Japan Post Network Builds Compliance and Customer Inquiry Apps on Force.com

Challenge

• Japan Post Network needed to create an exclusive system for the newly established Japan Post Service Company that integrated the systems of the three existing companies: Postal Savings, Postal Life Insurance, and Postal Service. The company deployed the applications and Salesforce CRM to 40,000 users at 24,000 post offices throughout Japan.
• The company wanted to consolidate paper-based customer data and feedback from Japan Post’s branch offices at headquarters for systems development.
• Japan Post Network required a way to issue timely reports to the group companies.
• The company also needed to comply with regulations and compile a database of personal information usage agreements with customers that also supports cross-selling opportunities between Japan Post Service Company and the group companies.

Solution

• Japan Post Network built retail banking compliance and customer inquiry management applications on the Force.com platform. The company deployed the applications and Salesforce CRM to 40,000 users at 24,000 post offices throughout Japan.
• With Force.com, services can be deployed rapidly, leveraging a rock-solid data center and security.
• The interface and tabs can also be easily customized, even after deployment.
• Users can easily access the application via an Internet browser from any of the 24,000 offices. 
• Management now has real-time visibility into business processes using reports and the dashboard.

Results

• Force.com development costs are a fraction of the costs associated with on-premises solutions.
• By building on Force.com, Japan Post Network has gained development productivity, flexibility, and the ability to change things easily.
• Even with limited IT resources and constant change, the Force.com implementation has grown to 65,000 users.
• The company plans to build cloud-computing applications to handle everything—e xcept core systems and detailed analytics—for its corporate and regional offices.
• Service representatives can respond appropriately to customers on the spot.
• Japan Post Network obtained and confirmed personal information usage agreements with customers nationwide.
• The company will move beyond its pilot program and analyze benefits of custom development vs. cloud computing and look into where cloud-computing deployment can be expanded.