I just came back from grocery shopping 5 minutes ago. I went to the Japanese grocery store Don Quixote about 3 minutes away from my condo. I don’t really like going there but because it’s close and I needed to pick up dry cleaning, I did some grocery shopping as well. I’ve got to say overall quality of customer service in the US doesn’t even come close to the quality of customer service you receive in Japan.
I used to travel to Japan quite often for my eBay business. I also work in retail so I take notice of little things like customer service and nonverbal communication and stuff.
In Japan, customer service is so important because of competition. It is so easy to take your business elsewhere and business owners know it. “The customer is always right.” holds true in Japan. (Even though the customer is wrong, you just suck it up until they leave satisfied.)
The Japanese for most part, work with a sense of urgency. They move quickly and efficiently. They don’t want to make you wait. Talking to your coworker about non work related stuff in front of customers is a no no.
There is no tipping in Japan either. Maybe I’m being too harsh but a tip is for good service at restaurants, bars and any other service industry. Not for someone taking your order at a fast food place. I am not exactly sure, but in Japan most jobs that requires tips in the US is worked by part-time workers in Japan. Waiters and waitresses among other service oriented jobs in Japan are held by students and other part-time workers. Salaried full-time workers are management or office jobs.
The level of customer service that Japan I see, in Hawaii anyway, is at higher end retail shops. Working with a sense of urgency and going beyond what is asked for is what high end retailers in the US do.
I am talking in general terms in this blog. There are people in the US at the lower end of the service industry that actually do care about their job and customers. These people are the ones that will be successful at whatever they do. At the same time, I’ve had bad service in Japan as well. (Actually just once out of so many positive experiences.)
It just goes to show, I remember that one bad experience in Japan very clearly. Bad experiences stick out because it’s disturbing, just like exceptional service sticks out because it’s so pleasurable.
