The cost of omotenashi

[Samurai_Jerk]

Japan's Famous Hospitality Is Keeping Productivity at Lowest in G-7

Customers are gods, as a saying goes in Japan, where staff press buttons for shoppers in department store elevators and hotel porters line up to bow to guests.

While Japan is revered for this hospitality, or omotenashi, all that bowing and scraping may be sapping productivity. So much so that the nation has ranked lowest of the Group of Seven nations by that measure for nearly 30 years.

[...]

“Success in raising the productivity of the service industry depends on whether we can get technology into service companies,” said Hidenobu Tokuda, a senior economist at Mizuho Research Institute Ltd. in Tokyo. “The problem is that service companies tend to be small, and unlike big manufacturers it’s tough for them to afford the initial investment of introducing technology.”

[...]

“While omotenashi raises the quality of services, it requires a lot of time and effort,” said Yasuhiro Kiuchi, a senior researcher at the Japan Productivity Center in Tokyo. “It’ll be hard to change this culture, but Japan has the inventiveness to make use of IT or improve efficiencies without customers noticing.”

[wagyl]

Japan has the inventiveness to make use of IT or improve efficiencies without customers noticing.

Can't argue with that! I haven't noticed any use of IT or improved efficiencies as a customer!

[Russell]

They could replace an elevator button presser by a robot.

That can be activated by pressing a button...

[Samurai_Jerk]

How about a voice activated elevator?

[wuchan]

How about a voice activated elevator?

but you shouldn't talk in the lift, that's what the sign says....

[Russell]

How about a voice activated elevator?

but you shouldn't talk in the lift, that's what the sign says....

So, it is back to a button-pressing robot again, activated by a press of the button...

[matsuki]

I dunno, the push button ordering at some cheaper restaurants is pretty terrible....and I'm sure it costs a fortune. Instead of touch screen units, they seem to want to keep the button per item mentality and then chaos ensues if you need to order an item that doesn't have a button. I definitely noticed how annoying it became to order 牛皿 at Matsuya once they switched over. Order/pay at the machine, then order/pay again at the window is not exactly an improved experience.

Speaking of omotenashi...there was a real mean looking woman in the middle of Donki last night...too bothered to hunt down a staff herself, she was just obnoxiously yelling "SUMIMASEN!" over and over....I got the stink eye when I laughed at her. (by that point she was going on for a few minutes) Customer is god? How about pointing out when the customer is being unreasonable?

[kurogane]

Japan has the inventiveness to make use of IT or improve efficiencies without customers noticing.

Can't argue with that! I haven't noticed any use of IT or improved efficiencies as a customer!

So, just peeving a bit here: is it just me or does Omotenashi!!! not just mean Hospitality, like the type I receive anywhere in Canadia outside of Banjo Land? This whole ruckus reminds me of the Mottainai debate. I find the types of service they mention to be pleasant if a touch cloying, I haven't had a button pressed for me in years even at higher end places, and I have always had plenty of complaints and doubts about the content and nature of Japanese customer service when something goes wrong and needs to be rectified. So, A) shouldn't this just be in the Newbie Reporter Discovers Japan Thread (;)), and B) WTF is with all the hullabaloo over Japanese Hospitality Industry service? My theory is that Japanese customers are just used to it but White People really really like it when brown people fawn over them (and they do that well); has anybody ever had such mind blowing hospitality they couldn't imagine receiving that anywhere else (outside of the UK, of course)?

Now, as for the productivity issue: sounds bog standard for any Japanese industry outside of high end manufacturing, and how on earth are they going to accommodate this coming flood of foreign customers that don't take well to being told to be satisfied with what they get and actually expect to have their problems and issues dealt with not just apologised for?

[Samurai_Jerk]

So, just peeving a bit here: is it just me or does Omotenashi!!! not just mean Hospitality, like the type I receive anywhere in Canadia outside of Banjo Land? This whole ruckus reminds me of the Mottainai debate. I find the types of service they mention to be pleasant if a touch cloying, I haven't had a button pressed for me in years even at higher end places, and I have always had plenty of complaints and doubts about the content and nature of Japanese customer service when something goes wrong and needs to be rectified. So, A) shouldn't this just be in the Newbie Reporter Discovers Japan Thread (;)), and B) WTF is with all the hullabaloo over Japanese Hospitality Industry service? My theory is that Japanese customers are just used to it but White People really really like it when brown people fawn over them (and they do that well); has anybody ever had such mind blowing hospitality they couldn't imagine receiving that anywhere else (outside of the UK, of course)?

