Leave in-mall guidance to “Tennoji Mio”! Using AVACOM for avatar-based customer service to both shorten wait times and improve service quality

Company Overview

• Company name: JR West SC Development Co., Ltd.

• Business: Operation, management, and development of shopping centers

• AVACOM deployment location:
  In front of the information counter at the large shopping center Tennoji Mio

How AVACOM is Used

• At the information counter (general information), an AI avatar supports customer service (store guidance, facility information, etc.)

• AI avatar responds to inquiries on customers’ smartphones via QR codes

Background

• At Tennoji Mio, many visitors ask about store locations and how to use the facilities. Especially during busy periods, customers tended to concentrate at the information counter and ended up having to wait.

• With an eye on future labor shortages, the company wanted to take on the challenge of introducing AI avatar-based customer service as a new style of customer interaction.

Why AVACOM was Chosen

• AI-based first-line responses were expected to reduce the workload of information counter staff.

• The company felt AVACOM had the potential to maintain consistent service quality even during peak periods.

• By using QR codes, they could build a mechanism that lets customers easily obtain information on their own devices.

Effects of Implementing AVACOM

• AVACOM is used several hundred times per week and has shown clear effectiveness in guiding customers within the mall. About 90% of users responded that “their problem was resolved” by the AI’s first-line response, achieving high customer satisfaction.

• It has reduced the workload of information counter staff and shortened customer wait times, contributing to more efficient staff operations.

• By analyzing conversation logs, the company can understand customer needs and pain points. Based on these insights, they continuously improve the AI’s response accuracy, which in turn further enhances customer satisfaction.

• Through the small-talk function, the avatar can naturally suggest the facility’s attractions and usage tips in casual conversations, creating new points of contact with customers.

Future Outlook

• Expand deployment to other group facilities, such as LUCUA Osaka and other JR West Shopping Center Company locations.

• Create original avatars and develop character-based content to enhance brand value.

• Broaden the scope of AI avatar responses and leverage conversation logs to better understand user needs and further improve the customer experience.

About the Avatar Customer Service “AVACOM”

AVACOM is an online customer service platform powered by AVITA’s avatar technology, generative AI, and other AI-driven capabilities.
The service supports multiple platforms and enhances customer engagement through AI-powered automation and remote (tele-operated) avatar customer service. AVACOM contributes to increasing online sales and conversions, improving inquiry-handling efficiency, reducing or eliminating on-site staffing needs at stores and reception desks, and addressing labor shortages.

Since its launch in 2022, AVACOM has already been introduced at hundreds of locations, helping organizations strengthen customer touchpoints, improve operational efficiency, and resolve staffing challenges.
The service has also enabled a new style of employment known as the “avatar worker,” in which individuals can work remotely through an avatar regardless of their physical location.

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