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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Comments (22)
Khadija Amiji
I really liked the presentation and i learnt quite a bit from it. i have never experienced such culture so far but i would love to experience it once. they say Canada is very multi culture but i have so far not seen anything as such at any store nor restaurants.They should have something like this in Canada i think it will be great hospitality services.
Abhishek sandhu(300936207)
It's a great blog. It actually define what the customer service is. Japan set up a great example for the world . They actually understand the value of a customer. They are not only providing goods and services to their customers but in actual giving them a pleasant experience by not only satisfying their needs but satisfy them. It is a great way to do business and bound the customers. There even a taxi driver provide a VIP feeling to every common person. I personally think this will going to help me in every field.
It is very good blog. I was unknown about the Japanese style of service. I like the quality of the service. The most important thing I like is that they serve their customer as their own family. So I would definitely VISIT and enjoy their serve.
Mariana Pimenta (300901910)
Konichi WOW
No doubt that it is the correct mean of customer service. It is clear when the blogger said "Japanese culture is that they treat their first meetings, as if they're also their last meetings". In relation to customers there is not a second chance. If the guest did not like your service, it is done! You, probably, lost a customer. However, to work doing the best and do not expect anything in return, it is a good way to be successful. Particularly, I have never seen a service like that. It should be an amazing experience!
Good job guys. I was unknown about the Japanese service. But you have given the brief description about this service. the best thing which I like from this service is that they serve the customer as their own family. so I would definitely visit and enjoy their service. Thank you guys for giving us these information.
This Blog post has quite a sufficient and a related number of pictures that go very well with the paragraphs before and after each picture. I really liked the way the information was organized. I found myself having similar values and goals to be a hospitable human being to everyone around me growing up and have unfortunately lost touch with such values over the year.s this blog post and in-class presentation helped me reconnect I with values I used to hold dear. I found the bracelet idea to be a very cleaver way of addressing when to ask customers if they'd like help or not. I have wanted to experience hospitality from many different parts of the world; now Japan is part of my list. Thank you.
Thien Phuong Vu (300902523)
This is the blog I like the most of the blog posts. It describes in great detail the development of travel and shopping in Japan. this is a rapidly developing country in recent years. Hotels and resorts are well invested and attract a lot of tourists. They connect the hotel to the tourist attractions and shopping centers are very good, so you can both relax and can buy gifts to relatives. Japan is a country with a very special and traditional culture, which attracts a large number of tourists. Combined with the tradition of modernity through the high-end facilities at home as well as the commercial center, creating a special but harmonious for the hospitality industry and tourism here. Through this blog, i feel more and more interested in the country of the sunrise, and hope to be there on a recent occasion.
This is a great blog post.
This blog is the most interesting one that deeply attract me. When finish reading this blog, it inspires me to make a trip to Japan. I've seen many of pictures about Japanese hotel, but just about how were different types hotel look like. It's my first time to understand the whole Japanese hospitality, not just how was the hotel looks like.
Yoku yattane! – Good Job! Way to go! I found this blog interesting and learned new facts about Japanese hospitality. The examples were easy to understand and follow. The layout was simple yet inviting.
Japanese customer service seems to be unique in its own way. Firstly, the point about how taxi drivers hold the door open for you before and after your commute is very appealing. In fact, you do feel like a celebrity getting the red carpet treatment.
Secondly, the option of Non-talking service. I liked this part of the blog, where you get to wear a color-coded bracelet as you enter the store and I am sure most people can relate to this as well. I have been through this experience at the department stores and personally I would like to go shopping at any store without the staff constantly either offering me information or encouraging me to sign up for their latest points cards or membership cards. I would like to shop without anyone interrupting me as I am always on the go and get annoyed when people interrupt me. I agree that many shoppers would like this system to be implemented in the western culture.
In addition, Hoshino Resorts has done a good job by cross training their staff. Customers and guests will feel more comfortable to be in an environment where they do not have to walk around the facility to find the “concerned” personnel to help them resolve any issues or attend to their queries.
These types of features and services will definitely encourage more guests to travel to places like Japan which will undoubtedly be good for the hospitality, travel and tourism industry.
Sayonara ja mata ne.
It is a great topic, have a better understand about how good is japanese service. I don't think they are doing service what are they showing it is an attitude, what they do, what they care. The japanese service staff they make you feel good, feel more comfortable, feel more like a visitor, why? It just because they showing more respect. It is a good blog, make me want to have a experience with japenese service.
This blog is very attractive because I like Japanese culture very much. After reading this blog, I learned more about Japanese hotel travel culture. Japanese service is very humane. For example, the blog said that tourists shopping problems, the Japanese tourism industry will not let guests feel jealous and troublesome, but use different colors of bracelets to distinguish whether the guests need help. Every guest who travels will experience advanced treatment, which is not seen in other countries.