Thank you. I've always thought customer service in Japan is overrated. Especially in restaurants. Yes, they're polite but they're often slow, make lots of mistakes, and aren't very good at getting everyone's order on the table at the same time. And like you said all bets are off when something goes wrong. Same with making special orders (can I get that without onions?). Plus you have to scream to get the waiter's attention. There are plenty of exceptions to this and I get great service at high-end restaurants and my local watering holes but overall I think the US wins in this particular category.

One place where I think Japan excels is parcel delivery and having somebody stop by your place to repair something or install Internet service, etc. They generally give you a two to three hour window and stick to it. On the rare occasions where they've been late they always called me to let me know and it's never been more than 30 mins. I don't now if things have improved in the US but as recently as the mid 2000's you had to block off a whole day if you were expecting the cable guy or a UPS delivery.

Though I'm sure there are white people that get off on having little yellow people in tradition costumes bow to them, I'm not sure about your theory since people from all over the world of all different shades seems to have a boner for Japanese service. Especially other Asians. Though given the shitty hospitality in lot of their countries I understand. My friends from the US have been most impressed with the fact that you get that level of service without the tipping.

That reminds me of the last time I flew out of JFK which I now try to avoid at all cost. I did roadside check in and the skycap repeated several times in his Caribbean accent as he was taking my luggage, "I'll take very good care of your bag, sir." I thought the guy was mental till I realized he was fishing for a tip. I had totally forgotten you're supposed to tip those guys. Implicit in his statement was that if I didn't tip him my bad wouldn't be so well taken care of. I gave him a five for one bag since that was the smallest bill I had. I think the standard is two dollars a bag. JFK is the worst third-world shithole airport I've been to yet.

[wagyl]

.... a nice bag you've got there. It would be a shame if anything happened to it.

Coming from a non tipping culture, that is the first thing that ever comes to mind in that situation. Intellectually I know it is because employers are paying minimum wage or under, but it just seems like the system was designed to be broken from the start.

Every culture has different standards of service, and different expectations. Back in tip-land, I get to feel like I am being suffocated with some of the cloying stuff that goes on to make an impression and in an attempt to boost tips. Maybe the locals like it and expect it, I don't know, but I do not fucking care that your name is Stacey and that you will be my server today, nor do I respond to smiley faces drawn on the bottom of dockets. Am I enjoying my meal? A quick look at my facial expression and how clear the plate is will tell you more than any platitudes I spout back, and I would prefer not to have to break off my conversation with my dining companions to spout them. I didn't go out to be pestered by you, and you can be sure that I would pipe up if something was wrong*.

* Actually, this is a lie. I would keep silent, brood darkly, and just never go back to your establishment ever again. But that doesn't mean that I would tell you what I was brooding about when Stacey-on-uppers chirps away either. Unless it was a really big thing, I get the impression that her actions to remedy things would just result in even longer in her cloying presence.

[matsuki]

Plus you have to scream to get the waiter's attention.

I've never understood this...the table bells are awesome, and the touch screen ordering at izakaya and yakiniku places makes things easy...but having to flag down service by screaming "sumimasen!" is really annoying...especially at the higher end places. That being said, the enthusiasm (feigned or not) and smiles usually make things a bit more pleasant than the "having a bad day...like every other day" workers you often encounter in the US.

Both you guys pointed it out but I think the real test for customer service is when things go wrong. In that area, while there are exceptions, Japanese customer service tends to be pretty terrible and do more bowing/apologizing/gestures of appriciation rather than tangibly rectifying the situation. If I have the choice, dealing with the US-side operations over the Japanese-side when shit went wrong has always left me more satisfied and willing to use the company again.

Oh, and fuck tipping.

[yanpa]

Oh, and fuck tipping.

Save mutual embarrassment by sliding a note under her pillow while she's alseep/in the bathroom.

[Samurai_Jerk]

Oh, and fuck tipping.

Save mutual embarrassment by sliding a note under her pillow while she's alseep/in the bathroom.

[matsuki]

That's one area where I gots there probably aren't many complaints about customer "service"

[inflames]

Speaking of innovations, I still can't use the machine to get a new passbook at Mizuho - apparently the fact my name isn't in katakana means I can't use it (that's what they said).

When I was paying my tuition, I couldn't use online banking, nor could I use the ATM to pay it - I had to go to the counter to pay without fees (the fee for sending money).

[Russell]

.... a nice bag you've got there. It would be a shame if anything happened to it.

Coming from a non tipping culture, that is the first thing that ever comes to mind in that situation. Intellectually I know it is because employers are paying minimum wage or under, but it just seems like the system was designed to be broken from the start.

