Services Offered by Kinokuniya

Acceptance of credit cards - Kinokuniya accepts all credit cards, from visa, american express, to diner's club.

Deep selection - Kinokuniya offers a wide selection of books from novels, how-to books, art books, manga, magazines, and even graphic novels.

Delivery to home or work - Bookweb Singapore, an online book-ordering service by Kinokuniya, delivers the desired book to consumers on the next working day with a minimum fee.

Demonstration of merchandise - The event section of Kinokuniya has books on display there with authors of the books coming frequently to read some parts of their books aloud as part of the promotion for their book(s). Kinokuniya also plays certain parts of the movie dvds they are currently selling at the featured section of the store.

Display of merchandise - Kinokuniya's merchandise are displayed very neatly in rows across shelves in the store according to their genre and their titles by alphabetical order.

Extended store hours - The Kinokuniya store in Ngee Ann City is open til 9:30pm on weekdays but on weekends the closing time is extended to 10pm.

Easy returns to brick-and-mortar location or online - Consumers are able to return the books if they are found to be damaged when they are opened

Gift wrapping and notes - Kinokuniya provides gift-wrapping services to consumers who buy their products as a gift to friends or family.

Personal Assistance in selecting merchandise - There are various customer service counters located across the store to assist consumers in locating the books they desire

Return Privelleges - Consumers are able to return the books if they are found to be damaged when they are opened

Shipping to store or home address - Bookweb Singapore, an online book-ordering service by Kinokuniya, delivers the desired book to consumers on the next working day with a minimum fee.

Shopping basket - Kinokuniya provides shopping baskets located near the entrance for consumers to place their books in when patronising their store.

Signage to locate and identify merchandise - There are signages all over Kinokuniya directing consumers to the section of the genre they are looking for.

Cafe - There is a Coffee Club located in the Ngee Ann Kinokuniya store, allowing consumers a place to relax and read the books they have just bought in this area.

Customer Service Strategies

Personalized Approach

• Greater benefits to customers
• Greater inconsistency
• Higher costs

Kinokuniya basically adopts the personalized approach for its customer service strategy, as they would be able to provide the appropriate service for the different segment of customers.

Store
Employees are constantly walking around the store and when a customer requires help on the book that they are unable to find, the employee would be available to help.
Different employees have their different way of greeting, and ways to provide help for the customer. The various personalized service catered by the employees allow the customer to feel the employee's effort and sincerity to help him/her. The customer would also feel appreicated, as they notice the extra mile the employees would go just to provide the service, instead of just a standard greeting or assistance.

Telephone Channel
When there are enquires on the books, such as availability and pricing, customers who are not IT-savvy would prefer to seek information through the use of phone, instead of the website. Upon connecting the call to Kinokuniya, it can be noticed that Kinokuniya does not make the customers wait by having them to select various options, before the operator picks up.
The call to Kinokuniya is directly answered by a staff, and they would greet the customer, and politely listern to the enquiry the customer has in mind, before providing the information. Some of the staffs would also chat politely with the customer, as they are checking for the information, keeping the customer occupied, instead of having them to wait on the line. When the information is gathered, they would let the customer know, and the whole process takes less than five minutes.
The strategy taken up by Kinokuniya is more personalized and efficient, compared to its competitors, who are using a standard approach to the customer service provided.

Electronic Approach
Online Self-help
When customers faces problems on Kinokuniya's online book store, Kinokuniya BookWeb, there are two tabs that the customers can refer to; the 'Help' and 'FAQs' tabs. The problems and solutions listed in the 'FAQs' tabs are common questions asked by most customers, whereas the 'Help' tab provides solution to the general questions about Kinokuniya. There is also a tab in the 'Help' page that would allow the customers to email their questions to the staff or call them, if the problems faced by them could not be resolved by the available solutions.
Directory Booths
Customers would usually get upset when the staff are unable to find the products they want. Kinokuniya is able to help greatly reduce such issues with the use of the directory booths, where customers just have to go to the booths when they are unable to find the book they want. The booths is totally electronic and the customers just have to key in the key words of the book they wish to locate, and the machine would print out a slip of paper to let them know which shelf the book is located at. Those who are still unable to find the book or do not know how to use the directory system can still look for the staff, and they would gladly help the customer to locate the shelf and find the book the customer requested for.
The use of such machines can help to save waiting time when most of the staffs are busy, and also help customers to locate the books easily.

The customer service strategy practiced by Kinokuniya is the personalized approach, as it can be understood from the various ways they try to assist the customers and provide high level of service excellence. The company believes in their philosophy that the staffs are to provide clear directions to the books the customers requested. The core values also includes 'Professionalism' that the staffs should try to achieve, which is through their commitment and sincerity to provide a personalized and pleasant experience for the customers.

What does good customer service means?

Kinokuniya core values includes service excellence.

as seen from their website: http://www.kinokuniya.com.sg/corp_core.html

Their policies are:

1. Privacy policy

We are committed to protecting your privacy. All information obtained through transactions with you will not be transferred to any third party.

Explanation:

As they remain confidential about their customers personal particulars, customers will feel assured in entrusting their particulars to the company. Therefore, this is good customer service as the description of service is specific such that employees as well as customers are able to comprehend easily.

2. Exchange policy

1. Exchanges will be accepted within seven days from the date of purchase with receipt and in saleable condition. All exchanges will be processed only at Kinokuniya Singapore Main Store, Customer Service Counter.


2. Pictorial Book(s) (写真集) can only be exchanged for the same title(s).


3. We regret that no cash refund will be made.

How to exchange

• Please contact us by phone or email at least one working day in advance if you have intention to exchange your purchase.
  
  Kinokuniya Book Stores of Singapore Pte. Ltd.
  Online Department
  Phone: (65) 6276 – 5558
  E-mail: sims@kinokuniya.com
  
  Operation Hours: 9.00am - 6.00pm
  (Monday to Friday, except Public Holidays)

Explanation:

As they allow consumers to exchange their books should they find it unsatisfactory within a reasonable period of 7 days and are specific that the customer has to call a day before to inform them of their intention. Customers also have to bring along original receipt and the book has to be in saleable condition. These instructions are precise enough for employees and customers to comprehend and have a greater acceptance of the service excellence goals. Hence, it is good customer service.

Done by: Gerald, Justin, Cynthia, Stacie