Introduction
Thanks to the support of various stakeholders, including customers, business partners, employees, and shareholders, the Uzabase Group has been delivering SPEEDA, NewsPicks, and many other services since its establishment in 2008.
In 2021, we announced our purpose—“Awaken a world of play in business, with our insights.”—with the intention to keep earning the trust of our stakeholders and achieve sustainable growth. Our aim is to empower all individuals to engage in work with enthusiasm and satisfaction, which in turn drives the advancement of businesses and society. In other words, we seek harmony between a sustainable society and fulfilling individual and business purposes.
To support individuals in pursuing their purpose, we need an environment in which the capabilities, uniqueness, and talents of individuals from different backgrounds are brought into play: an environment that enables each of us to flourish.
At the same time, although it is extremely rare, we have seen cases in which customers have engaged in an abusive or derogatory manner with Group members, or have demanded excessive hours of assistance to a socially inacceptable extent.
Such ways of communication, or what is called customer harassment, can become a barrier to achieving our purpose. They can also erode the relationship of trust that is necessary for us to provide better service to our customers.
Therefore, in the rare event that the dignity of a Group member is unreasonably impaired in the course of communication with a customer, we will take appropriate measures in good faith and in a firm and resolute manner.
With this background, we announce the Uzabase Group Policy on Customer Harassment.
Below is a description of the types of behavior covered by this policy and guidelines on how the Uzabase Group will respond.
Behaviors Covered by This Policy
While the legal definition of customer harassment is not established, the Group refers to descriptions in the Corporate Manual on Customer Harassment Countermeasures published by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan to define the following:
The Group judges whether a customer’s complaint or statement/action constitutes customer harassment from two perspectives: (1) whether the content of the request can be deemed reasonable, and (2) in light of the reasonability of the request, whether or not the means and manner in which the request was made were socially inappropriate.
Examples of customer harassment include, but are not limited to:
Violence or verbal abuse by a customer
Violence against an individual
Intimidation or threats against an individual
Comments that denigrate an individual’s character
Insulting or defamatory remarks about an individual
Excessive or unreasonable demands by a customer
Demands for apologies without reasonable cause
Demands for internal punishment, such as dismissal of an employee
Demands to provide services that the Group does not provide, or that the Group has explained it cannot provide
Restraint by a customer for excessive time or at unreasonable locations, etc.
Demanding assistance for excessive time without a reasonable cause
Demanding assistance outside of business hours without a reasonable cause
Overly frequent telephone calls without a reasonable cause
Calling a Group member to locations other than the place of business without a reasonable cause
Other forms of harassment by a customer
Violation of privacy by a customer
Sexual harassment by a customer
Other types of harassment by a customer
Measures Against Customer Harassment
Internal measures
Educate members about customer harassment and provide training that enables them to take appropriate actions when they face customer harassment
Establish an internal response system to handle customer harassment cases
In the event of a customer harassment case, give the highest priority to the care of the member who has been victimized
External measures
In the event of customer harassment, engage in rational dialogue on an equal footing to reach a reasonable resolution
Subsequently work to improve the relationship
In cases of malicious customer harassment, or when it is not possible to reach a reasonable resolution through dialogue, we may refuse to engage in further business with the customer.
In order to prevent customer harassment and to objectively identify customer harassment, we may record telephone conversations with customers in some of our operations.
Request to Our Customers
In order for us to realize our purpose together with all of our stakeholders, we kindly request all customers to refrain from acts of customer harassment.
Needless to say, the Uzabase Group also educates its members to avoid committing harassment. In the unlikely event that you encounter acts of harassment by a member of the Uzabase Group, please contact us at the e-mail address below. We will promptly investigate the facts and respond appropriately.
Contact: compliance@uzabase.com
In formulating this policy, we have referred to the Action Guidelines against Customer Harassment of SmartHR, Inc.