Customer satisfaction in Japan - statistics & facts
“The customer is always right” is deeply ingrained in the global service industry as businesses aim for high customer satisfaction and retention rates. Japanese businesses take this motto a step further as good relations with the buyer are a good practice in both business-to-consumer and business-to-business interactions. Customer satisfaction is influenced by all steps of customer experience, from communication over pricing strategy to after-sales services. This impacts consumers’ shopping behavior and customer loyalty. Good after-sales service is the key factor that raises a company’s image and consumer’s willingness to spend in the future. As such, businesses are faced with the challenge of appropriately responding to highly demanding Japanese customers while keeping the business moving, further complicated by the cultural custom of politeness and hospitality.
However, the importance of customer service does not end with the purchase. In a marketing environment, in which praise and complaints can be spread quickly to a large audience through social media, companies must manage the risk of losing potential customers through rumors about bad after-sales care. While Japanese consumers are not prone to posting their experiences online, negative reviews especially from acquaintances can significantly hamper marketing efforts even before the first contact.
Hospitality as a matter of fact
Approaching customers in an accommodating but efficient manner is not considered a service but a matter of fact in Japan. Especially industries with frequent interactions in the front-end like the service sector are susceptible to fluctuating customer satisfaction. Since one bad interaction can make or break the likelihood of generating repeat customers, staff training and fast work processes are emphasized in business management.However, the importance of customer service does not end with the purchase. In a marketing environment, in which praise and complaints can be spread quickly to a large audience through social media, companies must manage the risk of losing potential customers through rumors about bad after-sales care. While Japanese consumers are not prone to posting their experiences online, negative reviews especially from acquaintances can significantly hamper marketing efforts even before the first contact.
