#Japan #Tokyo #CXM #KARAKURI #Oji Nepia

The Revitalization of Customer Service at Oji Nepia

Oji Nepia, renowned for its wide range of household paper products, is stepping up its game by venturing into the skincare sector. As part of this initiative, the company has revamped its customer service department, introducing advanced AI technologies to enhance the customer experience. This strategic shift is facilitated through a partnership with Karakuri Inc., which has developed the "KARAKURI CXM" system—a customer management platform powered by generative AI.

Addressing Knowledge Silos and Inefficiencies

For years, Oji Nepia's customer service team relied on a blend of extensive product knowledge and handwritten manuals to address customer inquiries effectively. However, with over 2,000 product lines in its portfolio, challenges arose regarding knowledge transferability and dependency on individual operators. Each operator’s unique experience created a silo of knowledge that made it difficult to maintain consistency and quality in customer service responses. Recognizing these issues, especially with the impending launch of a new skincare product line, Oji Nepia decided to adopt an AI-native approach to re-engineer its customer support system.

The Implementation Plan

Step 1: Establishing a Generative AI Digital Channel (Starting March 2025)

With the introduction of the skincare line, Oji Nepia will utilize a generative AI chatbot named "GeN" on its skincare website, allowing customers to find answers to their questions autonomously. By leveraging a robust Q&A repository built from the company’s product data, the chatbot will serve as a digital assistant.

Additionally, for more complex inquiries, Oji Nepia is deploying "KARAKURI assist," an operator support tool designed to streamline email and phone inquiries. This tool will sift through historical data and utilize real-time knowledge to provide operators with automatic response suggestions. As a result, the efficiency and quality of customer service responses will improve significantly. For instance, the time taken to generate complex reports or responses will reduce from 30 minutes to just 5 to 10 minutes, allowing the support team to focus on providing superior customer experiences.

Step 2: Utilizing AI for Extracting Customer Insights (Beginning October 2025)

The second phase involves harnessing the "Voice Search" capability of the KARAKURI CXM system to transform customer call audio into real-time text. This innovative feature allows for automatic logging of customer interactions, enabling Oji Nepia to capture customer sentiments directly. By summarizing and categorizing voice logs, the company will identify customer insights that were previously opaque, enriching its understanding of customer needs and preferences. For example, feedback indicating that a beloved product is no longer available in a local store can be reframed not just as a simple issue of supply, but as a reflection of brand loyalty and sales strategy opportunities.

Step 3: Establishing a Quality Assessment System Through AI (Scheduled for May 2026)

In a bid to continuously enhance service quality, Oji Nepia plans to leverage AI to evaluate the performance of its operators by May 2026. This system will provide real-time feedback based on call interactions, creating a data-driven training cycle for both novice and seasoned staff. By benchmarking these evaluations against experienced operators, Oji Nepia aims to stabilize its customer service quality while systematically building a repository of knowledge and data.

Comments from Hiroshi Fujisawa, Customer Consultation Center

Hiroshi Fujisawa, who leads Oji Nepia's Customer Consultation Center, shares, "Many customer service centers focus solely on the number of cases handled as success metrics. Our ultimate goal is enhancing the customer experience and building brand loyalty. To achieve this, it was essential to document and transfer the expert knowledge amassed by our veteran operators to the organization as a whole, ensuring future quality maintenance."

Fujisawa further commends Karakuri for their pragmatic approach, noting that they offered a phased introduction that allowed Oji Nepia to evaluate the impact and adjust investments accordingly. This collaborative approach aims at harmonizing the immediate benefits of AI with long-term organizational transformation.

About KARAKURI CXM

KARAKURI CXM is a specialized AI-driven management platform designed for contact centers that focuses on customer experience (CX). The platform combines features such as real-time voice transcription, effective knowledge management, and quality assessment tools—all aimed at fostering sustainable improvements in CX quality. Through a commitment to improving customer interactions, KARAKURI empowers organizations to move beyond individual reliance, instead investing in organizational capability and knowledge.

For more details, visit: KARAKURI Website

Company Overview

Founded in October 2016, Karakuri Inc. focuses on applying advancements in AI technology, particularly large language models, to customer support. The company has garnered significant industry recognition, partnering with prominent brands such as Takashimaya and SBI Securities. With a vision centered on "Friendly Technology," Karakuri continues to expand its influence in the customer service landscape.

Address: 2-7-3 Tsukiji, Chuo City, Tokyo, 104-0045
Established: October 3, 2016
CEO: Shimon Oda
Business Description: Development and management of AI solutions specialized for customer support
URL: Karakuri Company Info