Nine companies announce initiatives to drive next-generation customer support at “Support DX Summit 2021”

On September 30, 2021, the Support DX Initiative (SDI), a general incorporated association, held the first online event “Support DX Summit 2021” to honor companies and activities that provide innovative customer support experiences. . This time, we will introduce the contents of the announcement of the event and the general comments from the judges.

Efforts of companies leading DX in the customer support industry

Wix.com Ltd.

Wix is ​​known as the leading developer of no-code and low-code tools that are attracting attention as the tide of non-vendor companies advances.

Wix services are used by approximately 200 million users in 190 countries around the world. Wix provides 24/7 customer care for that many users. In addition to conventional telephone support, we are working on a service that goes one step further.

In Japan, we have developed a system that returns to the user in about one minute, and has a system that allows the user to solve the problem on their own while maintaining a balance between the machine and the human. We have bases in several locations around the world, and we are always ready to respond to inquiries from Japanese users in Japanese in some country.

In addition, Wix has a mechanism called ” smart routing” that prevents users from passing around and assigns experts who are suitable for the task. In addition, we have introduced sentiment analysis, AI analyzes expressions, analyzes as structured data, and strives to improve user satisfaction.

SBI Securities Co., Ltd.

SBI SECURITIES says that individual measures can only do things within the expected range, but combining multiple measures will enable large-scale DX initiatives.

SBI SECURITIES is working on customer support by combining chatbots and web customer service tools.

In the past, it took a lot of man-hours to solve the problem, so the usage rate did not increase and the satisfaction rate was sluggish.

In addition, a chatbot appears according to the user’s stay time on the site and leads to resolution without screen transitions.

In this initiative, after masking personal information, the user’s operation screen is recorded to clarify which face the user is having trouble with, and is being used for further improvement measures.

Seven Bank, Ltd.

Seven Bank introduced the ” My Seven Bank ” app, which allows cardless deposits and withdrawals . The app was developed with the aim of creating an account that is more like a convenience store than a bank.

Normally, it takes a lot of man-hours to enter many items before opening a bank account. However, “My Seven Bank” has introduced RPA to improve the efficiency of clerical work, so you can open an account in as little as 10 minutes after applying. In addition, since you can deposit and withdraw even with a smartphone, you can trade without a card.

Pursuing user-friendliness, we design UI/UX with the motto ” simple, friendly, and easy to understand”. Seven Bank says that the app will not end once it is developed, but will proceed with development while considering security and reliability.

Yamato Transport Co., Ltd.

Yamato aims to provide a service that makes “sending” and “receiving” convenient, and is increasing digital contact points with users, such as Yamato Transport’s LINE official account.

Kuroneko Members has more than 50 million users. We are organizing the services to be provided on each channel according to the user’s purpose, such as compatibility with not only digital contact points but also analog contact points. On the web and app, you can smoothly and easily perform various procedures and inquiries, such as changing the pick-up date and pick-up location.

Yamato wanted to develop services through a channel that is familiar to users, and started offering services on LINE. We researched the conversations of sales drivers and call centers, clarified the conversation flow, and made it easier to use. We also place importance on creating experiences that blend into users’ lives, and regularly distribute original stamps.

Yamato will continue to use data to analyze user behavior and aim for a better experience.

Isetan Mitsukoshi Ltd.

Isetan Mitsukoshi is promoting the following two initiatives through digitization.

• Providing the “Best Customer Experience” by Combining Customer and Digital
• Providing “New Customer Experiences” by Digitally Deploying Group Strengths

Isetan Mitsukoshi has closed its stores due to the corona crisis. Considering what we can do in that situation, we linked LINE and zoom immediately after the declaration of a state of emergency last year and implemented a video customer service. This led to the development of the Mitsukoshi Isetan Remote Shopping App (MIRS) .

The app allows online purchases of all items in the store from anywhere. Complete the process up to purchase, such as customer service via chat, customer service on video, and payment, all in one app.

Isetan Mitsukoshi aims to build a retention business tailored to each individual by making it possible to serve customers online anytime, anywhere through application development.

Mitsui Direct General Insurance Co., Ltd.

Mitsui Direct General Insurance is working on support DX with the following three goals.

• Reform existing business and realize operational efficiency and rationalization
• Create new business models by utilizing data and digital technology
• Mutual deployment of know-how in Japan and overseas, promoting DX globally

In 2018, Mitsui Direct General Insurance introduced a chat service at its customer center to provide inquiries and support regarding procedures, as well as guidance on compensation details.

There were three hurdles in operating the chat service .

The first is to become non-voice-specific communication. With non-voice, there is a possibility that correct recognition may not be possible if the user makes a mistake. People need to be able to correctly grasp the keywords that users use.

The second is to establish a manned chat operation. By combining AI and operators, we aim to shift to digital CX (Customer Experience).

The third is user penetration. Through manned interviews with users, we found that many people did not know about the existence of chatbots, but by showing them how to use them, many users began to use them from the next time.

Mitsui Direct General Insurance has made it possible to innovate by sharing data across divisions among the customer center department, claims support department, and marketing department.

Currently (as of October 2021), the chatbot handles more than 10,000 inquiries per month. In the future, we will continue to utilize data, deepen the analysis of VoC (voice of the customer), and pursue “friendly” for users.

