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Enhancement of Customer Satisfaction
Toshiba Group Customer Satisfaction Policy
Adhering to the Toshiba Group Customer Satisfaction Policy established in 2003, we aim to enhance customer satisfaction (CS) through the provision of safe and innovative products, systems and services as well as through communication with customers.
Toshiba Group Customer Satisfaction Policy
We make the voice of customers the starting point for all ideas and provide products, systems and services that deliver customer satisfaction.
- We provide products, systems and services that are safe and reliable.
- We respond to requests and inquiries from customers sincerely, rapidly and appropriately.
- We value the voice of customers and endeavor to develop and improve products, systems and services to deliver customer satisfaction.
- We provide appropriate information to customers.
- We protect personal data provided by customers.
Toshiba Group's CS Promotion Cycle
CS Promotion Structure
Toshiba's CS promotion structure, established in 2003, was reorganized in 2007 by placing CS Promotion Manager under the CS Promotion Committee in order to accelerate implementation of initiatives designed to enhance customer satisfaction.
For cross-functional activities in accordance with the Toshiba Group Customer Satisfaction Policy, the following working groups (WGs) have been set up.
After-sales Service Enhancement WG
Members: After-sales service sections of group companies in Japan
Activity: Implementation of measures to enhance the quality of after-sales services.
Contact Center Enhancement WG
Members: Over 30 Contact centers of group companies in Japan
Activity: Implementation of measures to enhance the quality of Contact Center services.
User Support Information Enhancement WG
Members: Corporate staff divisions and divisions of in-house and group companies responsible for providing product information
Activity: Promoting enhancement of information for user support (product and service information on user manuals and websites) based on the VOC survey
Customer Satisfaction (CS) Promotion Structure
Customer Satisfaction (CS) Survey
Toshiba Group conducts a CS survey (also called Voice of Customer survey) for implementation of a PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) cycle for continuous improvement of customer satisfaction.
Since FY2005, the CS survey has been conducted Group-wide, covering individual and corporate customers to find out their views on Toshiba Group's products, prices, repair services, etc. The findings are shared among the personnel concerned, including senior executives, and executed in activities to enhance CS.
In FY2011, we incorporated the feedback of around 2,700 corporate customers from 800 companies in order to improve our business operations, products, and services and to enhance our provision of information to customers. In FY2011 the surveying of some customers was partially suspended due to the Great East Japan Earthquake. In FY2012 we plan to receive customers’ opinions on Toshiba Group’s activities in relation to recovery from the Earthquake.
Reinforcement of Efforts
In order to further enhance customer satisfaction, Toshiba Group strives to reinforce the efforts to effectively utilize the voice of customers.
Toshiba Group's CS Promotion Cycle
- Based on the periodical survey conducted every year (for corporate customers in June and July, for individual Home Appliances customers in September, and for individual Digital Products customers in February), the positioning of Toshiba against other competitors as well as the changes in the voice of customers are constantly examined, and strategies and measures for improvement are formulated. (Surveys conducted as of June, 2012-seven times for corporate customers and seven times for individual customers)
- Chief Business, Marketing and Technology Executives gather to share the survey results in their department and to ensure that the voice of customers is widely and thoroughly penetrated.
- For issues which are common to the entire Group, a cross-functional project is set up to implement the improvement activities.
- Survey of Corporate Customers: For customers providing continuous and strict feedback, improvement measures are formulated without fail. From onward, the structure will be further reinforced to achieve improvement activities.
- Survey of Individual Customers: Based on the voice of the customers who also use competitors products, the strengths and weaknesses of Toshiba products can be analyzed to better understand the needs of the customers and help in product development.
- A self-assessment of the improvement measures of the past one year was conducted against the survey results. As a result, the issues appear highlighted so that more effective measures can be implemented.
CS Survey of Corporate Customers
| Survey respondents | Corporate customers that use Toshiba's products and services |
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| Survey items |
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Survey Results
In FY2011, we received responses from over 2,700 people representing 800 corporate customers, and executed the results of response analysis to improve sales and marketing, products and services, as well as in better provision of information to customers. In addition, about 50% of the respondents provided us with a total of 3,010opinions and requests. As a result, a total of Group-wide improvements plans are being promoted upon analysis of such opinions and requests.
