Elegant, Thoughtful, and Convenient: The Japanese Customer Service Experience

Japan has long been famous for its world-class customer service. Rooted in a culture that values hospitality and attention to detail, Japanese consumer-facing businesses go above and beyond in their care for the customer. Let’s take a look at the modern customer service experience in Japan and some of the things that set it apart.

Small Considerations Add Up

In Japanese stores, every aspect of the shopping experience has been carefully considered. Selling floors are kept clean and tidy, and staff are always nearby to provide assistance. At the register, a small tray is provided so you can hand over cash and receive change without making hand-to-hand contact. Upon making your purchase, many stores will beautifully wrap and package up your items according to your request. The shop staff in Japan are highly skilled in swiftly and elegantly wrapping up purchases, and oftentimes appreciating the wrapping is half the fun.

In addition to the small conveniences offered by stores, these days many large, modern shopping centers offer a wide variety of services to make the shopping experience even more pleasant and accessible. Facilities like multi-purpose restrooms and prayer spaces allow a comfortable shopping experience for all guests. Mothers and fathers with babies can shop at ease knowing that restrooms with baby chairs, changing tables, and other facilities are available. And foreign tourists can enjoy tax-free shopping (under certain conditions), hotel delivery and international delivery of purchases, and a wide variety of payment options.

The People Make the Difference

While beautiful packaging and convenient facilities are nice, anyone who has experienced Japanese customer service firsthand can tell you that it is the care and manners of the staff that truly set it apart. Upon entering an establishment, you will commonly be greeted with a smile, a bow, and a full-throated “Irasshaimase!” - “welcome” in Japanese. In fact, even when greeting a customer over the phone, many Japanese workers will still convey their respect by bowing! When speaking in Japanese, staff will use keigo, an honorific style of speech that plays an essential role in conveying respect. For example, saying “arigato gozaimasu” (“thank you”) instead of the shortened “arigato” is a form of keigo. Shopkeepers are highly attentive to the needs of customers. For example, it is common to see shop staff running across the store to open up another register at any sign of a line of customers forming. At fast-food restaurants where customers are expected to return their trays and dispose of their trash themselves, many staff will nevertheless jump at the opportunity to do this work for them. Notably, Japan does not have a culture of tipping, so nothing is expected in return for these small acts of hospitality. But perhaps the most impressive aspect of Japanese customer service is that the aforementioned manners and behaviors can be found across the entire gamut of businesses, from fine dining to fast food, from high-end department stores to convenience stores.

Hospitality Even in Unmanned Stores

Unmanned stores have been around for a long time in Japan, due in part to the high level of public order and safety. In recent years, unmanned stores have become an experimental domain for exciting new technologies. These range from shops and hotels with automatic checkout systems, to cafes staffed by robot waiters. Even in places like these where no customer service workers are around, the Japanese spirit of hospitality can be felt. New unmanned hotels have staff available 24 hours a day via video chat in case the need for assistance should arise. The latest unmanned convenience stores are designed to require no apps, downloads, or registration. This makes them more convenient for everyone, but especially for those who might not use smartphones, such as children or the elderly. Even customer service robots, which in recent years have been popping up in cafes, train stations, and more, are designed with courtesy in mind. Many robots will smile and bow as they serve you, in keeping with Japanese etiquette, and some will even do a song and dance for you!

Foreign Tourists Welcome

These days, you do not need to speak the language to get the full Japanese customer service experience. With the recent increase in international tourists, as well as a vibrant foreign resident population, more and more Japanese stores and restaurants have begun catering to a foreign demographic, aiming to provide the same level of customer experience no matter the customer or their background.

Many chain restaurants nowadays use touch-screen kiosks and tablets for taking orders, and these devices almost always offer support in multiple languages. At the checkout counter of many convenience stores you can find a series of icons representing different common requests, such as for chopsticks or cutlery, or for your food to be heated up. By pointing to these icons, staff and customers of any background can communicate despite their language barrier. Even smaller establishments that do not have the resources of a large chain will often aim to help foreign residents and tourists feel welcome with charming handwritten menus and signage in English.

Thanks to constantly evolving technology along with a deep-rooted spirit of hospitality, Japan is a place where residents and visitors alike can enjoy wonderful customer service. So, whether you’re at the supermarket or a five-star hotel, in Japan you’ll be treated to an experience that is warm, courteous and convenient.