Benesse Corporation

Benesse is promoting DX initiatives with Kodomo Challenge and Shinkenzemi with the aim of ” omni-channelizing the mind .”

In recent years, due to the shift to digital products, the content of inquiries from parents has also changed to the communication environment and digital devices. Believing that customer support also needs to change, Benesse has begun DX in customer support with two policies.

The first is the improvement of convenience through digital contacts. We provide support for users to solve problems on their own. By linking the app and chat, the chatbot accepts inquiries and guides them to resolution. As a result, we are assigning people to tasks that only humans can do.

The second is customer support over the phone. We respond by referring to the child’s learning log at the telephone window. Due to the digital shift of products, logs are now recorded as data. By utilizing that data, the operator will respond to the guardian, so that the guardian will be able to gain a sense of trust and satisfaction.

Through these two initiatives, the number of chatbots and LINE responses increased fivefold to 670,000, achieving a 97% satisfaction rate.

Through the DX initiative, Benesse has shifted from customer support to consulting for users, and has come to provide services that are close to customers. Going forward, we will continue to improve convenience and customer support while using evolving technology.

Fukui Prefecture

Fukui Prefecture introduced a voice bot to the prefectural citizen service, enabling 24-hour response to inquiries from drivers about road regulations.

Fukui Prefecture is a heavy snowfall area, so in the winter, 1,500 trucks were stuck, and logistics could stop for several hours. As a result, many inquiries were received from drivers asking whether the road would be passable.

Under such circumstances, we responded with two axes of HP and voice bot, and achieved a response rate of 100%. Voicebot also supports dialects and local street nicknames.

Fukui Prefecture announced that the number of inquiries increased by 210% compared to before the introduction. And about 70% are solved by voicebots.

As a result, it has become possible to respond 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, so Fukui Prefecture will be able to respond to highways in the future.

Comments from judges

Kaoru Miki (Representative Director of Mick Design Works Co., Ltd.)

In the modern age of DX in customer support, there is a movement to connect customer support not only to convenience and smoothness, but also to brand impressions. It has become necessary to define the degree of casual and formal, tone and manners.

As DX progresses, it tends to become more difficult to understand the feelings of others digitally, but at this year’s “Support DX Summit 2021”, various companies have devised various ideas, and I’m looking forward to next year.

Shinichiro Isago (CEO, AI Company, LINE Corporation)

What is important in customer support DX is that the system can flexibly respond to humans, rather than humans being restricted by the convenience of the system. By creating a form like this, I realized that DX is progressing, with some of the initiatives introduced this time.

However, there is no place in Japan to introduce such efforts, and I think that today was a very good opportunity because it is a field that has lagged behind overseas. I look forward to seeing more advanced cases next time.

Kiyohiro Oki (Associate Professor, Faculty of Economics, The University of Tokyo)

I felt that the initiative introduced this time is a wonderful format that not only updates the customer experience, but also changes work styles and business models, and benefits both parties.

In addition, the efforts of the people who participated in this event are extremely influential, so in order for them to become a trigger to change the entire industry, I would like to continue to create a new form of Japanese management. I wish I could.

Yukie Osaka (Representative Director, Customer Success Promotion Association)

All of the initiatives were very stimulating, and I was able to get a good sense of how KPIs are circulating well through the DX of customer contact points, and that increasing customer support satisfaction leads to corporate success.

Also, it was impressive that a local government spokesperson this time, and when we say customer support, we think of companies, but the success of public customer support is also very important, and society as a whole is changing for the better. I thought it would be a good guidepost.

Mr. Kazuhiro Yamada (Melcoin Co., Ltd. Customer Service Department Manager)

Every presentation was very interesting, and it was a time of great transformation. My impression is that the world has been forced to update in the last year or two. The content made me feel that the new DX will also become universal.

I believe that the people who made the announcement today are leading the process of changing the customer experience to a better one, so I hope that they will continue to work to transform the entire industry. .

Mr. Ken Mishima (Google G.K. 1st Advertising Sales Headquarters Mobile Application Division Manager)

Until now, the word CS (customer support) was used, but now that CX (customer experience) has become universal and the impact of the new coronavirus has changed the “normal”. I think it’s a good trend that services that take into consideration how to tackle challenges and face issues.

From now on, I hope that we will work not only as a company but also as a horizontal collaboration, influence the customer support DX system in the world, and lead to work style reforms.

Closing remarks by Mr. Tomohiro Ishii

This “Support DX Summit 2021” is the first time, so there were some parts that were not operational, but I am grateful that we were able to hold it safely with the support of various people. As an event, we received entries from more than 30 nominated companies and many organizations.

Customer support may be seen as an unsung hero, but it plays a very important role in society, and I feel that it deserves more exposure.
So, the Support DX Summit aims to make the support world a “Cannes Film Festival”, and I hope it will become a “state-of-the-art festival” in the support world!

lastly

The first Support DX Summit 2021, which was held for the first time, focused on customer support. As a journalist, I am very honored to be able to participate in this event.

It is possible to further evolve the service with a system that “can provide feedback to the entire company by not only collecting opinions received by customer support, but also clarifying the process to arrive at that opinion.” I feel sexual.