Customer Relations

Since its foundation, Panasonic has aimed to contribute to society
through its products and services, while always putting the customer
first. The Group seeks to improve customer satisfaction, and it offers
products, solutions, and services that enrich the lives of people

Policyaround the world. When providing customer service (CS), the Group

Responsible Executive andFramework

appreciation. This finds its basis in the CS principle of “true service”

Initiatives Related to
Improving Customer
Satisfaction

strives for sincerity, accuracy, and speed, and it acts with humility andthat the Group’s founder described. Our fundamental stance is thus toprovide customers with trust, peace of mind, and satisfaction.

Service Philosophy (True Service)
The customer’s satisfaction is our satisfaction.
True service resides in mutual satisfaction.
Service is an integral part of any business. A business that does
not provide service is no business at all. Service, therefore, is theduty and obligation of any business person. But there’s nothing
more aggravating than service provided only out of a sense of
duty. Customers can sense it. Service means satisfying customers,
and when we satisfy our customers, we in turn find satisfaction in a
job well done. Satisfied customers and satisfied employees: This iswhat constitutes true service.
Konosuke Matsushita
August 1967
issue of PHP Magazine

PolicyWe have established a set of Operational Rules for Response to
Customers (compliant with ISO 10002 and JIS Q 10002) to provide
guidelines to group companies in Japan for responding to inquiries
and complaints from customers.
We have also stipulated the following provisions as part of our
Operational Rules for Response to Customers:
・ We strive to deliver the utmost satisfaction to all customers;
・ We approach our customers and utilize their opinions in ourmanagement decisions.

Sustainability Data Book 2023 114

Customer Relations

Following the above rules and policies, Each site in Japan

This information is used to ensure the quality and safety ofinquiries as well as intake for repairs. The website for eachhas implemented a Management System for Response to

products and to help develop products that match the needs

country also includes FAQs, and we are working on building

Customers as a mechanism for utilizing information receivedof customers in each department.

from customers in its management approach. These sites

Policyconduct periodic self-audits and make other efforts to improve

Responsible Executive andFramework

have implemented ISO-compliant management systems
based on the Operational Rules for Response to Customers

Initiatives Related to
Improving Customer
Satisfaction

Responsible Executive andFramework

the quality of customer relations. Outside of Japan also, weand tailored to the legal system in each country or region.

8 Operating Companies cooperate to implement theGroup’s customer satisfaction initiatives. Overseas, the CS
departments of Panasonic Group’s sales companies aroundthe world collect local information concerning services
and quality, as well as customer requests and so forth.
Customer Relations Structure (as of August 2023)*Example based on home appliance products

Callcenters

Service
centers

Customers (Japan)

Retailers

Overseas sales
companies,distributors
and regional marketing

Operating Companies▪Customer Inquiry Response System
In Japan, we deal with inquiries from customers before they

Center. The Customer Care Center is open from 9:00 am(as of August 2023). The CS departments at each of theCallcenters

Number of Inquiries at the Customer Care Center(for Individual Customers) Over Time *In Japan

provide better customer service around the world.

(No. of cases)

400
355
331

how to use them after purchase through the Customer Care

Executive Officer responsible for the CS of the Group

Authorized
service
centers

experience that they have accumulated to endeavor topurchase products as well as with their concerns about

The Group Chief Technology Officer (Group CTO) is the

Customers (Overseas)

CS staff in Japan and abroad share the knowledge andways to allow customers to resolve their own issues as they
are able to in Japan.

Serviceｄivision
Sales
companies300

to 6:00 pm, Monday through Saturday, excluding Sundays,

Customers rarely spend a long time on hold; the Customer

285

272
250

national holidays, and the first three days of the new year.
There are separate phone numbers for each product.

316

230

216

209

200

184

Care Center is organized to provide accurate and rapid
service. We accept inquiries for residential equipment andbuilding materials products 365 days a year. When customers

100

make inquiries on the Panasonic website by typing in aquestion, the site displays multiple relevant FAQs. Thus, thecompany strives to provide quick responses to questions.
Regarding the content of its FAQ pages, the company
analyzes the search keywords that bring customers to FAQs,
as well as the number of times that the questions are viewed,
to increase the precision of the FAQs, so that the information0

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
(FY)

▪Repair Service Organizationthat customers require is accurate and displayed quickly.

The CS Company (repairs and spare parts department)

In recent years, the company has also been undertakingof Panasonic Marketing Japan Co., Ltd. is in charge ofinitiatives to use Facebook and other social media outlets torepair services for consumer electronics products in Japan.

post various types of useful information in a timely manner,

Panasonic Techno Service Co. is in charge of housing facility

such as when the seasons change, and to entice customers

products. These service companies constitute a network

to visit relevant FAQ pages using LINE’s autoreply service.

across Japan and employ full-time customer engineers who

Because these FAQs are organized so that customer’s

have close ties to their local regions as well as advanced

problems can be solved without the customer needing totechnical skills and experience. The network provides swift

contact the Customer Care Center, the number of inquiries

and reliable on-site repair services in response to customer

at the center is trending downward. Panasonic group sales

requests. The repair services system is organized such thatcompanies and sales agencies operate call centers in eachrepair requests are received 24 hours per day, 365 days per

country/region outside of Japan as well, handling all types ofyear; Panasonic Group makes particular efforts to provide

Sustainability Data Book 2023 115

Customer Relations

repair services as quickly as possible for products that are

Number of Repair Service Centers (FY2024)

everyday necessities.