FY2010 Survey Results
FY2011 Survey Results
Concrete Opinions and Requests
Sales & Marketing
- Request to provide proposals that meet our needs on timely manner
- Desirable if salespeople possess technical skills
- Desirable to have speedy information on new products and technological trends
- Suggest better coordination with technical and maintenance divisions
- Regular visits are desirable
Technologies & Products
- Suggest that product development be specifically based on consumer needs
- Request to enhance proposals based on advanced technologies
- Request to further enhance product quality and reliability
Delivery & Production
- Desirable to speedily inform the delivery status of goods
- Request better coordination between the sales team and the production team
Prices
- Desirable to provide an easy explanation of the basis of calculation of quotations
Maintenance Services
- Request for improvements on service maintenance menu and other remediation
- Desirable to eliminate the differences in technical levels
- Request for an easy explanation of the details of repair services
Activities Based on the Survey Results
Emphasis on Providing Suggestions and Proposals
At Toshiba Semiconductor & Storage Products Company, we have enhanced the information provided and improved website search to the comments received from the customers. As a result, in the FY2011 feedback, we received higher rating as compared to the previous year in customer satisfaction levels with regard to contents of the website information. We will continue to make various improvements based on feedbacks from our customers.
Emphasis on Providing Suggestions and Proposals
At our air conditioning and heat source equipment business unit, relevant divisions including sales, technical and services exchange information and collaborate to improve and implement measures in responding to the requests from the customers to strengthen our capabilities for making proposals.
Emphasis on Providing Technical Suggestions and Proposals
At our industrial systems business unit, since FY2010, we started sharing the survey feedbacks among several divisions such as sales and relevant divisions at our manufacturing sites in order to improve our capabilities for providing proposals. We are also promoting joint research projects with the customers to respond to their request.
Reinforcement of the Structure for Executing Improvement Measures
At our transportation systems business unit, we share survey feedbacks not only with corporate divisions but also with other divisions and with our distributors relevant to the business unit, having all of the concerned parties involved in the corrective action process.
CS Survey of Individual Customers
| Survey respondents |
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Survey Results
We have been conducting Toshiba Group CS (VOC) survey every March, however since FY2011 we have shifted the period to September for home appliance surveys and February for the digital products in accordance with large selling seasons which are summer for home appliances and end of the year for the digital products. In addition to Toshiba Group CS (VOC) surveys, individual product divisions conduct separate surveys and received feedbacks are incorporated into product development. We also evaluated the effectiveness of the improvement measures carried out based on the last year's VOC.
Seventh Benchmark Survey on Major Products
The benchmark survey conducted in March 2011 (home appliance survey: September 2011 for refrigerators, washing machines and air conditioning, digital products survey: February 2012 for notebook PCs, DVD recorders and Tablets) resulted in comments and requests from over 6,000 customers purchasing Toshiba as well as competitors' products. The results were analyzed to understand Toshiba's strengths and weaknesses in order to lay out improvement plans for product development and sales.
CS Survey in emerging economies
In FY2011, the VOC survey was conducted in several emerging market countries on flat-panel television. We received approximately 1,700 response from our customers. The VOC is analyzed and the results are shared with product planners, quality managers, and sales groups so as to use it effectively for product improvements. We will discuss among related divisions regarding the contents, countries and timing of the VOC to be conducted in the future.
Activities Based on Survey Results
Toshiba Initiative: Improvement of User Manual
Effective use of illustration on the Table of Contents page of the refrigerator manual.
Based on customer feedback with regard to Toshiba user manual, a cross-divisional working group was formed to act upon the voice of customer. Self-assessment is conducted periodically with regard to the degree of achievement in making improvements. Since FY2009, we also participated in the “Japan Manual Contest*”, a process that entails evaluation by external experts in the area.
In FY2011, Toshiba's washing machine installation manual received Excellent Manual Award and refrigerator GR-D62F instruction manual received Outstanding Manual Award. We will continue to make efforts to create easy-to-use manuals for all our products by utilizing the VOC.
* Annual contest since 1997 by Japan Technical Communicators Association involved in enhancing the technical skills and quality related to developing manuals
Policy for Customer Information Protection
Privacy mark
Toshiba clearly states the purpose while using customer personal data and, in principle, obtains direct personal data based on the consent of customers and other individuals. The majority of personal data is basic personal data essential for contacting customers or providing services, such as name, address, telephone number, and email address. The principal purposes of use of personal data with Toshiba are published on the following website.
Toshiba appropriately handles personal data in accordance with internal regulations and rigorously controls personal data using a framework integrated with the data security management structure.
Category Menu
CSR Performance
- Strengtheing CSR Management Based on the Principles of ISO 26000
- FY2011 and Targets & Plans for FY2012
Seven Core Subjects
- Organizational Governance
- Human Rights
- Labor Practices
- The Environment
- Fair Operating Practices
- Customers
- Quality Control
- Ensuring Product Safety
- Information on Product Safety
- Enhancement of Customer Satisfaction
- Response to Customer and Voice of Customer (VOC)
- Universal Design
- Community Involvement and Development
