Japan redefines hospitality by investing in service industry

admin 2019年2月13日

Vocabulary:

productivity /proh-duhk-tiv-i-tee/

[noun] the rate at which a person, company, or country does useful work
A good working environment may increase productivity.

shrink /shringk/

[verb] to become smaller or cause something to become smaller
The number of young people in the countryside shrinks because they usually study in cities.

interaction /in-ter-ak-shuhn/

[noun] an occasion when two or more people or things communicate with or react to each other
Less interaction between managers and employees could be one of the reasons why most people are not motivated to work.

frontline /fruhnt-lahyn/

[adjective] used to describe an employee who deals directly with customers, or who is directly involved in making a product
A good interaction with a frontline worker will ensure return customers.

diminish /dih-min-ish/

[verb] to reduce or be reduced in size or importance
That girl’s betrayal diminished her friends’ trust and loyalty to her.

Japan redefines hospitality by investing in the service industry particularly automated machines to enhance services. Automation increases productivity in some companies but, this might affect the country’s omotenashi or hospitality according to some reports. As automated machines continue to grow, the need for human services shrinks and lessens face to face interaction.

According to the World Economic Forum on tourism, Japan ranked first in customer satisfaction. Omotenashi is about an intense interaction with customers, responding to even little requests, speaking politely, and bowing frequently. Frontline workers are trained to interact with customers gracefully. Although the spirit of omotenashi diminishes because of automated stores, other companies keep their staff and train them more.

True or False:

Japan is investing to improve the education sector.
Automation might affect the country’s economic status.
World Economic Forum on tourism said that Japan ranked last in customer satisfaction.
Frontline staff are not trained to work gracefully.
Omotenashi can still be practiced whether companies automate their systems or not.

Discussion Questions:

Tell your tutor about the most hospitable place you have been to.
Do you believe that hospitality can be duplicated by machines? Please explain your answer.
What do you think is the future of service industries in your country?
If you will establish your own business, what would it be and why?
Would you prefer being assisted by a store staff when you shop? Please explain your answer.

Express Your Opinion:

“Customer service should not be a department. It should be the entire company.” -Tony Hsieh
“People expect good service but few are willing to give it.” – Robert Gately
“To be sure, robotics are not the only job killers out there, with outsourcing stealing far more gigs than automation.” – Daniel Lyons