Every culture has different standards of service, and different expectations. Back in tip-land, I get to feel like I am being suffocated with some of the cloying stuff that goes on to make an impression and in an attempt to boost tips. Maybe the locals like it and expect it, I don't know, but I do not fucking care that your name is Stacey and that you will be my server today, nor do I respond to smiley faces drawn on the bottom of dockets. Am I enjoying my meal? A quick look at my facial expression and how clear the plate is will tell you more than any platitudes I spout back, and I would prefer not to have to break off my conversation with my dining companions to spout them. I didn't go out to be pestered by you, and you can be sure that I would pipe up if something was wrong*.

* Actually, this is a lie. I would keep silent, brood darkly, and just never go back to your establishment ever again. But that doesn't mean that I would tell you what I was brooding about when Stacey-on-uppers chirps away either. Unless it was a really big thing, I get the impression that her actions to remedy things would just result in even longer in her cloying presence.

I remember a couple of decades ago some Dutchman on a newsgroup commented that "when a waiter/waitress was friendly, he would return the favor by being friendly back to him/her".

As we Dutchmen say "Vriendelijkheid kost geen geld"*.

* Friendliness does not cost any money

[kurogane]

Both you guys pointed it out but I think the real test for customer service is when things go wrong. In that area, while there are exceptions, Japanese customer service tends to be pretty terrible and do more bowing/apologizing/gestures of appriciation rather than tangibly rectifying the situation. .

Yes, that is my only real complaint: there is a marked paucity of tangible rectification of situational imprecisions that engenders a marked level of personal dissatisfaction with the systematic particularities under discussion. So marked one might almost think they're just saying FU with a smile. Other than that the lingusitic bootlicking and fawning seems a touch overwrought but is certainly sweet enough. And not having to tip is quite a treat. Quite a treat. We're up to 25% as Normal in parts of Vancouver I frequent. I have friends that won't tip less than 30%. OOOKkkkkkkkkk

[Russell]

Robot porter, check-in staff at innovative Sasebo hotel

From the receptionist that does the check-in and check-out to the porter that’s an automated trolley taking luggage up to the room, this hotel in Nagasaki Prefecture, aptly called Weird Hotel, is “manned” almost totally by robots to save labor costs.

Hideo Sawada, who runs the hotel as part of the Huis Ten Bosch amusement park, insists using robots is not a gimmick but a serious effort to utilize technology and achieve efficiency.

The receptionist robot that speaks in English is a vicious-looking dinosaur, and the one that speaks Japanese is a female humanoid with blinking lashes.

“If you want to check in, push one,” the dinosaur says. The visitor still has to punch a button on the desk, and type in information on a touch panel screen.

Henn na Hotel, as it is named in Japanese, was shown to reporters Wednesday, complete with robot demonstrations, ahead of its opening to the public Friday.

Another feature of the hotel is the use of facial recognition technology, instead of the standard electronic keys, by registering the digital image of the guest’s face during check-in.

The reason? Robots aren’t good at finding keys if people happen to lose them.

A giant robotic arm, usually seen in manufacturing, is encased in glass quarters in the corner of the lobby. It lifts one of the boxes stacked into the wall and puts it out through a space in the glass, where a guest can place an item in it, to use as a locker.

The arm will put the box back into the wall, until the guest wants it again. The system is called “robot cloak room.”

Why a simple coin locker won’t do isn’t the point.

“I wanted to highlight innovation,” Sawada said. “I also wanted to do something about hotel prices going up.”

Staying at Henn na Hotel starts at ¥9,000, a bargain for Japan, where a stay in one of the nicer hotels can easily cost twice or three times that much.

The concierge is a doll-like hairless robot with voice recognition that prattles breakfast and event information. It can’t call a cab or do other errands.

Japan is a world leader in robotics technology, and the government is trumpeting robotics as a pillar of its growth strategy. Robots have long been used here in manufacturing. But interest is also high in exploring the potential of robots in human interaction, including helping care for the elderly.

Robotics is also key in the decommissioning of the three reactors at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant.

One area that Henn na Hotel still relies on human beings is security.

The place is dotted with security cameras, and real people are watching everything through a monitor to make sure guests stay safe and no one makes off with one of the expensive robots.

“And they still can’t make beds,” said Sawada, who has also engineered the rise of a popular affordable travel agency.

He has big ambitions for his robot hotel concept and wants to open another one soon in Japan, and later abroad. He is also eager to add other languages, such as Chinese and Korean, to the robots’ vocabulary.

