NRI People　IT Infrastructure Solutions

Haruhiko Kanda

Group Manager
Digital Workplace AI Solution Business Department

Profile

Since joining NRI in 2002, Haruhiko has engaged in a number of data mining, text mining, and marketing research works. He proposed “Voice of the Customer Management”, which systematized VOC analysis methods, in 2007.
He has subsequently worked on numerous projects concerning contact center knowledge management and big data use.
Presently, he is engaged in developing and supporting use of various AI technologies, including the AI solution “TRAINA”, with the aim of increasing the value of and enhancing productivity at contact centers.
He also studies new roles and functions of next-generation contact centers and challenges they face.
He has appeared on numerous TV shows, including IT White Box on NHK Educational TV and World Business Satellite on TV Tokyo, and has delivered lectures and authored articles.
He is an NRI-certified business analyst and holds a Ph.D. in business administration.

Expertise

Text mining ・VOC (Voice of Customer)
Consumer behavior ・Marketing research ・Data mining
Consulting about AI use at contact centers (voice recognition, chat summarization, FAQ knowledge management)

Biography

2002: joined NRI in the E-Systems Solution Department.

2005: joined the Business Intelligence Department.

2014: joined the Big Data Innovation Department.

2018: joined the AI Solution Department.

2020: joined the Digital Workplace AI Department.

2011: completed the Master’s Program, Graduate School of Business Sciences, University of Tsukuba (MBA)

2017: completed the Doctoral Program, Graduate School of Business Sciences, University of Tsukuba (Ph. D. in Business Administration)

Message

Contact centers are one of the workplaces where companies are expected to communicate with customers, in a way most often and most deeply, and find out customer needs and provide the best service to customers.
Contact centers are playing an even more significant role recently, given digitization of businesses and the Covid-19 pandemic.
We seek to enhance satisfaction and productivity of communicator employees working at contact centers, and to help our clients identify challenges and solutions.
We use knowledge gained from our numerous consultations and cutting-edge technologies to solve challenges our client companies face, and it gives us great pleasure to be able to contribute to improvement of communicator service levels and enhancement of customer satisfaction as a result of such work.

Publication

Books

Big data revolution: New trends in Japanese innovations created from countless tweets and location information. (2012) Ascii Media Works. (Co-authored)
Marketing across cultures (2011) (translation of Chapter 11) Pearson Kirihara.
’Voice of the Customer’ analysis and use techniques: Cultivation through text mining and new proposals for increasing the value of call centers. (2008) Ric Telecom. (Co-authored)
Voice of the Customer management: “See” true intentions through text mining. (2007) Ohmsha. (Co-authored)

Articles

AI-promoted reform of work-life balance. JACIC Information, February 2019. Many others.
Effects of emotional brand commitment on repeat purchases of consumer durables and word of mouth. Bulletin of Nikkei Advertising Research Institute, June 2017.
Artificial intelligence at call centers. Weekly Economist, March 2016.
AI for first-time users! (Series of 6). Ric Telecom, July 2016 to December 2016.
Use teardown analysis to mine customers’ true intentions. Weekly Economist, June 2010.
Strategic FAQ management development: Ever-evolving FAQs. Contact Center Management, December 2009.

Many others.

Other Activities

Affiliated organizations

Japan Institute of Information Technology, Customer Support Innovation Research Group, Coordinator (2010-)
Japan Marketing Association, Marketing Science Project Coordinator (2014-)
Japan Institute of Information Technology, Customer Support Award Program, Judge (2018-)
Japan Institute of Information Technology, AI & Robotics Business Innovation Research Group, Planning Committee Member (2020-)

Academic societies

Japan Marketing Academy, Service Marketing Research Group, Planning and Operation Member (2018-)
Japan Marketing Academy, AI x 5G Era Business Model Research Group, Planning and Operation Member (2020-)
Japan Institute of Marketing Science, full member (2009-)
Japan Association for Consumer Studies, supporting member (2010-)
Japan Society for Marketing and Distribution, full member (2017-2020)