Building a Scalable Call Centre for Japan’s Utility Market

Case Study: Web Marketing & Utility Services

The client is the Japanese subsidiary of a European web marketing agency, which entered the Japanese market in 2016. The company provides valuable information and agent services for essential utilities such as electricity, city gas, LP gas, and internet connectivity. As of April 2022, the client operates in 18 countries worldwide.

The Challenge

As part of their expansion into the Japanese market, the client needed to establish an effective call center operation to support their business growth. They faced several specific challenges:

• Handling a wide range of customer inquiries
  • Customers looking to switch to more affordable providers after moving
  • Those exploring new plans following electricity market liberalization
  • Customers needing contract details or service information
• Limited experience in the Japanese market
  • No prior experience operating in Japan
  • Need to understand local business customs
  • Comparing service quality and costs for benchmarking
• Complex operational needs:
  • Managing website content
  • Handling consultations and contract procedures
  • Supporting customer transitions between services

The Solution

After evaluating multiple potential partners, the client selected TMJ to establish and operate their inbound sales call center. TMJ was chosen for several key reasons:

• Demonstrated capabilities:
  • Extensive experience in both customer support and sales
  • Strong track record in managing call center operation
  • Ability to handle inbound and outbound services

The partnership began with a three-month trial period, including the launch of the call center. Despite having only two months of actual operation during the trial, TMJ achieved figures that exceeded expectations in sales conversion rates.

“TMJ is very flexibly accommodating to sudden changes and also politely dealing with even the most selfish requests, so I am really grateful.”

• Japan Office Assistant Manager

Implementation

The operational structure includes several key elements:

• Communication Systems:
  • Use of Slack for daily communication with call center staff
  • Regular monthly reporting
  • Comprehensive performance analytics
• Quality Reporting:
  • Analysis of call trends
  • Acquisition rates by product
  • Review of high performer practices
  • Examination of non-acquired cases
  • Suggestions for improvement
• Performance Management:
  • Initially focused on sales conversion KPIs
  • Evolved to more sophisticated credit-based evaluation system
  • Points assigned to each product
  • Revenue conversion metrics for evaluation

Results

The partnership has delivered significant results across multiple areas:

Performance Metrics

• Consistently achieved sales conversions at over 100% of targets
• Maintained high performance even after transition to credit-based KPIs
• Achieved over 100% of targets under new credit evaluation system

Operational Excellence

• Successfully handled 2-3 new products added monthly
• Quick learning and implementation by SVs
• Minimal escalation needs due to improved operational independence
• Nearly zero customer complaints over two years of operation

“TMJ is strict and serious in a good way. I think that the operators choose their words carefully and treat customers with courtesy. Perhaps because of this, there have been almost no complaints even though it has been more than two years since we started outsourcing the service.”

• Japan Office Manager

Innovation & Adaptation

• Successfully implemented work-from-home trials
• Maintained 90% response rate during remote work transition
• Careful consideration of risk avoidance in remote operations
• Effective handling of personal information security

The partnership has also provided valuable insights into Japanese business practices and customer behavior, helping the client adapt their services for the local market. This has been particularly valuable as Japan represents a unique market among the client’s global operations, with significantly different corporate culture and customer behavior patterns.

“Our partnership with TMJ has allowed us to learn about Japanese business practices, customer behavior and how to respond to those behaviors, which has been very helpful in localization.”

• Japan Office Manager

As The client continues to expand in Japan, they see TMJ as a crucial partner in their growth strategy. The success of this collaboration demonstrates TMJ’s ability to support international companies entering the Japanese market through effective call center operations, combining sales expertise with cultural understanding and operational excellence.