Meg / Business Operation Support

Career Steps

1st month

Assigned to the Rakuten Pay business division of Rakuten, Inc. Responsible for managing development projects related to “Rakuten Pay” services and customer support operations.
5th month

Transferred to the Sales Planning and Promotion Department of Rakuten Payment. Engaged in customer support operations for “Rakuten Pay” and “Rakuten Point Card” as an Assistant Manager.
Present

Appointed as Vice Manager in the 4th year of employment. Involved in customer support for “Rakuten Pay,” “Rakuten Point Card,” and “Rakuten Edy”.

Profile

After graduating from university, I worked in sales for a system development company for about 6 years. After changing jobs, I became involved in customer support in the FinTech domain. Encountering users who use Rakuten's cashless payment services in their daily lives is one of the rewarding aspects of my job. On holidays, I enjoy hiking with my husband, refreshing myself in nature.

Current Role

I am responsible for the customer support operations of three services provided by Rakuten Payment (“Rakuten Pay,” “Rakuten Point Card,” and “Rakuten Edy”). In addition to operating each call center and the “Frequently Asked Questions” pages on the website, I also aggregate and analyze inquiries and provide feedback to the relevant internal departments.
Customer support is the closest point to the real voices of users and partner companies. Our mission is to create an environment for smooth problem resolution and to reflect the feedback received in service and feature improvements. We regularly hold meetings with internal planning and development departments, provide feedback on inquiries, and utilize this information for creating value for services and features, and improving convenience. Furthermore, we actively collect user feedback through social media and also promote the use of services and features from the customer support side.

Reasons for choosing Rakuten Payment

My previous job was in sales for a system development company. I used to propose new technologies and services to customers, but I became interested in the process of building systems and improving mechanisms. I decided to change jobs because I wanted to work closer to the service creation side.
I chose Rakuten as a place for new challenges because I was attracted to the company culture where young members were passionately creating services. In 2018, I wanted to create services with highly motivated colleagues in the booming FinTech domain, so I requested to be assigned to a department that handles payment services.
What surprised me after joining was the way work progresses, embodying the cycle of hypothesis -> execution -> verification -> systematization. First, try it out, then improve the issues that emerge, and then systematize it and expand it elsewhere. It was very stimulating, and I experienced firsthand the reason for Rakuten's fast-paced business development.

Joy & Appeal of Working at Rakuten Payment

The voices received at the call center hide service challenges and seeds for growth. Customer support is a job where you can give shape to user needs. How can we convey user feedback internally to improve convenience and solve problems? I am conscious of advancing projects while aligning perspectives with various stakeholders, including internal departments, call center operating companies, and Rakuten Group companies.
Currently, we are focusing on collaboration with Rakuten Group companies responsible for the FinTech domain. The Rakuten Group has over 70 services. Sometimes inquiries about different services come into the call center. Therefore, our goal is to build a one-stop support system. To ensure that users receive answers to any inquiry, we aim to strengthen collaboration between call centers, and even beyond departmental and company boundaries, to meet user expectations at a high level.

Future Career and Goals

Rakuten Payment's cashless payment services are a core asset of the Rakuten Group and have become social infrastructure. In our medium-to-long-term strategy, in addition to building a one-stop support system, we have begun concrete discussions on utilizing AI technology. For example, a 24/7 chatbot can always provide optimal solutions, enabling seamless responses to users. We are also continuously working to expand content that enhances convenience.
Beyond introducing the latest technology, we also believe that the warmth of direct telephone support is important. We want to focus on creating contact points tailored to users, such as supporting elderly individuals who are not accustomed to the internet. We want to support the growth of services that allow smooth daily payments and the enjoyment of accumulating points.

Message to Candidates

As a Vice Manager, I am also involved in managing about 10 members in my department. Most of them are mid-career hires in their 30s and 40s. They are working on daily tasks while leveraging their experiences from different backgrounds. However, it's not stiff; I feel like we can enjoy our work.
Rakuten is a company with a fast pace of change. The ability to build consensus with various stakeholders and move things forward is also required. Communication is easy not only within the department but also with members of each collaborating department, so even small pieces of information can be shared, and it's easy to consult. I think one of Rakuten's attractions is the environment where you can work while experiencing the joy of creating services and features with passionate members.