Department stores in Japan — Where customers are treated as honoured guests

Abstract

Japan has been known for many years for the elegance and efficiency of its department stores. They are generally more spacious than comparable stores in London, and the emphasis is on quality rather than price. But the real difference between Japanese and western European stores lies in the relations between customers and staff, and between management and staff. Customers are treated as honoured guests. Many members of staff hesitate to take their full holidays, feeling that their absence will place a burden on their colleagues. In terms of training, our contributor feels that we have much to learn from Japanese stores. Management look on staff training as an important part of the company's activities and are willing to invest time and money in it. This confirms the findings of the recent NEDO/IMS report which assessed the UK's performance in this field unfavourably compared with that of Japan, Germany, and America.

Citation

Williamson, J. (1986), "Department stores in Japan — Where customers are treated as honoured guests", Retail and Distribution Management, Vol. 14 No. 4, pp. 14-17. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb018312