The editor of Downcodes will take you to learn about the AI smile monitoring system "Mr Smile" introduced by AEON supermarket in Japan. Developed by InstaVR, the system evaluates employee service attitudes by analyzing more than 450 factors such as employees' facial expressions and voice, aiming to improve customer satisfaction and standardize employee smile service. It has been promoted in 240 stores in Japan and plans to further expand.
Japanese supermarket chain AEON recently introduced a new technology-AI smile monitoring system to improve the service quality of employees. This system called "Mr Smile" was developed by Japanese technology company InstaVR and can evaluate employees' service attitude by analyzing more than 450 factors such as facial expressions, voice volume and intonation. AEON is promoting this system in 240 stores across Japan and plans to use this technology to standardize employee smiles and improve customer satisfaction.
The system works like a game, where employees are encouraged to improve their service attitude by challenging themselves to achieve higher scores. AEON said that after three months of testing, the system has achieved remarkable results among 3,400 employees in 8 stores, and the service attitude has improved by 1.6 times. The purpose of this move is to improve customer experience and standardize employee service behavior.
However, this technology has also caused some controversy. Many people worry that forcing employees to smile may increase customer harassment problems, especially in service industries such as Japan where customers' harsh demands on employees are common. A survey by UA Zensen, Japan's largest labor union, shows that nearly half of service industry employees have experienced customer harassment. Some believe that smiles should be natural and not standardized by machines.
In addition, AEON's approach also provokes comparison. McDonald's Japan launched the "0-yuan smile" concept as early as the 1980s, emphasizing that smiling does not cost money. Over time, however, this practice has also been criticized for increasing the burden on employees. Recently, a supermarket in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, launched a slow checkout lane to allow customers to spend more time at checkout. This measure has been well received and sales have increased.
Highlight:
**AI Smile Monitoring System**: The "Mr Smile" system launched by AEON aims to improve customer experience by analyzing more than 450 factors to evaluate employees' smiles and service attitudes.
**Controversy and Concerns**: The technology has raised concerns about employee harassment, with some arguing that forced smiles could make customers more critical of employees.
**Industry Comparison**: AEON's approach is similar to McDonald's "0 Yuan Smile" concept, but it has also faced criticism of increased burden on employees, while Fukuoka's slow checkout lanes have received positive reviews.
All in all, while AEON's AI smile monitoring system is designed to improve customer experience, it has also raised concerns about employee work stress and potential customer harassment. This highlights the importance of paying more attention to employee rights and interpersonal harmony while pursuing efficiency and service quality improvements. The application of technology requires careful consideration of its social impact.