A Joint POC to Support the Kansai Area Through the Collection of Feedback from Osaka City Hotel Guests

Kansai Innovation Center (Representative Director Yasuhide Hayashi, hereinafter KIC) and voice of consumer marketing and industry-specific customer data platform developer Koeerü Inc. (Representative Director Michael Gregory McDowell, hereinafter Koeerü), are announcing the release of “Voices for Osaka: Supporting Osaka through Connected Voices”, a platform that collects and connects feedback from hotel guests.

This initiative was spearheaded by MUIC Kansai (hereinafter MUIC), a KIC-operated innovation base, and is being promoted as a border-transcending industry collaboration initiative between MUIC-member companies and individual hotels operated by their group companies.

With the external environment rapidly changing in the post-Covid-19 world, it is becoming increasingly important for the tourism industry to accurately grasp the needs and values of domestic travelers and respond promptly and flexibly.  However, while confirming the content of customer satisfaction surveys and word-of-mouth reviews is common practice in the hotel industry, sufficiently implementing marketing activities that reflect customer attributes and needs is still a problem.

Outline of the Proof-of-Concept Test

Implementation Period: For about 3 months from Friday, July 15, 2022 (Planned)

Participating Hotels: The below 7 hotels operating in Osaka City (Partial List)

• Via Inn Osaka Kyobashi
• Via Inn Abeno Tennoji
• Cross Hotel Osaka
• The Royal Park Iconic Osaka Midosuji
• The Royal Park Canvas Osaka Kitahama
• Hotel Hankyu Respire Osaka
• FOURZ Hotel Kintetsu Osaka Namba

Methodology: A card with a QR code link to the questionnaire will be distributed to guests at each hotel.

Features of this Initiative

1. VOC Data Collection in Collaboration with Local Hotels

This initiative aims to support Osaka though the collection and sharing of Voice of Consumer data with local hotels. With its content focus on lodging in Osaka, rather than on satisfaction levels specific to each hotel, it is possible to understand the trends and needs of hotel guests in the city.

In addition, by allowing each hotel to compare their scores with the regional averages, hotels can improve their future development plans, promotion strategies, and other marketing measures.

2. Incentives Designed to Contribute to the Community

To better facilitate cooperation amongst all stakeholders in the VOC collection process, “Survey for Good”, an incentive mechanism designed to motivate respondents through direct contributions to social causes, was integrated into the CDP. In this particular case, each response is rewarded with a 39-yen donation to a Osaka-area fund selected by the respondent—a feel-good motivation that directly benefits the area where they stayed.

Throughout this Proof of Concept test, MUIC and Koeerü aim to help solve issues in the hotel industry and contribute to the promotion of tourism in the Kansai area, a region that is becoming increasingly vibrant in the run-up to the Osaka-Kansai World Expo of 2025.

About MUIC Kansai

Founded by Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group and the Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ, and operated by the Kansai Innovation Center, MUIC Kansai was established as a base for creating open innovations within the tourism industry. Looking ahead to the 2025 Osaka-Kansai World Expo, large companies, startups, and local governments are collaborating to solve problems in the tourism industry and create new businesses.

• Operating Company: Kansai Innovation Center Inc.
• Address: 3-6-3 Fushimi-cho, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, 541-0044
• Foundation: February 22, 2021
• URL:  https://www.muic-kansai.jp/

About Koeerü

Koeerü is a Kyoto-based startup that develops VOC-specific Customer Data Platforms. Using design thinking methodology, we customize our products for each customer, providing unique DX solutions to meet our clients’ data challenges. 

• Company Name: Koeerü Inc.
• Representative: Representative Director Michael Gregory McDowell
• Address (Kyoto): Ishifudonocho 682-6, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto 600-8047
• Address (Kamakura): Oogigayatsu 1-8-1 3F, Kamakura-shi, Kanagawa 248-0011
• Foundation: March 11^th, 2021
• URL: https://koeeru.com/

For Inquires

For inquires, please contact us at:

• TEL: 050-5534-3621
• E-mail: hello@koeeru.com