Product & Service Quality
Rakuten's Approach
Our constant pursuit of quality is the foundation of our trust with customers.
We will continue to maintain and improve the quality of our products and
services to deliver joy and excitement beyond our customers' expectations.
Rakuten Group Quality Policy
- Provide safe products and services to our customers.
- Reliably deliver the products and services promised to our customers.
- Provide products and services that comply with the applicable laws and regulations of the jurisdiction in which they are offered, whether in Japan or overseas.
- Provide products and services that are beneficial to our customers.
- Provide convenient, user-friendly products and services to our customers.
Management System
Since its establishment, Rakuten has committed to providing quality services to its customers. We are keeping our promise through three types of initiatives
conducted under the leadership of our Group COO (Chief Operating Officer): Quality Improvement Activities, Quality Assurance Activities and Quality Control
Circle Activities.
In addition, we established committees that lead Group-wide quality initiatives for Rakuten Group and its subsidiaries. The Quality
Assurance Committee discusses installing and replacing quality standards and guidelines and evaluates the appropriate measures that are needed. The Quality
Improvement Committee promotes the implementation and adoption of quality-related measures in our services by monitoring quality based on the NPS®
(Net Promotor Score)* and sharing best practices.
*Net Promoter Score, NPS® and the NPS-related emoticons are registered trademarks of Bain & Company, Inc., Fred Reichheld and Satmetrix Systems, Inc.
To continue providing high quality products
and services to our customers
| Quality Assurance | Quality Improvement | Quality Control Circle |
|---|---|---|
| Prevention of quality-related issues | Improvement of existing services | Bottom-up quality improvement activities |
Quality Management
Rakuten is committed to quality management across the entire Group to ensure all customers feel confident using its services. Within the Rakuten Ecosystem — which offers over 70 services — we promote systematic quality assurance activities, from prevention to recurrence prevention, based on international quality standards such as ISO 9001. This ensures consistent quality in our products and services. Additionally, internal audits are regularly conducted to verify aspects related to quality management, including process consistency, effectiveness of improvement activities and collection of quality-related information.
From the perspective of preventive measures, Rakuten implements specific initiatives such as clarifying our quality policy, establishing standards for each business process, continuously monitoring quality KPIs and operating systems that promote the reporting, sharing and decision-making of quality-related information.
In addition, to foster organizational awareness of quality management, we provide regular training and educational programs and share best practices across all departments. These initiatives aim to instill a quality mindset tailored to the roles and responsibilities of each employee. (Click here for the details on Quality Control Circle (QCC) activities.)
If an issue does occur, we promptly conduct a root cause analysis and implement recurrence prevention measures, while pursuing continuous improvement through regular monitoring.
Additionally, our quarterly Quality Assurance Meetings are attended by vice presidents and presidents across the company, ensuring that both management and operational teams work together to enhance quality across the entire Group.
Rakuten receives feedback and reports on issues related to our products and services through each business unit’s customer support services and dedicated inquiry channels. The information gathered is used as a valuable input for quality improvement and the prevention of recurrence.
We are continuously working toward higher quality by incorporating daily improvements and learnings into our operations.
Quality Assurance Steps
Case Study
Initiatives at Rakuten Symphony
Rakuten Symphony obtained ISO 9001 certification after approximately two years of preparation, led by the Quality Management team. As part of our Quality Management System (QMS), we developed 72 Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), establishing comprehensive guidelines, documents, and templates that cover a wide range of functions, including HR, IT, and various business units and their engineering teams. This certification affirms our ongoing efforts to build systematic processes and manuals across the organization to support the delivery of products and services that contribute to the transformation of the global telecom industry.
Quality Improvement Activities
Maximizing customer satisfaction is one of the core values of the Rakuten Group. To meet and exceed customer expectations, Rakuten uses NPS® and VOC to gauge customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Number of quality
Improvement
activities in 2024
Total:293
NPS® Net Promoter Score
Our NPS® activities quantify how much loyalty and trust our customers have in Rakuten's services and brands through user surveys,
interviews, and direct or indirect questionnaires. The results are utilized to evaluate and improve customer experience to better understand many points of
interactions users have with Rakuten's services.
