By: Esther Lam, Ryan Tilley and Mark Catbagan
http://i.yimg.jp/images/tbv/img/news/201710/Detail/Omotenashi.jpg
Welcome, to Konichi-WOW!, where we discuss what we find fascinating and incredible about Japan! For today’s post, we’ll be diving into hospitality/the service industry in Japan, which actually has its own name - Omotenashi.
What is it?
So what exactly does “omotenashi” mean? If we break it down, “omote” means “public face,” so this is the impression that you give to the world. “Nashi” means “nothing,” so essentially, omotenashi translates to wholehearted service, where you are completely honest, with pure intentions.
Two major aspects that define omotenashi are selflessness and anticipation. This means that when you receive service in japan, your servers do not expect anything in return. In fact, they will refuse your tips! We think that this is pretty astounding, as this means they all truly believe in the spirit of omotenashi, which is very refreshing to see!
A great phrase that encompasses the spirit behind omotenashi is “ichigo ichie,” which directly translates to “one time, one meeting.” With this in mind, it really helps to understand how to treat each interaction you have with every individual, as if it were the one and only time you would every see this person again, which is why it is of utmost importance that you make a good impression. In our western culture, a common phrase we hear is, “First impressions matter!” But what we find different about Japanese culture is that they treat their first meetings, as if they’re also their last meetings, which takes it even further when it comes to service in the hospitality industry.
There is evidence all over Japan that shows just how they exceed in just about every aspect of service. It's not uncommon to find toothpicks bundled with your disposable chopsticks. The ATMs in Japan even have holders for your bags or umbrella so you can withdraw money without placing your goods on the ground. These examples are just minor displays of omotenashi! Are you ready for the WOW in Konichi-WOW? Here we go!
https://ideaforliving.info/product/zhiguanjia-takeaway-cutlery-chopsticks-spoon-toothpick-napkins-paper-disposable-chopsticks-1905527.html
You can also expect your taxi driver, equipped with white gloves, to open the door for you before and after your commute. Once the vehicle is stopped, the drivers are quick, getting around the vehicle to let you out so you can continue with your day. Your time is precious and Japan understands that. This probably goes without saying, but in western culture, you would be hard pressed to find a cab driver who would serve you like this. This lavish attention seems to only be enjoyed by the wealthy in movies, but in Japan, everybody gets the movie star treatment!
https://motherboard-images.vice.com/content-images/contentimage/34203/1464783262307102.JPG
We found this next example to be quite amazing. If you happen to find yourself near a department store in the early morning hours, then you will want to take a quick peek inside when it opens. The first customers of the day are greeted with bows, as well as the polite standard, “Irasshaimase!”, which means “Welcome to the store!” Walking past the employees, bent forward in a bow toward you, evokes feelings of insisting servitude. You really feel as though everything the employees do, is at your behest. The length and attention to detail that the Japanese strive to achieve in customer service is so over the top, that tourists are sometimes confused as to why they are getting treated so politely. Obviously, though, those are tourists that have not been in Japan for very long!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1K_UvEOFHg
Another style of omotenashi is called “Non-talking service.” We found this one to be quite innovative. Have you ever gone to a big department store where multiple employees ask you if you need any assistance finding something, only to find yourself repeating, “No thanks, I’m fine” over and over? The non-talking service was implemented to eliminate this issue.
http://jpninfo.com/4151
As they enter the store, shoppers pick a bracelet. When you find yourself with little time and want to buy your item quickly and be on your way, you would wear the white one. If you happen to be someone who enjoys having assistance from staff, choose the green one. If you fancy yourself a more leisurely shopper and are just shopping around more casually, equip the pink one. The non-talking service is an excellent demonstration of how broad and diverse omotenashi is. This is a system we would love to see implemented in western culture. It really displays the amount of consideration for their customers that the establishment offers.
An example of omotenashi in restaurants specifically, would be the sushi bar! This literal lack of hiding behind a kitchen wall means that the guests can see exactly how their food is prepared, who is making their food, and chefs get to interact directly with their guests. This means that a guest’s dining experience here is truly personal, as connections are made.
https://guide.michelin.sg/en/omotenashi
A great example of truly going above and beyond is when someone once bought a large roll of plastic film at a Japanese department store. This roll was too large to fit in any of the store’s plastic bags, but instead of just leaving the guest to walk out with the roll in their hands, as many of us would end up doing here, the staff really displayed omotenashi. They created a personalized carrier for the guest, even asking if they would prefer to hold it horizontally or vertically, so they could place the handles appropriately. Everything is done for the convenience of the guest, to make their shopping experiences as easy as possible. We continue to applaud and be in awe of Japan’s extreme yet fantastic displays of hospitality.
Tadashi Yanai, CEO of Uniqlo says, “There is customer service, and then there is Japanese customer service.” Before opening their new store in Australia, Uniqlo spent an entire year training their staff to their high standards. This really goes to show how important customer service is to Japan. They actually also send foreign staff to Japan, to teach them “Japanese customer service,” which seems to be on an entirely different level!
https://www.uniqlo.com/us/en/stores-details/?StoreID=10200039
Hoshino Resorts in Japan, a company that owns 35 resorts, is unique in the fact that their staff don’t actually have specific roles. Here, we have staff in various departments, such as front desk, housekeeping, or food and beverage. At Hoshino Resorts, their staff are actually trained across all departments, so similar to a jack-of-all-trades mentality, every staff has knowledge about anything a guest would have concerns about.
What we find amazing about this is that this means a guest could walk up to any staff member, and get help on exactly what they need, without any redirecting to the right person/department, which makes each resort guest’s stay so much more enjoyable.
https://www.en-aomori.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/240_kaitsugaru_01.jpg
After having discovered just how phenomenal Japan’s take on hospitality is, with so many diverse examples, yet all fully embracing the omotenashi philosophy, we cannot help but yearn for more, here back in the reality that isn’t Japan! As great as hospitality is, here in our western culture, we really believe that we can all continue to grow, as we learn from Japan. If you ever want to feel special, just head on over to Japan, where everybody is a VIP!
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REFERENCES:
Do You Really Know What is Japanese Omotenashi? (2018, January 26). Retrieved February 03, 2018, from http://cotoacademy.com/omotenashi/
Proctor, M. (2015, June 10). Omonetashi: Japanese Hospitality and Etiquette. Retrieved February 03, 2018, from https://takelessons.com/blog/omotenashi-japanese-hospitality-and-etiquette-z05
Omotenashi: The Reason Why Japanese Hospitality Is Different. (2017, April 04). Retrieved February 03, 2018, from https://guide.michelin.sg/en/omotenashi
The business of 'omotenashi'. (2014, May 04). Retrieved February 04, 2018, from https://japantoday.com/category/features/opinions/the-business-of-omotenashi
Lim, B. (2017, May 29). Interest in Japanese hospitality is growing, and this term may help explain it. Retrieved February 04, 2018, from
https://www.cnbc.com/2017/05/29/interest-in-japanese-hospitality-is-growing-and-this-term-may-help-explain-it.html
M. (2015, April 03). 3 kinds of omotenashi styles you can experience in Japan – Japan Info. Retrieved February 04, 2018, from http://jpninfo.com/4151
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Questions
1. What can the rest of the world learn from the service offered in japan?
2. Would you say that there are any downsides to providing service as they do in Japan?
3. As someone who studies hospitality, what did you find especially interesting/useful?
4. Do you think it is possible to integrate certain omotenashi aspects into our Canadian/Western hospitality? If so, which ones and why? If not, then why not?
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