Improvement of Customer Satisfaction
Implementation of Customer Satisfaction Survey
Hitachi Construction Machinery Japan conducts a customer satisfaction survey in FY2020 targeting customers in Japan in order to reflect feedback in our products, parts and services.
In FY2020, we expanded the scope of the survey to include customers other than those registered in the point program (RSS point) in order to collect feedback from more customers and link it to improvements in sales activities, products, parts, and services. We received approximately 1,500 responses from customers. Based on the results of this survey, we have been promoting improvement activities.
The Hitachi Construction Machinery Group will continue to reflect the candid opinions of our customers to further improve customer satisfaction.
Ensuring a globally common quality level
The Hitachi Construction Machinery Group is implementing various initiatives to maintain the same quality around the world and to continuously provide products that satisfy customers.
One such an initiative is the “Global Monozukuri Diagnosis” conducted at all our production bases around the world. This initiative was launched in FY 2005 as the “Global Quality Diagnosis ” with the aim of improving the quality level at each production site. The diagnostic chart was subsequently revised to evaluate not only quality but also overall SQDC (safety, quality, delivery, and cost), and since FY2014, it has been conducted as the “Global Monozukuri Diagnosis. In accordance with the diagnostic table for each production process, such as welding and machining, we evaluate each item by checking operations and actual products onsite and take countermeasures if any items require improvement. These ongoing efforts lead to the realization of quality that is the same around the world.
In addition, the development of excellent human resources is indispensable for Monozukuri. Since 2008, Hitachi Construction Machinery Japan has accepted engineers from production sites in Japan and overseas for training to develop Monozukuri engineer. This is a three-year program that includes various training courses mainly at the Tsuchiura Works. The engineers bring back the technologies and ways of thinking acquired in the training to their production bases and share Hitachi Construction Machinery’s Monozukuri with their colleagues.
As global initiatives, we hold the Hitachi Construction Machinery Group International Skills Competition and the Company-wide Small Group Activity Presentation Contest. The International Skills Competition has been held since 2000, in which contestants selected from each production site, including those overseas, compete in eight events: welding, painting, measuring, assembly, transportation, machining, welding robotics, and equipment maintenance. The company-wide small group activity presentation contest is held at the same time as the competition, and groups that have won the selection contests at each company gather to make presentations at this contest. Through mutual training, the participants not only grow as individuals, but also revitalize the organization.
Due to the impact of the spread of the new coronavirus, the International Skills Competition in FY2021, as in FY2020, was held as a special competition to be held in each country. The Japan competition was held at the Kasumigaura Institute for three days from November 2 to 4, where 49 participants competed their skills in seven events, excluding welding robots. At overseas production bases, the competition was held independently in China, Indonesia, India, and Russia, with a total of 88 participants. In addition, the company-wide small group activity presentation contest was held on two separate days in November, with 21 groups, including domestic and overseas group companies, making presentations. The presentations were relayed online to Group companies in Japan and overseas, and a total of approximately 440 people attended the presentations on both days.
We will continue to pursue the manufacture of products that meet safety and quality standards and that can be used with confidence by customers in any country in the world.
Strengthening service support
The Hitachi Construction Machinery Group holds the “Service Technology Competition” with the aim of improving the service support capabilities of service personnel who come in direct contact with customers’ machines.
In FY2019, nine representatives from nine regions gathered at the Technical Training Center to compete in the knowledge, technical skills, and customer support skills related to machine maintenance. As a result of the four categories of the competition, two service technicians from Cable Price (New Zealand distributor), representing the Oceania region, and PT Hexindo Adiperkasa Tbk (Indonesia distributor), representing the Southeast Asia region, were awarded the MVS (Most Valuable Service) Award.
The Hitachi Construction Machinery Group will continue its efforts to further improve the service technology of its distributors.
*The FY2020 and 2021 awards were cancelled due to the new coronavirus
