PPIH Achieves Remarkable Reduction in Inquiries During System Transition with Pendo

In an impressive achievement, Pan-Pacific International Holdings (PPIH) has successfully reduced customer inquiries by half during its major system migration project, thanks to the implementation of Pendo, the world's first software experience management platform. Pendo's Japanese subsidiary, Pendo.io Japan, based in Shibuya, Tokyo, played a pivotal role in this initiative.

PPIH, a leading retailer known for its discount store chain "Don Quijote," operates over 700 stores both domestically and internationally, with around 50,000 employees relying on its core systems for order management and inventory control. With a large-scale system migration on the horizon, the company anticipated a surge in inquiries from staff as they transitioned to the new system. To mitigate this, they rolled out Pendo from February 2025.

Leveraging Pendo's guidance and analytics features, the team focused on designing an intuitive user interface to facilitate smooth operations. Their efforts culminated in a remarkable reduction of inquiries, reaching only half of what was initially expected.

Background to the Pendo Implementation

The company's prior experience with system migration saw monthly support inquiries rising dramatically from around 400 to nearly 2,000. Learning from this chaotic transition, PPIH sought a solution to prevent such spikes in inquiries this time. They recognized that traditional manuals and e-learning would not suffice due to the busy schedules of store staff.

After evaluating multiple digital adoption platforms (DAPs), PPIH decided on Pendo, praising its strong analytical capabilities. "We wanted to analyze user behavior to identify problem areas and strategically position guides based on this understanding," stated Mr. Kobayashi, head of the foundational operations division in the Information Systems Department, who led the project. By February 2025, Pendo's full-scale implementation was secured.

Innovative Guides Utilizing Store Culture

Despite the project team comprising members without IT backgrounds, they creatively crafted guides by utilizing Pendo's help pages and tapping into the store's beloved pop culture, introducing the mascot character "Donpen." This approach aimed to ensure that the busy store staff could intuitively grasp the system's operations through user-friendly guidance. By the first phase's release in October 2025, they had developed over 100 guides, continually refining their approach.

By January 2026, all product divisions within the discount store business commenced order operations using the new system. The first week's inquiries were impressively held to approximately 150-200, effectively halving the anticipated volume. Unlike the previous chaotic experience, the IT support desk maintained a calm atmosphere, and no complaints arose from users. Analytics revealed an average of 2-3 clicks per user on the guides, confirming their effective usage.

Transforming Mindset and Building a Data-Driven Culture

Just one year post-Pendo implementation, the team's mentality shifted from passive to proactive. They began to independently conceive and add necessary guides while improvements based on data analysis became routine tasks. The philosophy of preemptively addressing potential inquiries, referred to as "mae-shabaki," permeated the entire team.

Looking ahead, Mr. Kobayashi envisions a data-driven organizational culture, where analyzing user behavior data informs the development of truly essential functions. He remains optimistic about continuing Pendo's utilization during the projected rollout to the general merchandising store (GMS) operations planned for 2027.

A Commitment to Customer Experience

Mr. Kobayashi articulates PPIH's commitment to customer-centricity, asserting that eliminating IT-related frustrations for store staff ultimately enhances customer experience. He underscores that utilizing Pendo's analytical capabilities and the team's dedication has enabled the smooth progression of this significant system migration project. Maintaining a clear vision of their goals has been pivotal for achieving tangible results with Pendo.

About Pendo

Pendo serves as a comprehensive software experience management platform, crucially centered around product interactions. By blending robust software usage analytics with in-app guidance and user feedback capabilities, Pendo helps businesses comprehensively understand customer behavior, enabling personalized guidance for every user. With its no-code usability, teams without technical backgrounds can enhance both customer and employee software experiences.

The Raleigh, North Carolina-based company remains committed to improving software experiences globally. Having established its Japan subsidiary, Pendo.io Japan, in November 2020, Pendo continues to expand its footprint in the Japanese market.

For more information on Pendo, visit Pendo Official Website or read about their case studies here.