChat Team" contact. It is extremely difficult to get a human response when using this approach. Calling them also results in a bot experience.
However, the following drill works as of July 2022 (specific menu options can always change, of course; the key is getting yourself to step 5 below):
1. Dial 95716 (or +86 4009100100 from outside of China)
2. Select option 1 for personal accounts
3. Enter your connected phone number followed by #
3. Select option 2 for other questions
4. The bot will ask you to describe your issue using voice; just speak to it in English; it won't understand and will ask you to repeat 3-5 times before giving up
5. Now, the bot will give you ~8 menu options; through trial and error, I can state that option 7 is good for immediate transfer to a human (some of the others might work as well)
6. When the representative picks up, you definitely need to speak Chinese, but your request is presumably fairly easy to convey, and their responses are also pretty simple
7. They might want to move the conversation over to WeChat; this is okay because they will send you an invite to a special customer service queue, which is only ~60% automated
wechat（微信）
May 31, 2021 | 1:09 am
#391
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL, OZ, AC, AS, AA, BA, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, IHG
Posts: 21,004
I'm using one post to reply to two of your posts:
-I get paid in CNY, but need USD for certain things
-you can use Gpay in HK, even at 711
-if I am occupying a table at 1515, I'm utilizing space that a whale could be availing of
-many American tourists and biz travelers can afford $2,000 dinners, but $40 at DTF is far more common
-I get paid in CNY, but need USD for certain things
-you can use Gpay in HK, even at 711
-if I am occupying a table at 1515, I'm utilizing space that a whale could be availing of
-many American tourists and biz travelers can afford $2,000 dinners, but $40 at DTF is far more common
May 31, 2021 | 1:15 am
#392
Original Poster
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 46,302
May 31, 2021 | 1:20 am
#393
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL, OZ, AC, AS, AA, BA, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, IHG
Posts: 21,004
May 31, 2021 | 1:29 am
#394
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 11,242
And then I asked you how the funding for the transaction was made and that was ignored. lol...I'll just spend time looking that up then. I think GloballyServiced already gave me all that I need to know to be as cashless as possible in China.
May 31, 2021 | 1:38 am
#395
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL, OZ, AC, AS, AA, BA, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, IHG
Posts: 21,004
By the time you're allowed to visit things will almost certainly have changed. I've noticed more and more stores, especially convenience stores, prominently displaying signs welcoming the digital yuan. When they allow tourists in again, 2 or more years from now, this will have overtaken wechat pay or alipay IMHO.
Like I said earlier, people give me the weird look when I pay with cash...
May 31, 2021 | 4:18 am
#396
Original Poster
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 46,302
And then I asked you how the funding for the transaction was made and that was ignored. lol...I'll just spend time looking that up then. I think GloballyServiced already gave me all that I need to know to be as cashless as possible in China.
May 31, 2021 | 10:30 am
#398
Original Poster
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 46,302
May 31, 2021 | 8:37 pm
#399
Join Date: Jan 2005
Programs: SQ, QF, UA, CO, DL
Posts: 3,888
The amount of money spent by American tourists in China is dwarfed by the amount of money spent by Chinese tourists abroad. So from a purely financial point-of-view there is no incentive for China to open up to tourism.
Of course the border politics is much more complicated than just tourism and it probably doesn't even figure in the calculus of when to reopen.
Of course the border politics is much more complicated than just tourism and it probably doesn't even figure in the calculus of when to reopen.
This is correct. China doesn’t care about foreign tourists and they are making more money due to locking their citizens inside than they would ever make from foreigners coming in as tourists. China ain’t opening for foreign tourists for at least another 2 years. They don’t need them and frankly probably don’t really want them either.
The digital yuan is PBOC's end run on alipay and wechat pay. The ultimate goal is to replace them so that control is retained by the same authority that oversees banks and all monetary flows. Two years ago analysts estimated monetary flow volume within Alipay and Wechat exceeded the banking system with near zero visibility into that ecosystem by the authorities. That is not going to be allowed to continue.
Jun 1, 2021 | 1:49 am
#400
Original Poster
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 46,302
The digital yuan is PBOC's end run on alipay and wechat pay. The ultimate goal is to replace them so that control is retained by the same authority that oversees banks and all monetary flows. Two years ago analysts estimated monetary flow volume within Alipay and Wechat exceeded the banking system with near zero visibility into that ecosystem by the authorities. That is not going to be allowed to continue.
Jun 2, 2021 | 11:41 am
#401
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SIN (with a bit of ZRH sprinkled in)
Programs: KrisFlyer Gold
Posts: 9,605
5% is a lot if you spend (ten)thousands of RMB.
For the average tourist who might only spend a few hundred RMB at corner stores and markets (meals being included in their tour group arrangements), it's nothing compared to the convenience you get.
Spending 1000 RMB means 5% is 50 RMB, around 8$ or 6.50. And that will buy you a lot, unless you decide to "splurge" (and then, most "splurge" places for tourists will happily take credit cards..)
So yeah, charging 5% but giving you the full convenience is a good deal. Obviously 0% (or something near it) is a better deal, but why spending much time if a quick and easy fix exists?
For the average tourist who might only spend a few hundred RMB at corner stores and markets (meals being included in their tour group arrangements), it's nothing compared to the convenience you get.
Spending 1000 RMB means 5% is 50 RMB, around 8$ or 6.50. And that will buy you a lot, unless you decide to "splurge" (and then, most "splurge" places for tourists will happily take credit cards..)
So yeah, charging 5% but giving you the full convenience is a good deal. Obviously 0% (or something near it) is a better deal, but why spending much time if a quick and easy fix exists?
Jul 15, 2021 | 6:20 am
#404
Join Date: Nov 2018
Programs: CX, BA
Posts: 91
An update to my earlier question regarding ringtones / alerts for WeChat on iPhones ........
Following the latest iOS updated version 8.0.8 released yesterday you can now change alert sounds (limited) and ringtones (mostly Chinese artists).
After updating, go to your WeChat settings / new message notification / alert tone and ringer.
For me, will make such a difference having a more unique tone rather than the same as xxx millions of others!
Following the latest iOS updated version 8.0.8 released yesterday you can now change alert sounds (limited) and ringtones (mostly Chinese artists).
After updating, go to your WeChat settings / new message notification / alert tone and ringer.
For me, will make such a difference having a more unique tone rather than the same as xxx millions of others!
Jul 15, 2021 | 10:38 pm
#405
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: CA, FL, and China.
Programs: UA1K (no longer serviced!), Bonvoy P, Hyatt G
Posts: 704
I really wish people in China would turn off their alert ringtones. Riding on the train is such a miserable experience hearing your BS tones all day.
I don’t think I’ve let my phone ring since high school. Vibrate only.
I don’t think I’ve let my phone ring since high school. Vibrate only.