The Land of Customer Service

As originally posted on CustomerCentricSupport.com

Japan is famous for its hospitality and customer service culture. I’ve always wanted to experience this for myself, and in October I had the unique opportunity to do just that. While my trip was short, I was able to experience four different cities and absorb a full range of cultural experiences. Despite major differences in each location one thing was remarkably consistent:  incredible customer service.

So how do they do it? How can they infuse a service culture into their entire population that transcends generational gaps, wealth barriers, and stereotypes? The roots of this answer extend back hundreds, if not thousands of years, but it boils down to one key theme: respect. Below are two key lessons we can all take away from this utopia of customer service.

One of the most surprising phenomenon in Japan was how great the service was on each and every interaction, regardless of the context. We stayed in some extremely nice hotels and dined in a few unbelievable restaurants. Most would have expected top notch service – and it was. What I didn’t expect was approximately the same level of service when buying junk food at a 7/11 convenience store! The cashier would delicately place the change in my hands with extreme care and a bow. They purposefully bagged my items and handed them over with a smile. I felt extremely valued for my 75 cent purchase, proving that the service received has nothing to do with the value of the transaction. Such treatment happens by default because that’s how they treat one another.

It was a wonderful reminder that everyone deserves wonderful customer service, not because it’s a company core value or because they signed a contract, but because they’re a person.

It took about 20 minutes after landing in The States for the stark difference in (most) American service cultures to hit me. I ordered Mexican food at the airport and the employee tossed it out in front of me and walked away toward his next task. It absolutely shocked me at the time, but the ironic part is I would not have even had noticed before experiencing Japan. Like nearly everyone around him, this employee was focusing on doing his job and moving to the next task, instead of focusing on the actual human at the counter. It’s a simple paradigm shift that makes a remarkable difference.

Another thing the Japanese do better than anyone else is combining professionalism and fun to create a custom experience. One of the most unique experiences of my life so far was staying in a “Ryokan”, or traditional Japanese inn. Thousands of years of tradition culminated in an ultra-conservative service experience unlike anything else in the World. But underneath it all, the staff was an absolute blast. They didn’t let a simple barrier like language stop them from getting to know us. Once they had a read on their audience, they even started to joke about one gentleman’s especially short shorts, and they had us all rolling with laughter (even the victim himself). This demonstration of personality took the service experience from unique to unforgettable – it brings a smile to my face every time I think about it. At the heart of the Ryokan is a staff who sincerely cares about its guests and wants to create the most memorable experience possible.

One could spend a lifetime learning from the Japanese, but I’m forever grateful for these lessons and the time I did have among them. Here’s hoping we all use these lessons from the Japanese to boost service levels across the globe!