Region• Number of Service Locations of the CS Company,
Panasonic Marketing Japan Co., Ltd. and affiliates: 99

PolicyResponsible Executive andFramework
Initiatives Related to
Improving Customer
Satisfactioncommercial solutions, as well as Panasonic Group sales

Number of Repair
Service Centers

Japan*

142

North America

402

Service Co., Ltd.: 43 locations (as of April 2023)

Latin America

843▪Initiatives for Improving Repair Service
Contact Point

Europe & CIS

886

For household appliance repairs in Japan, we have madeIndia, South Asia, Middle East & Africa

arrangements for receiving requests via websites and for

China & Northeast Asia

locations throughout Japan (as of April 2023)• Number of Service Locations of Panasonic LS Techno

courier services to pick up customers’ products before repair
and to deliver the repaired products when they are readywith the goal of making it more convenient for customers
requesting repairs. Customers can get a diagnosis fromour website before requesting for repairs, allowing themto confidently use our online repair service. To receive adiagnosis, customers enter their product numbers and selectthe appropriate symptoms, and the system provides usefultroubleshooting approaches to solving their problems. If thesystem deems repairs to be necessary or is unable to resolve
their problems, customers can review the estimated costs forrepairs and apply for them.

▪Global Repair Service Centers
Regarding repair services outside Japan, Panasonic sales
companies, service centers operated by distributers, andcertified service providers provide services that suit the needsof customers and local business conventions. In recent years,
we have been strengthening our initiatives in each country
toward improving experiential value through the repair
services and responses to inquiries we offer our customers.
We have also been working to bolster our response interms of how we communicate with our customer base as
it continues to become more diverse, including initiatives

Southeast Asia & Pacific

1,643
584
3,341

*Japan: CS Company, Panasonic Marketing Japan Co., Ltd. andaffiliates, Panasonic Techno Service Co.

▪CS System for Enterprise BusinessElectrical & Housing Equipment and Appliances

partners, understand the diverse needs of individual
customers and provide total solutions that optimize operations
and improve productivity at our customers’ sites, including
everything from system implementation to sales, construction,
maintenance, repairs, operations services, and cloud services.
These solutions support customers in the implementationof their product strategies and the improvement of theiroperations. Through its CS-related activities, the Company
uses its points of contact with its customers—including
support desks, repair services, and maintenance—to build
trusting relationships. Panasonic Group has created a
responsive system that provides quick, continuous support
to its customers when they experience difficulties.

Automotive Equipment
Concerning automotive equipment, the Panasonic groupsales company (Panasonic Automotive Electronics Co., Ltd.)

Through its corporate customer support window for lighting

cooperates with dealerships to provide after-service for

fixtures, information systems, electrical facility materials,

Panasonic-produced car navigation and other equipment inhousing facilities and materials and energy-related products

an effort to improve CS. We are also building organizations

such as power generators, power storage facilities etc.—

and systems that allow early detection and early resolution

Panasonic Group has created a rapid system that canof nonconforming products to provide rapid and thoroughrespond to its corporate customers (partners) with problems

services to meet the needs of car manufacturers in the

regarding construction, installation, and configuration 365

provision of genuine on board equipment.

days a year.

Commercial Equipment
In the area of commercial equipment—which includes video,
security, information communications, automotive, andcommercial air conditioning equipment—Panasonic Group’s
sales companies in each field provide unified support at
every stage, from proposals for devices and systems to theirdesign, construction, customer inquiries, and repair services.
By providing total solutions that meet its customers’ needs,
the Group strives to improve its CS.

involving new methods for communicating with customers on

Commercial Solutionssocial media.

The Panasonic Group sales companies in charge of

Initiatives Related to Improving
Customer Satisfaction▪Promoting the Acquisition of Consumer
Affairs Advisor Credentials
Panasonic Group actively promotes the acquisition by its
employees in Japan of the “Consumer Affairs Advisor”*
credentials with the aim of fostering a customer-oriented
corporate culture. Credential holders play an active role as
leaders to realize a consumer-oriented management. As of
April 1, 2023, 306 employees affiliated with the PanasonicGroup had acquired this certification.

