Shiseido to Introduce New “Mirror” System for Global Utilization of Consumer Feedback Information

Shiseido to Introduce New “mirror” System for Global Utilization of Consumer Feedback Information

Shiseido will advance its system for gathering and utilizing consumer feedback, which has been in use since 1996. according to global specifications. The new system, which is called “mirror,” will be introduced in Japan on April 1 and simultaneously introduced overseas thereafter from July. Amid actively promoting globalization, Shiseido is seeking to become “a global player representing Asia with its origins in Japan,” and in doing so, acquiring an understanding of consumers’ demands and inquiries in a timely manner and utilizing such information for taking a global management approach are essential. Up until now, Shiseido has been utilizing a consumer feedback information system in Japan and China for accumulating and analyzing consumers’ inquiries, requests and opinions and effectively reflecting them in corporate activities. Such a system, however, has been an issue with respect to overseas affiliates. By introducing the “mirror” system, the efficient accumulation of consumer feedback worldwide will be realized while uniformly raising the level of response to inquiries and opinions from consumers at consumer information centers at respective overseas affiliates. This endeavor also connects to achieving value creation of the Shiseido Group worldwide.

Overview of New “mirror” Consumer Feedback and Information System The meaning of the name “mirror” refers to a mirror whose reflection will enable Shiseido to review the actual status of its activities through consumer feedback. Shiseido has formed a partnership with Toshiba Solutions Corporation (Head office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Shinzo Kawai) and developed a system*1 to be introduced globally at minimal cost and in which respective overseas affiliates with intranet access can use the system. The screen display is compatible with Japanese, Chinese and English. Any other languages besides these can be input as well. The following four functions support the global utilization of consumer feedback.

1. Input function: Function for entering and managing consumers’ inquiries and details regarding consumer responses provided by consumer information centers at respective affiliates 2. Response support function: Support function for searching and referencing necessary information (including product, ingredient, beauty care and promotional information) when contacted by consumers 3. Investigation function: Function for requesting factories to conduct product investigations and confirming the results of such investigation from factories depending on customers’ inquiries 4. Analysis function: Function for conducting quantitative analysis of compiled qualitative consumer information

*1: The base of “mirror” is the contact center solution CT-SQUARE® provided by Toshiba Solutions Corporation.

Roadmap for Global Utilization of Consumer Feedback Shiseido will promote global utilization of consumer information in three stages. This new system will be used to gather timely, high-quality consumer information to not miss the timing of decision-making and create brands loved by customers.

Phase 1 Period: From 2011 • From July 2011, the “mirror” system will be introduced simultaneously at all overseas affiliates, thereby setting up an environment enabling the consolidation of consumer requests worldwide under the overall management of the Shiseido headquarters. • The response support function will globally raise the level of consumer response at consumer information centers.

Phase 2 Period: Introduced consecutively in accordance with the status of Phase 1 • Gathering and utilizing consumer feedback information will proceed to be undertaken by overseas affiliates depending on local laws and regulations, business environments, and the scale of business growth and needs of respective regions. This will be helpful for product development and marketing more suited to respective locations.

Phase 3 Period: 2017 • Consumer needs will be analyzed and grasped in a timely manner and utilized for global marketing by connecting consumer feedback information from all affiliates via translation software.