Improving inquiry response operations and reducing internal workload
Systematizing the EC site operation manual
- Building a manual site using Microsoft SharePoint

Overview of BANDAI SPIRITS CO., LTD.

・Established: February 15, 2018

・Capital: 300 million yen

Number of Employees: 665 (as of April 1, 2022)

・Business Content: Planning, development, manufacturing, and sales of toys, plastic models, and prizes for convenience stores aimed at high-target audiences.

Services Utilized

・Manual Creation Services

Project Overview

-- Please tell us about the mission of Premium Bandai and the Network Strategy Office MD Team.

Net Strategy Office MD Team Mr. Riku Nakaoka

Mr. Nakaoka: The Online Strategy Department operates the official shopping site of the Bandai Namco Group, called "Premium Bandai." Premium Bandai offers a wide range of exclusive products that can only be purchased at Premium Bandai, as well as various character merchandise.

Our MD team works on promotion planning and execution in collaboration with the product development division and group companies.

Premium Bandai
https://p-bandai.jp/

--- You mentioned there were challenges in operating the e-commerce site. What were they?

Mr. Nakaoka: Premium Bandai operates a system where product development department and representatives from various companies register products. This is an originally developed system for Premium Bandai, and we provided manuals and FAQs to the product listing representatives to ensure smooth execution of tasks such as registration.

However, there were challenges such as the following.

- Not aligned with the business flow and not systematically organized

- The storage locations of the manuals are not fixed and are scattered.

- Some tasks have become personalized, remaining as individual know-how and not being shared.

- Some content is outdated

The primary role of the MD team is to plan promotions on Premium Bandai and propose system functions for sales promotion.

However, due to the lack of consolidated information regarding the operation of Premium Bandai, the listing managers have received questions about the operation and management of the Premium Bandai system, as well as requests for troubleshooting, which has resulted in a significant amount of time being spent on these issues, creating a burden.

Therefore, we decided to improve and systematize the manuals to reduce the QA-related tasks in the business division.

- What are the reasons for choosing to outsource rather than implementing the systematization of the manuals in-house?

Mr. Nakaoka: Since the volume of the manual exceeded 380 topics (equivalent to 800 to 1000 A4 pages), we determined that it was not realistic to carry it out in-house.

Initially, we were consulting with the companies we were working with for product registration on the site, but as we continued our discussions, we realized that specialized know-how was needed for manual creation, so we searched for a company that specializes in web manual production.

Initially, I contacted Human Science Co., and through discussions over the phone and web meetings, I decided to request assistance from Human Science Co., which has expertise in manuals.

-- Were there any other points where suggestions from human sciences were adopted?

Mr. Nakaoka: Since we are creating a new manual on the web, we wanted to operate on a platform that makes it easy to share information, easy to maintain, and allows for multi-access. When I conveyed this thought in the meeting, I received a proposal to build the manual on Microsoft SharePoint, which is already implemented company-wide, from several options presented.

Since the introduction of a different system can be quite challenging, we appreciated the suggestion to utilize the tools we have already implemented for manual production, which makes it easier to proceed with internal adjustments in terms of operations and costs.

The project started in July 2021 and launched in April 2022 (including the development of an internal chatbot). We have continued to support you in the operational phase, but how has it been in terms of quality and communication?

Mr. Nakaoka: Initially, we thought we had to lead the project ourselves, but instead, we were able to advance the project with the support of Human Science Co.

It was good that we could provide information according to the established schedule, and when there were unrealistic aspects to the plan, we were able to quickly reorganize the schedule.

In terms of communication, it was smooth as I was able to participate in Teams used within the company and interact in a familiar working environment.

I don't have any complaints, but if I had to mention one, it would be that, since multiple writers are involved, I sometimes feel differences in expression. However, the volume of the manual is large, and there are limits to unification, so I don't see it as a major issue.

-- How was the impact after the launch?

Mr. Nakaoka: Ideally, we would like everyone involved to utilize it, but the reality is that it has not yet been fully adopted. We have received feedback from those who have used it, stating that it is convenient, so we would like to promote it further so that more people can take advantage of it.

After the launch, there have been requests regarding usability that were not initially anticipated. For example, there are voices expressing that they do not know their location within the manual due to the lack of a breadcrumb feature, and we consider this a point for future improvement.

-- Could you share your future plans and outlook with us?

 

Mr. Nakaoka: There are still features that have not been implemented in the manual, so I would like to cover all of them and complete the manual. I also believe that we should continue to improve aspects such as the addition of features like breadcrumbs mentioned earlier and the fact that the hierarchical structure does not reflect reality.

Currently, this is a manual for sellers, but I would like to further subdivide it to include the service levels of external companies that are entrusted with registration on our behalf.

In the future, we also want to prepare operational manuals for necessary applications and tasks within the Internet Strategy Office.

In addition, Premium Bandai is also expanding overseas. It operates under a different system than in Japan, and the methods of operation and sales channels vary by country. Although this is a plan for the future, we are considering developing manuals for overseas markets as well.

Related Services

Creation of Manuals and User Guides