Sustainability Data Book 2023 116

Customer Relations

The Consumer Affairs Advisor System consists of a qualification based on certification under the▪Reflecting Voices of Customers in the Products and Services(VOC Activities)

authority of the Prime Minister and the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry. (Examination

In what we call Voice of Customer (VOC) activities, Panasonic Group uses a variety of methods*Consumer Affairs Advisor Systemand certification organization: non-profit organization the Japan Industrial Association.) As a

to analyze customer’s voice in order to improve our business activities. The voices of the

Policybridge between consumers, companies, and the government, the System aims to effectively

company’s customers are heard via the opinions received through the Customer Care Center

reflect the ideas and recommendations of consumers to corporate management and government

Responsible Executive andFrameworkand Panasonic Group’s sales persons and partners, showrooms, and service companies. We

administration. The goals is to foster individuals who can contribute to society in a wide range ofuse the results of these analyses for product development, functionality, quality, updates to

Initiatives Related to
Improving Customer
Satisfaction

fields, including by being able to provide quick and appropriate advice in response to consumer

instruction manuals and catalogs, and improvement of sales activities through a collaboration

complaints. (From the Japan Industrial Association website)

between product planning, design, technology, and quality control departments on one hand,▪Customer Month Initiatives

and their marketing and sales departments on the other. Panasonic Group considers those

We believe that a customer-oriented corporate culture will become even more important inserving our customers in the future, so in Japan we have designated May as “Customer Month”
to make it easier for all Group employees to get involved. In accordance with the Japanese
government’s designation of May as “Consumer Month” * Panasonic Group actively implements
the following unique measures every year in May in order to cultivate such culture in all its
employees.
1. The Group CEO sends out a message regarding the “Introduction to the Customer Month”,
informing all employees of the significance of this special month.
2. The Group within Japan create a unique Customer Month poster (in a digital format) to spreadthe word about Customer Month by distributing it to all Operating Companies and including it
in on digital signage and the like.
3. We strive to promote a consumer-oriented management by holding a “Customer Month
Commemorative Symposium,” which involves the participation of those employees

VOC activities to be practical implementations of its Basic Business Philosophy, which aims
to improve customer satisfaction. The company encourages all employees to engage with thevoices of the company’s customers throughout various aspects of their work.

STEP1

STEP2

Respond to customer inquiries and issues

Analyze the customer’s opinion

Our Customer Care Center responds
to the inquiries and issues brought
up in telephone calls and letters
received from customers on a daily
basis. Marketing divisions also receive
opinions from customers through sales
people and partners.

Customer opinions are recorded,
entered into a database, and analyzed
every day.

responsible for consumer-related activities, as well as all other employees. In fiscal 2023,
we invited a lecturer to give a talk titled “Hospitality at Dotonbori Hotel, a Bridge Connecting

STEP3

STEP4

Japan to the World: Everything for Our Customers and Employees” to encourage increased

Identify areas in need of improvement
based on customer opinions

Learning from our customers’ opinions toimprove products, user manuals, etc.

Customer opinions are analyzed to
identify the root of the problem, suchas how easy it is to use a productor understand a user manual, andraised as possible areas in need of
improvement.

Meetings are held in divisions incharge of product development anduser manuals to discuss issues thathave been raised and look for ways toimprove products and services.

understanding of how vital corporate culture reform (how to deal with employees) and uniquemanagement strategies are.
* Consumer Month Japan’s Consumer Protection
Fundamental Act (predecessor to the Consumer BasicAct) was enacted in May 1968. On the 20th anniversaryof the creation of this law in 1988, May was designated
Consumer Month. Every year during this month, consumers,
businesses, and government agencies come together toparticipate in focused work on education and awarenessraising concerning consumer issues.

Outside of Japan, Panasonic Group strives to improve its customer relations by using Net Promoter
Fiscal 2023 Customer Month poster

Score (NPS) surveys and post-repair questionnaires to evaluate the performance of authorized
service providers and service engineers, who are one of the points of contact with our customers.

Sustainability Data Book 2023 117

Customer Relations▪Educating Consumers to Use Products Safely
As part of our ESG efforts toward addressing the pressing social issues of countering global

WEB Using home appliance products safely (Japanese only)
https://jpn.faq.panasonic.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/62005

warming and promoting carbon-free solutions, we have partnered with local governments,

The Panasonic Group provides

corporations, and companies to provide courses for local communities in Japan, mainly on

information to give our customers a better

Policyenvironmental education.

understanding of safety, from how to

Responsible Executive andFramework

Our goal is to help participants understand what they can do as members of their communities

Initiatives Related to
Improving Customer
Satisfaction

uptick in the frequency of parent-child study sessions, in which lecturers incorporate complex

and raise awareness that drives action on themes that are highly socially relevant and interesting
to consumers, such as the environment and energy issues. Recently, we have noticed a marked

correctly use their household appliances
for safety and product longevity, illustratedusing practical and realistic examples.

topics into everyday life situations, and participants learn about energy conservation, using
energy from natural sources, and other familiar issues in a fun and easy-to-understand manner.
We also actively participate in government-hosted environmental events as part of our broader
engagement in promoting education and raising awareness.
In fiscal 2023, we held 122 lectures (around 7,000 participants), mainly at elementary and juniorhigh schools; 118 educational courses (approx. 2,000 participants), including craft classes; and30 environmental events at various locations throughout Japan.
WEB Useful Information on Household Appliances (Japanese only)
https://panasonic.jp/support/useful.html

The Group’s domestic Japaneselanguage site provides information tocustomers, including basic knowledge
about electricity, laws and regulations
concerning home appliances and theirdisposal (recycling), along with precautions
related to protecting home appliances fromdisasters including warnings on what to do
during natural disasters.

Sustainability Data Book 2023 118