Daiwa Securities Implements AI-Driven Solutions for Enhanced Customer Support Efficiency
In a significant move towards modernizing customer service, Daiwa Securities Co., Ltd. (headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo) has announced the implementation of the "KARAKURI assist" AI-powered support agent, which is set to enhance efficiency and standardization within its contact center starting November 2024. This initiative, developed by Karakuri Inc. (based in Chuo, Tokyo), aims not only to improve operational productivity but also to combat the tribal knowledge issue that has plagued customer service practices. The introduction of this advanced tool is complemented by a novel internal competition called the "Template Contest," which has successfully reduced email response times by an average of 6 minutes and 50 seconds per inquiry, aggregating a reduction of 52 hours in workload monthly.
Daiwa Securities' contact center plays an essential role as the face of the company, supporting customers in resolving their concerns and facilitating the flow of customer feedback to the business. However, due to the complex nature of securities services and a surge in inquiries regarding NISA (Nippon Individual Savings Account), the operational complexity has grown. The center faced several challenges, including a reliance on individual management for template usage, a knowledge gap among new employees who take about six months to become fully operational, and a variance in response quality due to dispersed knowledge. To establish a foundation that allows consistent responses regardless of the operator, the decision to implement KARAKURI assist was made.
Daiwa Securities commenced trials of the KARAKURI assist in November 2024, transitioning to full operation by February 2025. To maximize the impact of this tool, the following key points were prioritized:
To enhance the adoption and proactive use of KARAKURI assist, Daiwa Securities launched an innovative initiative called the "Template Contest" post-implementation. This competition has several unique aspects:
By leveraging competitive dynamics, Daiwa Securities successfully avoided the common pitfall of systems failing to be utilized post-implementation. Utilizing the flexibility of KARAKURI assist, which allows unrestricted template registration, a high-quality knowledge base was swiftly established. The contest added an element of fun, enhancing voluntary participation and promoting sustained use of the tool.
The introduction of KARAKURI assist and the conduct of the Template Contest significantly advanced the sharing and application of knowledge among our operators. It was crucial for operators, who traditionally had a strong tendency to rely on pre-made materials, to adopt a more proactive approach toward registering and utilizing templates. The competitive format encouraged enjoyment in the process, greatly contributing to the tool's establishment in our workflow. Looking ahead, we are considering expanding our approach to include non-voice channels such as chat, guiding us toward our mission of maximizing the value of customer assets through enhanced efficiency in inquiry response, thereby creating more value for our clients.
Kararuri, a promising AI startup, focuses on applying large language models (LLMs) to customer support, identified by the vision of "Friendly Technology." Since 2018, the company has been conducting research on BERT models and, as of 2022, has been developing large language models including GPT. Their SaaS solutions for customer support have been successfully adopted by industry leaders such as Takashimaya, SBI Securities, Seven-Eleven Japan, and Hoshino Resorts.
Headquarters: 2-7-3 Tsukiji, Chuo, Tokyo 104-0045
Founded: October 3, 2016
CEO: Shimon Oda
Business Description: Development, provision, and operation of customer support-focused AI series "KARAKURI."
Website: karakuri.ai
Background of Implementation
Daiwa Securities' contact center plays an essential role as the face of the company, supporting customers in resolving their concerns and facilitating the flow of customer feedback to the business. However, due to the complex nature of securities services and a surge in inquiries regarding NISA (Nippon Individual Savings Account), the operational complexity has grown. The center faced several challenges, including a reliance on individual management for template usage, a knowledge gap among new employees who take about six months to become fully operational, and a variance in response quality due to dispersed knowledge. To establish a foundation that allows consistent responses regardless of the operator, the decision to implement KARAKURI assist was made.
Utilizing KARAKURI assist and Its Effectiveness
Daiwa Securities commenced trials of the KARAKURI assist in November 2024, transitioning to full operation by February 2025. To maximize the impact of this tool, the following key points were prioritized:
- - Improved Searchability through Effective Tagging: By analyzing common customer inquiries, the team implemented strategic tagging, which significantly increased the hit rate in searches, allowing for quicker access to necessary response templates.
- - Bottom-Up Knowledge Sharing Led by Frontline Staff: Rather than restricting template registration to senior personnel, the system encourages all operators to freely register templates. This has led to a rich and practical knowledge base, centralizing frontline expertise. A study conducted in January 2025 revealed that approximately 30% of inquiries utilized registered templates, resulting in an average time savings of about 6 minutes and 50 seconds, thereby saving a total of 52 hours over a month.
Accelerating Organizational Adoption through the Template Contest
To enhance the adoption and proactive use of KARAKURI assist, Daiwa Securities launched an innovative initiative called the "Template Contest" post-implementation. This competition has several unique aspects:
- - Teams compete to see who can log the most templates within a designated timeframe.
- - Members who register the most frequently utilized templates during the contest are awarded recognition.
- - This initiative aims to transform the mindset of operators from passively using provided materials to actively creating and utilizing their templates.
By leveraging competitive dynamics, Daiwa Securities successfully avoided the common pitfall of systems failing to be utilized post-implementation. Utilizing the flexibility of KARAKURI assist, which allows unrestricted template registration, a high-quality knowledge base was swiftly established. The contest added an element of fun, enhancing voluntary participation and promoting sustained use of the tool.
Comments from Junpei Kato, Deputy Section Manager, Operations Department, Tokyo Contact Center, Daiwa Securities
The introduction of KARAKURI assist and the conduct of the Template Contest significantly advanced the sharing and application of knowledge among our operators. It was crucial for operators, who traditionally had a strong tendency to rely on pre-made materials, to adopt a more proactive approach toward registering and utilizing templates. The competitive format encouraged enjoyment in the process, greatly contributing to the tool's establishment in our workflow. Looking ahead, we are considering expanding our approach to include non-voice channels such as chat, guiding us toward our mission of maximizing the value of customer assets through enhanced efficiency in inquiry response, thereby creating more value for our clients.
Company Overview
Kararuri, a promising AI startup, focuses on applying large language models (LLMs) to customer support, identified by the vision of "Friendly Technology." Since 2018, the company has been conducting research on BERT models and, as of 2022, has been developing large language models including GPT. Their SaaS solutions for customer support have been successfully adopted by industry leaders such as Takashimaya, SBI Securities, Seven-Eleven Japan, and Hoshino Resorts.
Major Achievements
- - 2018: Won recognition at the ICC Summit Startup Catapult.
- - 2020: Selected for Google for Startups Accelerator.
- - 2022: Accepted into Google for Startups Growth Academy Tech.
- - 2023: Participated in the AWS LLM Development Support Program.
- - 2024: Recognized for promoting the practical implementation of generative AI.
- - 2024: Invited by Meta to a closed developer conference on generative AI.
- - 2024: Chosen for the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry's GENIAC initiative.
Headquarters: 2-7-3 Tsukiji, Chuo, Tokyo 104-0045
Founded: October 3, 2016
CEO: Shimon Oda
Business Description: Development, provision, and operation of customer support-focused AI series "KARAKURI."
Website: karakuri.ai
Topics Consumer Products & Retail）
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