Now and Zen Japan
Entertaining and insightful conversations with Japan focused business professionals, entrepreneurs, and creatives. Recorded in bars around Tokyo, it’s like eavesdropping on candid conversations with Japan experts who share engaging stories of success, failure, and wisdom gained in Japan. Discover first-hand what it’s like to live, work, and experience the most fascinating country in the world. Direct from Tokyo, this is the Now and Zen Podcast!
Now and Zen Japan
Masako Yamamura: Retail & Leadership Trainer Extraordinaire
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Andrew Hankinson
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Episode 3
This episode we get into Hospitality and Retail with professional sales and leadership trainer Masako Yamamura. We discuss Omotenashi, Bartenders, Commissions, Fortune-tellers, Gin . . . and the numerous differences and similarities between the retail and hospitality industries in Japan. We are at the NAMIKI667 Bar at the Hyatt Centric in Ginza where the staff were a bit scared to wait on us. They might need some of Masako's awesome training. Some other highlights from our conversation:
- The "official" reason she started her own company
- What the hospitality industry could learn from the retail industry
- Why culturally "commission" sales is not popular with Japanese
- Her definition of "Omotenashi" and why she hated the Olympic O-MO-TE-NA-SHI presentation
- An interesting & delicious gin cocktail recipe
- Using hospitality concepts in retail can differentiate your brand from competition
- Why a 5-star hotel experience in Japan is not as positive vs. overseas
- Reminisce about contracting her training sessions on a "contingency" basis
- Why Japanese "Just In Case" mentality holds back true hospitality
- How Omotenashi can lead to world peace
- Not having the qualifications when working at the Mandarin Oriental
- Least popular jobs for todays Japanese youth
- Her pessimism regarding the future of Japan
- A story about a fortune-teller's shocking but reaffirming message
gugu Sleep Company https://gugu.jp
My Solutions https://www.my-solutions.jp
Masako Yamamura
https://www.linkedin.com/in/masako-yamamura-88060517/