News Lawson hires remote worker in Sweden for night shift

[thomas]

Lawson is pioneering a new approach to customer service by employing remote workers overseas who operate digital avatars. They will assist customers in multiple Lawson stores in Japan during late-night and early-morning hours. The first avatar, operated by a Japanese resident of Sweden, is scheduled to go live in January.

This initiative, driven by the eight-hour time difference, aims to enhance productivity by leveraging the availability of skilled workers in different time zones. Lawson President Sadanobu Takemasu intends to expand this program to countries with significant time differences, such as Brazil and New York. This is the first time Lawson employs remote workers residing abroad. The avatars will guide customers through self-checkout registers and ensure a seamless and efficient shopping experience during off-peak hours.

Photo credit: Sato Keiichiro​

The remote workers will use devices provided by the company. The avatars will replicate the movements by the employees though the devices' cameras. The avatars are expected to increase the use of self-checkouts and reduce the time that store employees spend on register duty by an average of more than 1.5 hours per store, according to Takemasu. Lawson launched its customer service avatars in 2022 in collaboration with Tokyo-based tech company Avita. Roughly 70 employees worked as avatar operators as of the end of November. They are available at 28 stores, in such places as Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka prefecture. Avatars are seen as solution to the labor shortage squeezing convenience stores, which often operate around the clock. Last fiscal year, 62.5% of convenience store operators reported being unable to find enough part-time staff, a Nikkei survey shows.

Paywall alert:

Japan convenience store hires remote worker in Sweden for night shift

Lawson turns to digital avatars as it struggles to staff 24-hour shops

asia.nikkei.com