A block-shaped robot that was scuttling around in the lobby had been brought in to do room service, delivering beverages and simple snacks. But it wasn’t ready to do that yet.

Outdoors, Sawada demonstrated a drone that flew in to deliver a few small jars filled with snacks. He said he wants to eventually have drones perform in shows for guests.

In the hotel’s rooms, a lamp-size robot in the shape of a fat pink tulip called Tuly answers simple questions like, “What time is it?” and “What is the weather tomorrow?”

You can also tell it to turn the room lights on or off. There are no switches on the walls.

Sawada is keeping the hotel half-filled for the first few weeks to make sure nothing goes wrong.

He also canceled at the last minute the overnight stay planned for media. The robots simply weren’t ready.

More

[wagyl]

You can also tell it to turn the room lights on or off. There are no switches on the walls.

I am no Scot, but I can see myself shouting "Freedom!"

[kurogane]

Staying at Henn na Hotel starts at ¥9,000, a bargain for Japan, where a stay in one of the nicer hotels can easily cost twice or three times that much.

A) or half that, depending on your definition of nicer
B) a stay in a similar "nicer hotel" in any other large World City can easily cost 5 times that. And Vancouver too, which is a grossly exaggerated village by the sea in comparison (current city proper population = 600,000)

Crossfile to Newbie Reporter Dicovers Japan thread................................ This could be as big a hit as that Robot Wars restaraunt in Shunjuku. If it weren't in Sasaboo. Sounds like a waking nightmare to me. Who wants to talk to their utilities?

[wagyl]

Staying at Henn na Hotel starts at ¥9,000, a bargain for Japan, where a stay in one of the nicer hotels can easily cost twice or three times that much.

A) or half that, depending on your definition of nicer

The journalist had to put that line in, to get his expenses past the accounts department. He also had to note that he wasn't able to get a freebie that night he expected it.

[kurogane]

A cynically sympathetic take. I am sticking with the situational stupidity travel and tourism engender. The number of times last summer I heard How Expensive Japan Is! from Brits, Germans and Scandowegians makes me think that there actually is a Brain Check at Haneda and Narita. It certainly seems to help them crow and fuss about the service and about how far ahead Japan is. Especially in Anime and Manga. OOOOkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk

[Samurai_Jerk]

Staying at Henn na Hotel starts at ¥9,000, a bargain for Japan, where a stay in one of the nicer hotels can easily cost twice or three times that much.

A) or half that, depending on your definition of nicer
B) a stay in a similar "nicer hotel" in any other large World City can easily cost 5 times that. And Vancouver too, which is a grossly exaggerated village by the sea in comparison (current city proper population = 600,000)

Crossfile to Newbie Reporter Dicovers Japan thread................................ This could be as big a hit as that Robot Wars restaraunt in Shunjuku. If it weren't in Sasaboo. Sounds like a waking nightmare to me. Who wants to talk to their utilities?

Maybe Sasebo hotels are overpriced because of all the big money navy guys throw around.

[kurogane]

Yeah..........................those big spending boat jockeys I forgot Sosabee was Navy. Those guys are weird. Not just stupid and creepy, but weirdo kill babies weird. One more good reason to not go anyways.

[Mike Oxlong]

Japan Actually Lacking in "Omotenashi" Hospitality
British Company Owner Acquainted with Kyoto Advises Bitterly

The number of foreign tourists continues to increase. It appears Japan is steadily moving toward its goal of 20 million foreign visitors annually in anticipation of the approaching 2020 Tokyo Olympics. However, David Atkinson airs objections to the present situation in his new book titled "British Analyst Nihon no Kokuho wo Mamoru," or a British analyst conserves Japanese national treasures, published by Kodansha +alpha Shinsho. He made an unprecedented career change from working at a major U.S. securities company to becoming the president of a long-established restoration company for Japanese cultural properties. He says, "The Japanese sightseeing industry is lacking in hospitality, the so-called 'Omotenashi' in Japanese." The former analyst who has lived in Japan for 25 years, owns "Machiya," or a traditional Kyoto townhouse in Kyoto City, and is also knowledgeable about tea ceremony, offers his opinions about Kyoto sightseeing.


Responses Appropriate to Guests' Requests Are Necessary

"O-Mo-Te-Na-Shi." The speech by Christel Takigawa, who took the stage as a presenter for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games' bid at the IOC (International Olympic Committee) meeting last September, has been frequently featured on TV or in newspapers. Atkinson felt uncomfortable with the excitement in Japan as if Japanese hospitality was special enough to receive a high evaluation in the IOC qualifying competition.

