Responding to increasing overseas e-commerce and inbound needs

BELLSYSTEM24, Inc. (Representative Director, President, CEO: Tsuge Ichiro; Headquarters: Chuo Ward, Tokyo; Referred to below as "BELLSYSTEM24") started its Chinese contact center service this month, responding to Chinese language customer support needs arising from cross-border e-commerce websites for China and Taiwan as well as the increasing demand from inbound tourists from the Chinese-speaking world. Previously, Chinese language support was scattered in multiple centers, but this support has been partially centralized in one Fukuoka center, gathering together a specialized Chinese language support team.

According to the Japanese government's National Tourism Organization, there were 13.75 million foreign tourists coming to Japan from January to June of 2017, with approximately 5.57 million (approximately 40%) of those tourists coming from China or Taiwan. Also, the government has the goal of getting 40 million foreign visitors to visit Japan in 2020, the year that the Tokyo Olympics are held. Furthermore, the number of tourists from China and other Asian nations in particular has been steadily rising.

Along with the expanded inbound demand from the Chinese-speaking world, the need to provide Chinese language support in a variety of services has been increasing. Also, "cross-border e-commerce" run by domestic Japanese companies and aimed at China and Taiwan has increased recently, with Chinese customer support becoming an urgent matter.

In order to respond to the needs above, separate Chinese language support desks were partially centralized into a ten-person team in a center in Fukuoka to begin a contact service supporting spoken Mandarin and simplified and traditional writing. Phone calls, email, chat, and social media are all supported at this Chinese Contact Center. Also, agents can interpret in three-way conversation when help is needed to communicate between Chinese speakers and sales staff at stores. BELLSYSTEM24 plans on expanding its Chinese Contact Center to reach 100 booths by 2020.

<The Chinese Contact Center in Fukuoka>

<Chinese Contact Center Offerings>

• A desk for various inquiries concerning products and services
  • Support for inquiries from China and Taiwan for "cross-border e-commerce" aimed at the Chinese-speaking world
  • Support desk for Chinese-speakers in Japan
• A desk for travelers
  • Chinese support for travelers using travel agents, hotels, transportation services, and such
• Three-way conversation support
  • Chinese interpretation using three-way interpretation for supporting Chinese-speakers going to electronics stores, etc

BELLSYSTEM24 has the largest footprint of call centers in the country, using its operational footprint to provide CRM services that combine the latest technologies with a proven track record and accumulated know-how in a variety of industries. BELLSYSTEM24 will continue to develop and provide services that offer new value in the area where client companies and customers interact.

All names of corporations and products in this document are the trademark or registered trademark of their respective owner.

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[Mass Media Inquiries]
Public and Investor Relations, BELLSYSTEM24, Inc.
Email: pr@bell24.co.jp / Telephone: 03-6893-9827

[Inquiries From Customers Relating to This Service]

Murata, SAS Division 2, BELLSYSTEM24
Telephone: 092-283-1367