Managers in charge of quality improvement take the lead in analyzing NPS®
results, and implementing necessary measures. In 2016, the Quality Improvement Committee created subcommittees to address NPS®
issues common to all Rakuten Group services. The subcommittees lead to more workplace-driven quality improvement activities by involving employees directly in
managing issues, in order for Rakuten's services to remain number 1 compared to competitors.
Rakuten's rank based on NPS® survey results and target for FY2024 are as follows:
| Results | Target | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2021 | FY2022 | FY2023 | FY2024 | FY2024 | ||
| Rank based on Group NPS® *1 | No. 1 | No. 1 | - | - | - | |
| Rank based on Ecosystem NPS® *2 | - | No. 1 | No. 1 | No. 1 | No. 1 (NPS® above competitors') |
|
Rakuten's rank used to be measured as an overall evaluation of the Group's services and specificities, based on Group NPS® surveys. Since 2022, it is measured based on our Ecosystem NPS®, in line with the current Group strategy. These surveys are conducted on population samples that are significant and representative of our customer base and of our competitors'.
*1 NPS® measuring whether each product and service of Rakuten Group can be recommended.
*2 NPS® measuring whether the Rakuten Ecosystem as a whole, rather than specific products or services of Rakuten Group, can be recommended.
Case Study
Improvement activities at Rakuten Travel
The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted the tourism industry and Rakuten Travel was no exception. To facilitate the swift recovery of the
industry, we promoted safe travel measures by implementing various improvement initiatives. We added features to show which facilities implemented
COVID-19 prevention measures, provided consultations on how to increase reservations and accelerated the adoption of early payment for travel and
accommodation fees for facilities suffering from the drop in international and domestic tourists.
I believe it is vital to put Rakuten's
mission of empowering people and society into practice and walk together with our partners, especially during this challenging time. Rakuten Travel
strives endlessly to offer better services to our customers and encourage the growth of the tourism industry.
Yoshiyuki Takano
Head of Travel & Mobility Business,
Vice President, Commerce Company
VOC: Voice of the Customer
Based on opinions and requests received through social media and call centers, Rakuten continuously works on eliminating our customers' problems.
Examples
of actions based on VOC analysis include deploying chatbot functionality for more convenient customer inquiries and expanding the number of shops accepting
Rakuten's various payment options. Additionally, we established the UX Research Room in 2013 to collect customer feedback directly. Users are invited to an
interview room where employees can ask them questions and observe how they use websites and apps. Employees from various businesses can conduct user research in
real-time, discuss issues and instantly execute improvement plans.
Quality Control Circle Activities
To achieve higher quality, we started Quality Control Circle (QCC) activities in 2016 as part of our comprehensive quality control program. QCC is a participatory framework for the continuous improvement of processes, products and services. In QCC, employees come together to identify and solve problems related to quality and efficiency in the workplace. The program embraces the principle of "Always Improve, Always Advance," one of Rakuten's five principles for success and a part of Rakuten Shugi, shared with all employees.
Employees address business challenges by utilizing e-learning, various training programs, and the QCC Promotion Manual. Through these resources and activities, they effectively improve their business skills. The implementation of QCC activities has led to quality and productivity improvements across business operations and services. Not to mention the enhancement of employee capabilities and the creation of vibrant working environments.
Starting with only 13 participants in 2016, QCC activities have steadily increased, reaching 12,152 employees involved in a total of 8,805 activities by 2024. In 2024 alone, there were 4,727 participants and 2,837 active QCC initiatives. The activities have also been implemented overseas, at Rakuten Ichiba in Taiwan and Rakuten TV in Spain.
Case Study
QCC Activities at Rakuten Ichiba Customer Support Center
We conducted QCC activities with the goal of shortening the operation time per inquiry, aiming to improve the smooth resolution of customer inquiries and increase the resolution rate. Among the various measures planned after analyzing the current situation and identifying the root causes, we focused on automating work processes using AI, improving the internal FAQ, and optimizing the operation flow. As a result, we ultimately reduced customer support time by 1,164 hours per month.