"Foreigners are impressed by Japanese people's individual consideration such as guiding tourists, but they give the service of accommodations and restaurants little credit." In fact, some unilateral and inflexible treatments are severely criticized.

He describes his own experience as an example. When he worked for the Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., he went to Hakone on a two-day trip in order to show his important clients a sightseeing spot of Japan. Their accommodation was a prestigious, long-established Japanese inn. He and his clients expected to fully savor Japanese "Omotenashi" hospitality.

They arrived at the hotel ahead of schedule, so he asked the proprietress of the inn to allow his clients, who were tired from the long journey, to rest in their rooms. She persistently replied, "Check-in time is at 3:00 p.m." Although the rooms were already cleaned and available, they were not allowed to enter them. With nothing to do but wait, they tried to have lunch at the French restaurant within the inn. Next they were told, "Our restaurant is exclusive for guests." They were not allowed to enter the restaurant because they had not checked into the hotel.

Atkinson said, "The services of Japanese upscale inns give priority to the suppliers in general. Japanese hospitality has no sense of adapting to the guests."

He also said that the closing time of the restaurants surprised him. European restaurants generally have no fixed closing time. Even if staff indirectly prompts customers who've stayed for a long time to leave, for example by asking if they have any additional orders, they never directly tell the customers the closing time as is done in Japan.

"Japanese people should begin by correctly acknowledging the nature of their hospitality."

http://www.kyoto-np.co.jp/kp/topics/eng ... 12-05.html

[Russell]

Japan Actually Lacking in "Omotenashi" Hospitality
British Company Owner Acquainted with Kyoto Advises Bitterly

http://www.kyoto-np.co.jp/kp/topics/eng ... 12-05.html

Some good points in that article.

Try to get a boiled egg in a hotel or restaurant in Japan. They can't do it, even if you tell them how to boil it...

[legion]

He describes his own experience as an example. When he worked for the Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., he went to Hakone on a two-day trip in order to show his important clients a sightseeing spot of Japan. Their accommodation was a prestigious, long-established Japanese inn. He and his clients expected to fully savor Japanese "Omotenashi" hospitality.

Going to Hakone for sightseeing and expects preferential treatment, fucking noob.

Hakone is a weekend getaway for people cheating on their spouses, the "attractions" are tacky shite, the scenery mediocre packaging, the hotels a facade. "long established" means we don't need your custom asshole, you are lucky we even let your smelly hairy gaijin ass sit on our overstuffed reception area armchairs. It's a glorified convenience store, a tourist resort for the floaters.

[yanpa]

the "attractions" are tacky shite

Clearly you do not appreciate the subtle beauty of a fake pirate ship.

[wuchan]

I have a feeling that the 2020 olympics will end up being a huge black eye for japan. For any other arrogant nation it would be a good thing but in the case of Japan, it will just be like that dude that got knocked out for running around naked in front of small children; "da world don undastand ourz unikque kulturez!"

The longer I am here the more I understand why things are falling apart.

A really good example, this week we booked a ski trip. This is the first time we decided to be dumb enough to try to do it during the national mandatory week long vacation at the end of december. We waited too long and choices were few, our fault but that's not the point of the story. I found some places using English based websites but Mrs. Wu thought she could get a better deal in Japanese. Nope. One thing I couldn't do in Ego was secure a ski+stay, I could only find stay. In Japanese it was possible but the +ski was 50,000 yen more, yes 五万円 FOR ONE DAY. The wanted 5man for tickets and rental for three people. My point here is Japanese people are too dumb to search for the prices. Lift is 4,000 a day for adults 2,500 for kids and rental is 1,500. So for one day if we all needed rental the mountain costs 16,500. Why is it 5man? Because people are dumb and don't check. Why didn't the english site have the package? Because English speakers would figure it out over the course of their say and ask WTF?.

I have come across this many times, this is just the example of the month.

So, why do the resorts have to do these things? Probably because the average J-household only pulls in 5 million yen. While the entire world has gotten more expensive, no one in Japan has received a raise. I had a young guy tell me this week that he would be totally happy with 4 million yen, he has 3 kids. These people don't know that they are being fucked. It's sad.


sorry.....

/rant

[Coligny]

I
So, why do the resorts have to do these things? Probably because the average J-household only pulls in 5 million yen. While the entire world has gotten more expensive, no one in Japan has received a raise. I had a young guy tell me this week that he would be totally happy with 4 million yen, he has 3 kids. These people don't know that they are being fucked. It's sad.

Per month that would be ok. With 3 cats...

3 kids, not so sure...