More Japanese Customer Service


Story One: The Gas Station

We went for a walk on Saturday with the kid. We're still doing lots of errands to get all kinds of crap. It's never ending. Moving sucks. Anyway, as we waited for the light to change on this one corner, I was glued to the scene unfolding at the gas station right in front of me. It was a long light, so I could really pay attention. Cars would drive in to one of four bays. It was a pretty big station. Eight pumps. Someone greeted each car with a bow and a smile. Each car, that's correct. Next the door window lowered and some words were exchanged. Then the station attendant -- that's the greeter I'm talking about -- put gas in each car and while the fuel was flowing he washed the windows and the mirrors. All the windows and both mirrors. Each car had its own attendant, by the way. I've never seen the mirror bit, too, so that part fascinated me. And all the windows? Even the side windows? That's what I saw. Wild.

Now, my mother and father told me that this behavior was really quite common in the United States in the 1950s when service really meant something. But personally, I've never see it. No matter. I don't own a car here in Japan, so this really doesn't matter much. However. I had to wonder. How much does that pervasive service bump up the price of a gallon of gas here in Japan? Or, a liter, I mean. I did the conversion, and the gas at this station was about $5.75 a gallon. At that price, I'd expect some nice service! But I don't know how much of the price is the service. I suspect not very much. But even if it's, say, .30 or .40 cents a gallon, then I think there's plenty of room for improved service in the markets where gas is still dirt cheap, like San Francisco and Los Angeles and New York.

Story Two: The Book Store

I'm taking a class in Japanese. Go figure. So, I had to get my text book last week at a book store right near where I work. Very convenient. Two books, actually. A text book and a work book. After some pain in asking for the books in English to some very kind people who spoke only Japanese, I finally got my books and walked up to the counter to pay. The young woman said a bunch of stuff and smiled. I just smiled. I gave her my books and she scanned them. They came to about $35 or so. But in yen, of course. So, I put 5000 yen in the nice leather tray she put before me. And then something really cool happened -- she started wrapping my books. And I'm talking really wrapping like someone who knows how to wrap. Perfect edges. Crisp corners. Nice and tight. I didn't ask for this, mind you. Actually, I couldn't ask for this, so it must be part of the deal. Now, you should also know that the books already had perfectly lovely covers. In fact, the books were beautiful. Perfect typography. Nice paper stock. Beautiful printing, design, and layout. Some genuine care clearly went into producing these two books, and that care was clearly extended to the person wrapping them for final delivery. After they were wrapped, the books were carefully placed in a beautiful -- yet understated -- bag and then carefully handed to me. Then I got my change delivered in the leather tray. Bills and coins all lined up. I'm not kidding.

This entire final delivery system wasn't simply an exchange of goods for cash. It was more like an artist proudly offering a piece of her work. And at no time did any of this seem forced or insincere of over the top. It just seemed really rather normal for them to do this. So, I took the bag, smiled, and walked out. Now, do you think I'm going to take better care of those books? Absolutely. They were well cared for -- double wrapped and everything -- before I got them, and I have the distinct feeling that I'm expected to also care for them.

Amazing. On so many levels ...

Sep 05, 2006

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Comments:

Jim, It sounds like a very slack gas station for Japan. Some places want to clean your floor mats and empty your ash tray (if you smoke). The ash tray eithen if your give them an empty tray (I don't smoke), it comes back with little multi-colored plastic balls. I presume they do something! Also when you have finished the attendant will dive out into the street and stop the traffic to let you depart safely (With a bow of course). A friend of mine after living a few years in Japan, concluded that you can not complain about the service back at home, because compared to Japan the isn't any.

Posted by Doug Scott on September 05, 2006 at 01:10 AM JST #

I remember when the movie back to the future came out and the whole theatre laughed when the staion attendants came running out to service the car.

The few times I've been to Japan (4)I've noticed an overall higher level of respect for what one does for a living on both sides of the transaction.

While there are still some good examples of service in the states (Four Seasons, Nordstroms), one almosts feels embarrased (or astonished) when they receive it.

Posted by ThinGuy on September 05, 2006 at 01:40 AM JST #

Sun could learn a lot from your second story. its all about the packaging. Sun is already making progress in this area- but how do you take the industrial design of your packaging to the next level? how do you make it "green" and beautifully designed?

Posted by james governor on September 05, 2006 at 06:45 PM JST #

Excessive packaging?

Packaging should be minimal (think green) and functional.

Posted by Amit Kulkarni on September 08, 2006 at 03:56 AM JST #

Doug ... that is amazing. My goodness. I'll have to find a station like that when I get a car. :) I'm starting to get used to this level of service now. And it's making me reevaluate and improve *my* level of service!

Posted by Jim Grisanzio on September 08, 2006 at 11:03 PM JST #

Amit ... I agree. Sometimes they go overboard with the packaging, which is a problem since in only increases what you have to recycle (and everything is recycled!). They can still make it beautiful, but perhaps cut down on the layers a bit. :)

Posted by Jim Grisanzio on September 08, 2006 at 11:07 PM JST #

TG ... interesting comment. I see many examples of equality here as well as good ol' discrimination. There are traditional cultural things around gender that really are badly outdated, but economically I see a major flattering effect. Which is very, very refreshing. For instance, in the states, money matters greatly. The classes don't mix at all. You can see in in the construction of the homes and the layouts of the towns and cities. But here there is much less of an emphasis on that. I see people of great means living right along side people living in what I would consider a shack. But, *they* don't consider it a shack, and that's the key. I don't know what this is yet, so I can't explain it properly. But I see it all day every day. Money and status have very a different meaning here. The same thing with religion. Buddhism mixing seamlessly with Shintoism. No one cares. No fighting. Both are embraced. Respect and courtesy pervade many things here. It's not perfect, obviously, but it's very, very different is some key ways.

Posted by Jim Grisanzio on September 08, 2006 at 11:20 PM JST #

James ... you are so right. :) I can remember being in some all hands meeting a few years ago where Scott was commenting about this. He was complaining that the logos on our products were all too small. After that, the logos got very much bigger and bolder. Which really forces you to look at the box from a design perspective. Make it beautiful. There's no reason why a server or workstation can't be beautiful. Apple's are, after all. So, I think some of our stuff is improving, but I still can't for the life of me understand how any of our products are named. Crazy. Naming goes directly to design as well.

Posted by Jim Grisanzio on September 08, 2006 at 11:28 PM JST #

Japan's sercise is really good. Ito-yokato,a japanese superstore has set 10 stores in China (I'm from China). To my suprise that many seniors who use to hate Japan adopt the superstores. I've put some suggestions in its contact-box. They called me and thanked me. Last year, some customers were invited to Ito's customer meet, included me. Anyway, I like it, so does my mum^^

Posted by Sealin Kim on March 15, 2008 at 11:26 AM JST #

Sealin ... yes, I've been to China many times an I've seen the Japanese stores there. :) I'm glad that the service is good there, too, and if that helps ease some old wounds that's wonderful. There are actually a fair number of Japanese living in China from what I hear, and I know there are a lot of Chinese living in Japan (Chinatown in Yokohama). And, of course, China and Japan are now top trade partners now.

Posted by Jim Grisanzio on March 15, 2008 at 11:56 AM JST #

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