The New Service Imperative
At Rakuten, one of the key words we use to describe our level of service is “omotenashi.” It is a Japanese word use to depict a mindset of service and hospitality that is not as common in the west – and notably absent from the vending machine-like experience adopted by many western e-commerce providers. But I believe omotenashi will eventually rule the e-commerce world. And so I devote today’s post to its explanation.
At Rakuten University, our training center for Rakuten merchants, we teach omotenashi must have these elements:
Exceed expectations. Today, many see shopping online in its basic terms: you see, you buy, you receive. E-commerce providers are expected to get those things right. But that is the minimum standard. To exceed the expectation, you might need to add a small gift, special offer, a follow up note.
Tell your story. People like to buy from people. Use the Internet not just to display, sell and deliver your goods. Go beyond that and tell your story to your customer. Share your humanity.
Benchmark the competition. In fact, you should be a customer of your biggest rival so you can see what the experience is like from a customer perspective. Track the business of your rivals carefully and never become complacent about how your service compares.
Engage with the customer on the customer’s terms. Be available wherever your customer wants to be – via Twitter or Facebook or on a blog or a website.
Technology does not absolve us of human customer service efforts. If anything, the bar is raised. Technology means we can meet the basic requirements of selection, price and delivery. Now we must do more and exceed the high expectations of the e-commerce customer. That won’t be achieved by more technology. That calls for omotenashi.
My book: Marketplace 3.0
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