Case studies

Dramatic improvement in digital customer service, x2 increase in FAQ usage, x3.7 increase in AI chatbot usage

Working In Partnership to Improve DX and CX 

Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Company, a cornerstone of Japan's insurance sector since 1881, has long been committed to providing "Peace of mind, forever" to its customers.

In April 2020, the company launched an ambitious 10-year plan called "MY Mutual Way 2030," aiming to become "The most accessible, industry-leading life insurer capable of ‘Wellness for People, Vitality for Communities.’" by enhancing economic and social value.

To realize this vision, Meiji Yasuda partnered with TMJ, a leading Japanese Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) company, to drive digital transformation (DX) and improve customer experience (CX) in their contact center operations.

The Challenge 

Meiji Yasuda encountered a unique set of challenges in their customer service operations: 

1. Aging Workforce: Advanced technologies like AI are needed to compensate for workforce challenges.
2. High Inbound Call Volume: A need to reduce the number of incoming calls to the communication center. 
3. Customer Convenience: Improve overall customer experience through digital channels. 
4. Underutilized Digital Tools: Despite introducing various digital tools and channels, they lacked clear operational rules, evaluation methods, and proven improvement strategies. 
5. Unclear Action Plan: There was no concrete strategy for utilizing each tool to reduce inbound calls and improve CX. 
6. Inconsistent Digital Channel Performance: Unsatisfactory resolution rates for 5W1H customer queries through FAQs and AI chatbots. 

Kenta Yasukouchi, Group Manager of the Call Business Development Group, stressed the urgency: "Although we introduced various tools and channels, the operational rules, evaluation methods, and improvement activity designs were not fully established. Therefore, we did not have a clear action plan for how to utilize each tool to reduce inbound calls and improve CX. It was urgent to concretize our activities."

The Solution 

Meiji Yasuda worked with its contact center outsourcing partner, TMJ, to implement a comprehensive DX/CX strategy focused on improving digital customer service channels. The solution included: 

1. Call Reason Analysis Project:  

TMJ conducted an in-depth analysis to gain a complete understanding of inbound calls, select categories where volumes could be reduced, and map the content of these inquiry types using text mining of speech recognition data. This project aimed to improve the most frequently used digital channels, which are FAQs and AI chatbots. 

2. FAQ and AI Chatbot Optimization:  

Based on the insights from the call reason analysis, TMJ and Meiji Yasuda worked on improving the FAQ and AI chatbot systems: 

• Calculating inquiry numbers and potential questions by inquiry types. 
• Verifying that the questions covered in FAQs were correctly answering customer questions. 
• Reflecting FAQ improvements in other tools, such as AI chatbots and contact center knowledge tools. 

3. Continuous Improvement Process:  

TMJ and Meiji Yasuda regularly analyzed customer inquiry recordings and continually fine-tuned the Q&A data in the FAQs based on usage and resolution rates. This process ensured that digital channels were always up-to-date and effective. 

Tetsuya Kimura, another Group Manager in the Call Business Development Group, described the objective: "We aim to have nearly 100% of typical, frequently asked questions resolved through FAQs and AI chatbots. To achieve this, we believe it is necessary to create a complete set of questions and answers that specifically addresses 5W1H questions such as 'How do I change my address or cancel a contract?' or 'When will the payment be made?'" 

4. Digital Manual Implementation:  

To enable remote work capabilities and improve employee accessibility, TMJ helped Meiji Yasuda digitize all paper manuals. This supported business continuity during the COVID-19 pandemic and laid the groundwork for future AI-powered knowledge management systems. 

5. Flexible Response System:  

A system to quickly add and respond to emerging customer needs, such as questions related to government benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over time, this process has also uncovered entirely new categories of questions, such as ones relating to how to use FAQs and AI chatbots. 

6. KPI Setting and Monitoring:  

TMJ worked with Meiji Yasuda to set clear Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for digital channels, such as usage and resolution rates. These KPIs are monitored monthly, allowing for data-driven decision-making in the continuous improvement process. 

Results 

The collaboration between Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Company and TMJ has delivered significant improvements in the digital customer service capabilities offered to customers: 

1. Increased Digital Channel Usage:  

• FAQ usage nearly doubled from the previous year. 
• AI chatbot usage increased by approximately 3.7 times. 

2. Reduced Inbound Calls:  

The number of incoming calls decreased, improving customer convenience and operational efficiency. 

3. Improved Web Navigation:  

Enhanced web navigation led to increased monthly usage of FAQs and AI chatbots, demonstrating the company's commitment to making it easier for customers to find the needed information. 

4. Enhanced Insights:  

The call reason analysis provided valuable insights into FAQ effectiveness, allowing for targeted improvements. Yasukouchi noted, "When we had TMJ conduct a call reason analysis for the first time and took a deeper look, we realized from data such as resolution rates that there were areas where we were not fully utilizing the FAQs." 

5. Improved Response to Current Events:  

The flexible response system allowed Meiji Yasuda to quickly address customer queries related to current events, such as government benefits during the pandemic. 

6. Customer Satisfaction:  

The company reported receiving positive feedback from customers about the speed and convenience of their digital channels. 

Shinsuke Yamauchi, Communication Center Director, emphasized the importance of Meiji Yasuda’s DX initiatives: "Customer needs are constantly changing, and the speed of this change is accelerating due to digitalization. Not only do we need to increase the frequency of our analyses, but we also need to increase the speed at which we respond. We believe it is most important to continue absorbing information about various DX initiatives from outside the industry." 

Final Word 

The partnership between Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Company and TMJ has resulted in a significant leap forward in digital customer service capabilities. By leveraging TMJ's expertise in DX/CX initiatives, Meiji Yasuda has built a more efficient, customer-centric operation that provides a strong foundation for realizing its vision of being the most trusted and caring life insurance company. As it continues to innovate and adapt to changing customer needs, Meiji Yasuda is well-positioned to lead the way in digital transformation within the insurance industry. 

"The partnership with TMJ has helped Meiji Yasuda significantly improve our digital customer service capabilities and response times. We've built a flexible, efficient system that provides a strong foundation for future growth and customer satisfaction." 
- Shinsuke Yamauchi, Communication Center Director, Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Company