Top ten expectations of Japanese customers
Customer service is a highly developed art form in Japan. As foreign firms become increasingly active in the Japanese market, they face many challenges in meeting with Japanese customer...
Free Resources
Keeping things tidy is everyone’s job in Japan
I find litter and wastefulness quite upsetting and often stress in my training how important the tidiness of the workplace is to Japanese customers. I think my obsession with litter...
Influencing decision-making in a Japanese organization
For most Americans working in American organizations, decision-making is something that seems relatively straightforward. However, decisions made in Japanese organizations are made differently and the factors deemed to be...
Your Japanese customer wants a window (or a desk), not a receptionist or voicemail
Japanese customers expect to get through to the tantosha or madoguchi, not a receptionist or voicemail when they call a supplier....
Providing credentials in Japanese business
Whenever you sense a doubt or worry in a Japanese business person you are meeting for the first time, do not hesitate to introduce your credentials....
Knowing your customer is doubly important if they’re Japanese – and doubly difficult
The print version of a collection of Pernille Rudlin's articles on working with Japanese customers (internal and external) is now available on Amazon.com...
Is it worth the effort to learn Japanese?
Yes, but once a week lessons will lead to frustration! Make sure you know your vocation first. Loving Japan is not enough. Read on to find out why...
Bow, shake hands or poke someone in the eye?
Most non-Japanese people worry too much about bowing when meeting Japanese counterparts - even though it's true bowing is deeply engrained in the Japanese psyche...
Why “service” has different meanings in Japanese and English
Why Japanese customers won't pay for service...