A jargon-free, no-nonsense introduction
to Japanese customer service?
What are the most common complaints Japanese have about customer service outside Japan?
And how can this information be used strategically to connect with and impress Japanese customers?
If you are committed to serving the Japanese market – or simply raising your game – then this course is for you.
No buzzwords, no jargon, just lots of useful insights wrapped in real-life stories, including common Japanese customer-service gripes, key cultural traditions that drive Japanese expectations, and practical ways to overcome the inevitable faux pas, even turn it into an advantage.
Japan is famous for consistent, high-quality customer service, but it isn’t perfect. That’s where you come in. Serving the Japanese market is not about copying the Japanese model; it’s about being authentic and finding your cross-cultural sweet spot, a place where you adapt to Japanese customer needs while adding a dimension of value only you can provide.
Date: Thursday, June 12, 2025 in Japan
Time: 10:30 am – 12:00 pm Japan time
Where: Online
What you will learn
- How Japanese view Western customer service
- Expectations of customer service in Japan
- High-impact, low-cost ways to win the hearts of the world’s most demanding customers
What to expect of this workshop
- limited number of participants
- Fully interactive
- No-non-sense and jargon-free
- Fun
Meet Our Storytellers
Maya Matsuoka, a multilingual long-term resident of Tokyo, has lived and worked in Japan for 23.5 years. During her career, she has worked with travel destination authorities, diplomatic missions, state governments, airlines, tour operators, and travel agencies. Beyond this scope, Maya’s work includes projects helping foreign partners navigate the intricate business practices and cultural sensitivities specific to the Japanese market in industries that include ICT, cybersecurity, renewables and transportation.
Maya is now the Chief Enthusiast Officer of Japan Expert Insights. There she dedicates her efforts to demystifying Japan and helping businesses and individuals from around the world learn to strategically navigate the Japanese business landscape.
In her free time, Maya loves reading, exploring the hidden neighboroods of this fascinating city, and growing succulent plants from seed.
Tim Sullivan is a bilingual cross-cultural educator with a passion for connecting Japan with the rest of the world. Since the late 1980s, he’s helped thousands of clients from around the world build meaningful and productive relationships with Japanese counterparts.
Tim’s diverse work experience includes manufacturing, the airline industry, advertising, management, sales, customer service, hospitality, even hula dance! Past clients include Hawaiian Airlines, Halekulani Luxury Resort, Nordstrom, Christian Dior, Pacific Air Force Command, Hawaii Tourism Authority, and a major U.S.-based automotive manufacturer and its 400-plus suppliers.
Tim is now blissfully retired, living in Atami Japan, but is known to occasionally come out of retirement for special projects that stir his passions.
