Main method of contacting customer support in Japan 2023

Contact by phone was the leading method to reach out to customer support services in Japan, as revealed in a survey conducted in December 2023. Around 41 percent of respondents stated that their main channel for contacting customer services was by phone, with contact forms commonly found on a company's home pages following in second place.

Customer service in Japan

Customer service is at the center of business interactions in Japan, where it is not only apparent in high-end service segments but also regular stores of mass market segments. The importance of good hospitality begins already at the beginning of the customer journey as the quality of customer support impacts consumers in their purchase decision-making processes. Even after successfully selling products and services, the focus on appropriate service does not end, as dissatisfaction with customer support may turn away the customer from a company forever. Depending on how businesses respond to their customers appropriately, customer services play a role in keeping shoppers satisfied and willing to return for future purchases.

Challenges of satisfied customers

As contact by phone is the main method of contacting customer support in Japan, the preference poses a challenge, particularly for international businesses entering the market. As call centers are standing at the center even for non-store transactions, businesses are required to brave language and cultural barriers to efficiently respond to their customers. Benefitting from the high demand for solving troubles by phone, call center services grew into a trillion-yen market as businesses acknowledge the importance of customer support for a good customer experience and outsource the department to professional service providers.