Preparing new services to spread non-face-to-face operations
Adding collaboration functions with Hancom Space
Collaborating with domestic and foreign companies…Challenging MS

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Hancom plans to introduce a new subscription-based office software (SW) by renewing Hancom Space, a web office service, in the second half of the year, and shifting the weight of their office software business to the cloud.

The office SW prepared by Hancom is based on Hancom Space. At the core of Hancom Space is Hancom Office Web, which allows users to conveniently write and share Hangul, Hanword, Hancel, and Hanshow on desktop, mobile and web. It also provides collaboration features such as chatbots, messengers, and translation apps.

Hancom plans to introduce a new subscription-based service by improving the utility of Hancom Space and the user-experience functions necessary for cloud and collaborative environments. For this, a new service policy is also being established to expand cloud offices, such as purchasing and service support.

The reason behind Hancom's rebranding into a subscription-based office software is to respond to the spread of non-face-to-face work environments. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has eased, many information technology (IT) companies are maintaining or introducing remote work. Starting next month, Naver will apply 'connected work', which allows workers to choose a place and time to work. Kakao is also discussing the operation of a 'Metaverse working system'.

Non-face-to-face solution markets, including collaboration tools, are also growing. According to Hancom, the number of Hancom Space subscribers in the first half of 2021 increased by 285.4% compared to the first half of 2019. As of February 2021, the total number of subscribers has surpassed 10 million.

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Despite Hancom Space's marketing efforts, Microsoft's 'Microsoft 365 (M365)' is leading the cloud-based productivity software market. M365 is a collaboration platform that combines office, messaging and video conferencing services.

Hancom plans to gain an edge in the market by competing with Microsoft through their new services. It has already collaborated with domestic and foreign cloud specialized companies such as NHN and AWS to provide various business collaboration services including web office. It also plans to ​​highlight the strengths of cloud offices with their new products.

Hancom will also release 'Hancom Works', a collaboration tool that is serviced using AWS' database, storage services and security environments. NHN Dooray! is providing exclusive sales rights to Hancom. Hancom and NHN Dooray! are collaborating on collaboration tool services to cloud business areas.

Cloud and subscription-based offices cost less than package software that require installing. MS charges a monthly fee of KRW 8,900 for M365 home users. Hancom's new products, which need to secure competitiveness, is expected to cost less.

A Hancom official said, “We are focusing our development efforts on launching Hancom Office subscription services, which we have been preparing for since last year, in the second of the year,” adding, “Under our global-data-service strategy, Hancom will strengthen its software-as-a-service (SaaS) businesses."

By Staff Reporter Hyemi Kwon hyeming@etnews.com