YAMADA DENKI is seeking to offer a wide range of products, all at reasonable prices, with a kind and courteous customer service. The Company is working hard to satisfy customers not only at the time of purchase, but also right up to and beyond the time customers start using its products, including the after-sales services of product delivery, installation, repair, and support. The Company also listens to feedback from the sales floor and from customers to improve its service for the better.
In fiscal 2023 YAMADA DENKI set up a range of call centers so that it can make the most of customer feedback. A customer help desk has been set up at the headquarters where a system has been created to listen to customer feedback and respond promptly after cooperation between relevant departments. In response to the feedback received, regular meetings are held once a month. In addition to reports on the drafting of specific improvement plans, and the status of implementation and improvement efforts being reported to executive officers, information is shared with each department at in-house company manager meetings. A call center has also been set up dedicated to repairs and various other services in an effort to improve services. Going forward, the Company will continue to collect and analyze customer feedback with the aim of further improving levels of customer satisfaction.
Customer service training is conducted for call center staff at the Group’s call center. Based on actual customer recordings, a check sheet that incorporates evaluation items is used to conduct an assessment to improve the quality of staff responses. The quality of our customer service is improved through feedback from the assessment results. Going forward, we will continue to work to further improve our responses, including how we collect customer feedback.
YAMADA DENKI has been updating the design of the Yamada Digital Member app since May 2020 and continues to improve app functionality to make it easier for customers to use. In the latest update, the app has been redesigned with three features making it easier to operate, easier to find what users want, and with a better design for ease of use. Going forward, the Group will continue to provide not only products that meet the needs of customers, but also digital tools that make shopping easier and more enjoyable. The Group’s e-commerce site, Yamada Web Com, was also given a facelift in April 2022. To make it easier for customers to find the products they are looking for, ways have been created to make shopping easier, including banners, information laid out in an easy-to-understand format, and rankings visibly displayed. Going forward, the Group will continue to optimize the Yamada Web Com site, from searching for products to making a purchase, and expand the range of products on offer so customers can experience the same excitement of coming across new products as they would in-store.
YAMADA DENKI has started to use a highly flexible tablet POS system for the convenience of its customers. Every salesperson has the POS capability on their device making it possible to offer even better recommendations in line with the customers’ wide ranging needs. The system has helped to reduce customer waiting times by not having to manually check inventories, and has helped facilitate everything from initial customer service through to payment.
* POS: Point Of Sale, a system that collects and analyzes data on the sale situation of products
As a way to garner customer feedback on the Group’s business and services, customers are able to give their feedback directly to the store manager by posting their opinions and suggestions in a feedback box in store. Responses to customer opinions and suggestions received at each store are put up in store giving an opportunity for employees to see what problems and issues there are.
As part of the Group’s safe and secure proposal service especially during the pandemic, OTSUKA KAGU has been offering a free advice service that allows customers to easily consult with experts about their furniture and interior concerns from the comfort of their own home. Customers can make contact in whichever way is more convenient for them, either by telephone, by LINE, or on Zoom (video call). In this way, the Group is developing ways to assist customers, with products, interiors, and rooms, so they can lead a more comfortable life. Since the service began, the number of remote consultations has steadily increased, and as such, the Group will continue to make proposals that meet the needs of its customers.
A typical remote consultation on LINE
At YAMADA HOLDINGS, we have installed sanitary boxes in men's toilets at all YAMADA DENKI stores nationwide for individuals who use urinary leakage pads or adult diapers due to illnesses such as prostate cancer or aging. Concerns about the lack of disposal location for diapers and pads, especially when away from home, have garnered attention from municipalities nationwide. YAMADA DENKI began installation in 2022 and has since equipped all stores except those with shared toilets in shopping malls. Moving forward, we are committed to addressing social issues to ensure all customers enjoy a comfortable shopping experience.
YAMADA HOLDINGS is implementing the "Quiet Hour" to provide a comfortable shopping for people with sensory sensitivities. "Quiet Hour" is an initiative such as cutting store background music and announcements, as well as dimming lights, for a certain period, catering to those sensitive to sound and light. While "Quiet Hour" has been regularly held at the YAMADA DENKI Tecc Land Sagamihara store since May 2023, it will expand to 18 stores in Kanagawa Prefecture starting February 2024, aiming to create more comfortable environments for a wider range of customers.