A great blog and presentation. Your team is very good at working as a team in the way you talk and introduce your topic. As a first group presented, you guys did a great job. Japan is a beautiful country with variety of culture uniquenesses. The blog shows an interesting tourism trend in Japan which is affected from hospitable indigenous people. After reading this blog, i have quite confident knowledge about Japanese culture and people which can be useful when i visit this country in the future.
Thi Ngoc Phuong Nguyen (300974055)
I really liked this blog. It helped me got to know more and amazing facts about Japanese Hospitality and Culture. On the first instant I liked the name of the blog, its deprived components and what does they mean in Japanese. The services provided and the belief of making the first impression the best one is really appreciative. Moreover, taking no tips at all really shows up that they are more into providing service for helping and making the experience count for the customers rather than earning on doing so. After reading through whole blog, I really want to experience this amazing hospitality at least one in my life.
I extremely enjoyed this blog. It helped me became acquainted with progressively and astounding realities about Japanese Hospitality and Culture. On the primary moment I preferred the name of the blog, its denied segments and what does they mean in Japanese. The administrations gave and the conviction of establishing the main connection the best one is extremely thankful. Also, taking no tips at all truly shows up that they are more into giving administration to aiding and making the most of the experience for the clients as opposed to procuring on doing as such. In the wake of perusing entire blog, I truly need to encounter this astounding friendliness no less than one in my life.
Response @ Thien Phuong Vu
Hi there Thien,
Thank you so much for your kind & supportive words! I LOVE what a great point you made, that really made me nod in agreement - "Japan is a country with a very special and traditional culture, which attracts a large number of tourists. Combined with the tradition of modernity through the high-end facilities at home as well as the commercial center, creating a special but harmonious for the hospitality industry and tourism here." I think that in recent years, the media has focused so much on what's new, funky, technologically advanced, and "weird" about Japan, some of us have forgotten about the extremely rich culture and history they have. Japan indeed has a very unique position in the Tourism industry as a country that is both in celebrating their past, as well as being in the future, compared to some other countries, especially with their strong development in the robotics field. Japan has always been known for regarding respect as extremely important, so I'm pleased to see that their country is still very much rooted in respect to this very day, and how vital it is in making their version of hospitality so special!
Response @ Chen LinFeng
Hi there, Chen!
Thank you for stopping by our blog; we're glad you enjoyed our post! You've captured it perfectly - "I don't think they are doing service what are they showing it is an attitude, what they do, what they care." We totally agree with you - to do/perform service, is literally a role/duty, just a part of their job. But to have hospitality as an attitude means that it reflects your beliefs and is a value that you show, that comes genuinely from the heart - not because you have to do it, but because you want to & believe it's the right/best way to be.
You also mentioned that Japanese customer service makes you feel better & more comfortable, due to the amount of respect they show you. We think that nowadays, we have so many people in customer service jobs who are only there to get paid, so while they may be friendly & polite, we don't think we actually see actual respect, whether from staff to guests, or vice versa. We could all take a lesson from Japan & Omotenashi!
Hi there, Tahmid
Appreciated you stopping by and looking at our blog, thanks soo much for the support!! Yes its very important for everyone in the hospitality industries to value good customer services, especially in this generation where most of us tend to forget it. You also mentioned about having bracelets in stores. Again we always want our customer leaving a store/hotel happy and satisfied, we always make our customer feel like family at the end of the day.
Thanks Tahmid for your time and looking on the core values of Japanese service Arigatou:)
Hey there Gurpreet Kaur,
Thanks for commenting the support and kind words on our blog!! Going back to when you said we serve customer as there own family, yes this is our way of giving the customer the best service they ever experience and we want them to leaving with a happy smile on there faces:) Thank you Gurpreet for your time and arigatou:)
Japan has always been the top one country I really want to go. The hotel services in Japan are much more than just smiling, welcoming and simple and stylized. They pay great attention to the needs of each customer. For example, front desk attendants will start to observe customers when they receive customers and provide services according to the needs of different customers. If it is a customer with a child, the waiter will give the customer a room with toys and comics; if it is a foreign visitor to Japan for the first time, the service staff will place the travel brochure in the room and guarantee that it is in the customer's native language version. These services will not wait for you to ask for, all the service personnel do well for the customer in advance, can think of what people think. This is the best sample for our hospitality industry.
Thanks for your response and kind remarks Mukul!
Yes, I agree! The way that hospitality is handled in japan is exceptional. Not accepting a tip and still devoting their all into providing the best and most memorable service is quite admirable. I really hope we start to see more of this around here, wouldn't that be nice?
Hey there Thi Ngoc Phuong Nguyen! Thanks for the positive feedback, I also thought our team did a great job and I am quite proud of them! You said it exactly; "uniqueness". That is part of the reason we were so inspired to learn more about their culture, because, they do a lot of things differently! We wondered; " How do they handle hospitality over there...?", and the results were quite satisfying to say the least! My favorite quirk that they do, which I hope gets implemented here soon, are the bracelets that let employees at department stores know whether or not we need assistance. YES PLEASE!