The next era of self-service is upon us "How can I help you?" – Web customer service

In Western financial institutions, a new standard has emerged over recent years: proactive, conversational web customer service that actively asks, "Is there anything we can help you with?" This approach is set to be introduced soon at Japanese financial institutions too, potentially transforming website communication. We spoke with Takaaki Takishita of Dentsu Inc. International Information Services (ISID) about the latest web customer service solutions.

A groundbreaking web customer service that identifies consumers lost online and asks, "Is there anything we can help you with?"

――I understand you are also proposing new financial solutions not yet widespread in Japan. What kind of solutions are you currently aiming to provide?

Takashita: We aim to provide web customer service solutions that actively support people who are struggling or lost online. Working on user flow design and marketing, I often think, "The internet really is self-service." As I've mentioned in past interviews, financial institutions traditionally built trust through in-person conversations at branches. They identified customers in need, offered advice, and provided new information. These interactions led to financial product sales and fostered consumer trust. So, why not offer "How can I help you?" services online instead of just self-service?

When analyzing web traffic, you see huge numbers of people viewing product pages, but once they reach the application page, a significant portion drop off. People rarely visit financial institution websites "just because" these days. Most consumers arrive with a specific purpose, only to leave without achieving it. This was evident not just in traffic analytics but also in consumer surveys.

Introducing "How can I help you?" web customer service could dramatically change both the probability of product sales and the communication itself. If consumers are genuinely struggling, I believe the website could function as a rich channel, much like physical stores once did. Furthermore, it would allow us to uncover "the specific problems consumers are facing" – issues that were clearly not revealed by the previous self-service type of website.

――Specifically, what kind of services will be offered?

Takishita: For example, imagine someone viewing a product page and then suddenly navigating to a completely unrelated page. We'd proactively reach out to such users, or those spending over two minutes on a single page, or those arriving via specific keywords, using a conversational format like chat: "Is there anything we can help you with?" Then, an operator would engage in a thoughtful dialogue about their questions or concerns. The key point is that this isn't handled by a virtual agent or automated response program; it's always a real person responding.

In fact, this system has already become the de facto standard in Europe and the US. Major American banks have adopted it, and its implementation is progressing in banks across the UK and Australia.

Innovation Driven by Financial Marketing

――Are there any companies in Japan that have successfully implemented web customer service?

Takishita: Airlines have implemented it. However, no financial institutions have fully adopted it yet. It's precisely at this stage, and we're currently bringing it to Japan and preparing to roll it out.

Over the past year or so, LINE has rapidly gained traction, and text-based communication online has become widely accepted in Japan. Timing-wise, it feels like the perfect moment to enter the Japanese market. I believe online communication for financial institutions will undergo a dramatic transformation starting in 2014 and beyond.

――That's exciting! Hearing about your work, I'm impressed by the breadth of initiatives ISID and Mr. Takishita are undertaking.

Takishita: ISID's efforts in the financial retail sector began with building systems like internet banking and call centers as a system integrator. However, we also recognized that simply proposing these systems doesn't necessarily solve financial institutions' challenges. That's why we have a dedicated marketing department like ours. We thoroughly understand the client's challenges and then tackle them by integrating marketing and IT. Moving forward, we aim to leverage ISID's technological expertise, our marketing capabilities in the financial retail sector, and the comprehensive strength of the Dentsu Group to delve deeper into financial marketing that bridges the gap between consumers and financial institutions. We hope this will resolve the various challenges faced by financial institutions, mobilize Japan's vast dormant savings, and ultimately revitalize the entire Japanese financial industry.