iPad and the change in Japanese Business

August 9th, 2010By Category: Work Tips

‘‘The impact of the iPad on the information and communication industry has been extremely big (in Japan)…the iPad (business) will likely spread fast to other sectors,’’ said a senior researcher of the information and communication industry and finance research department at the Yano Research Institute recently.

Where other firms in the tablet computer business failed to take off over the past decade, the iPad, the launch of which we covered here, has already gone on to become a viable marketing tool welcomed by Japanese retailers, medical and academic circles.

Yano Research went on to point out that though other products with higher-spec will likely come out, Apple’s wonder toy has caught the eyes of brand-conscious Japanese consumers and will likely remain number one.

One of the iPad’s eager Japnese customers is Novarese Inc, a firm that offers wedding services and wedding dress rentals, with spokeswoman Kazuka Nohara saying the iPad is a more effective communication gadget between the firm and its customers, especially the grooms.

‘‘Whereas grooms before used to be less participative, we were surprised at how grooms became more active in speaking with our coordinators and choosing wedding dresses since our coordinators have been giving the iPads to customers to look at them freely,’’ Nohara said.

Dresses which were not that popular before have also caught their customers’ attention thanks to the iPad’s appealing visual presentation, which has a different effect from the conventional way of simply looking at catalogues, she said.

Currently, Novarese has two iPads at its Ginza shop, and it plans to expand this tactic to its core operation in operating wedding hotels and guest weddings.

‘‘What’s important is to allow customers to be proactive in selecting dresses, and the iPad just fits in with that kind of strategy,’’ said Nohara.

Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co said it will also begin the use of iPads for its medical representatives to bring when paying a visit to doctors to market the company’s medicines.

Spokeswoman Yuko Kikuchi said the firm looks at the iPad as an excellent tool for their medical representatives to ‘‘speedily provide the necessary information to busy doctors.’‘

The iPad is also making its presence felt elsewhere such as at Tomihiro Art Museum in Gunma Prefecture, where visitors can use the iPad at the museum’s cafe to see information about the museum, and at Chubu Gakuin College in Gifu Prefecture, where piano classes are held using the iPad.

GP sister site, Japan Today, contributed to this story.

Author of this article

GaijinPot

GaijinPot is an online community for foreigners living in Japan, providing information on everything you need to know about enjoying life here, from finding a job and accommodation to having fun.

Related articles that may interest you

Comments

Top