#3153

First-Class Cleaning Service on Japan Rails Transforms Into a Science

Loved my tour of the Tessei Angels under the Tokyo Station Tracks

Recently selected as a required course for all 900 students in the Harvard Business School MBA program, TESSEI makes cleaning and keeping the Japanese Shinkansen in mint condition for every single passenger, the new textbook benchmark for efficiency and teamwork.

Check out this video report on what the Tessei Team achieves.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFXi1cM9vO0

Keeping motivation high is not as easy as you think.

So how many times have you wanted to kneel down in a public train toilet and polish the floor into a freshly smelling shine? Can you expertly wipe 100 table tops and make sure a whole 100-seat car is spic and span in five minutes? Well, guess what, I sure you Would want to shine that floor into a sweet smelling luster or Could achieve the 100-pus seat phenomenon if you were a part of the enthusiastic, friendly and highly motivated team known as the TESSEI Shinkansen angels.

So what is it that makes this team special? Actually, on a recent tour I took, I learned dedication, leadership and a healthy dash of pride are what make this cleaning machine function.

A few hints behind this Shinkansen Science

This is not some business model that no one else can achieve… it just takes an arrangement of priorities that places people at the center of the science. Every single detail of the packs carried in an out of the cars, and the thinking behind the actual cleaning or how the teams’ motivation is upheld, centers on one single thing. Yes….put simply….it is all done for that one smile or word of thanks from the passenger. With a guest’s need in mind, here are a few background facts on how the Tessei team thinks:

1. They decided to use one towel for table tops and a separate towel for windows. Why? They felt using a towel for a coffee drip or stray rice kernels on a surface so close to the next passenger’s face was uncouth.

2. They re-designed the broom from single stick traditional style to a funky retractable. Why? A retractable broom can fit in the bag and free up the hands. It also has the benefit of hiding dirt and dust from the next passenger ready to board the train on a fresh new adventure.

3. They have seating arrangements in the team space under the tracks to encourage transparency and cross team communication. Why? To build a good team, they believe customer focus and the removal of cliques is the only way to go.

4. They wear Aloha shirts in Summer and have a cute little mascot named Chiritori (“chiritori” means clean up rubbish so it is a play on words because “tori” also means bird. Why? They’ve miraculously turned what used to be considered a three “K” job (kitsui (hard), kiken (dangerous), kitanai (dirty)), into a fun and friendly hospitality job. The team enjoys interactions with guests and wants to let people know that efficient, fast and perfectly clean is an achievable, sustainable state.

Techno Heart or TESSEI offers actual tours of the under-side of Tokyo station so you can take a look for yourself at how this epitome of sustainable clean is actuated at Tokyo Station. Make sure to get an appointment ahead of time and bring along an interpreter if you really want to get the details.

Either way, on your next Shinkansen trip to or from Tokyo, make sure to notice the swift, friendly, efficient cleaning team in the smart uniform or Aloha shirts and say a word of thanks for all the effort they have given for your pleasant train experience.

If you have a moment, stay to watch the whole amazing spectacle and join in the impromptu applause that erupts from the platform as the team bows crisply before heading down under the tracks to prepare for their next 7 minute miracle.

5@example.com image

5@example.com

5@example.com's other advice

Perfect Homemade Ramen at Kita Kamakura images

Perfect Homemade Ramen at Kita Kamakura

I am actually trying to avoid meat, but I just cant avoid this Ramen.When you step outside the Kita Kamakura station (Yokosuka Line one stop before Kamakura Station) you will see the Red Awning j…

Have you Heard of Water Shield? It's a Vegetable and No, I haven’t Heard of it Either. images

Have you Heard of Water Shield? It's a Vegetable and No, I haven’t Heard of it Either.

In Japan, this vegetable is called “Junsai” and I remember seeing it in my local supermarket, wondering what it was, and then moving on to the more familiar Nori or seaweed area as usual. This is som…

Menu Translation in Japan, What a Great Job! images

Menu Translation in Japan, What a Great Job!

I feel very lucky that part of my job is Japanese to English menu translation. Do you know how many little jewels lie silent on that Japanese menu in front of you every time you enter a soba, tempura…

Japan offers you a "Retreat of the Heart" images

Japan offers you a "Retreat of the Heart"

I read recently about how it is very important to be able to retreat within yourself. Are you able to do that? Do you find peace and calm for retrospection as you walk around, take care of daily task…

Do You Know "Hidari Gawa Tsuko?" Pass on the left in Japan images

Do You Know "Hidari Gawa Tsuko?" Pass on the left in Japan

"To the Left, To the Left" is one of my favorite songs and it well applies to some parts of my life....okay, yes you're right, Ill avoid that topic for today :) But, "To the Left" is an important…

"Little Forest" Shows you the Japan Heartland images

"Little Forest" Shows you the Japan Heartland

Thats right! I am not 12 years old. I actually have lived half a century as of this year.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_CUp9suEeoMaybe that is exactly why I love Pixar films that show the …

You might also like

The Top 8 Places to Beat Summer Heat in Japan images

The Top 8 Places to Beat Summer Heat in Japan

Where do Japanese love to visit to avoid summer heat in Japan? I searched the top 8 summer resorts loved by Japanese including Furano in Hokkaido, Okinawa, Karuizawa and Hakone, which are famous amon…

Alexlovetravel image

Alexlovetravel

What does the kiosk on the train platform offer? images

What does the kiosk on the train platform offer?

A convenience store on the train platform where you can buy very basic stuffs! Kiosk offers best possible basic needs with a minimum space on the train platform. We had Kiosk even before all the …

totowatanabe image

totowatanabe

Nombe Yokocho - Drunkard's Alley images

Nombe Yokocho - Drunkard's Alley

That is exactly what the sign says, "Nombe Yokocho" - Drunkard's Alley. It is located about a minute from Shibuya Station - almost directly across the street from a police box. It is a small sectio…

mikekato image

mikekato

JR Kyoto Station - Futuristic architecture masterpiece images

JR Kyoto Station - Futuristic architecture masterpiece

If you only pass through the platforms of Kyoto Station, you miss out to explore this impressive building, the third largest train station in Japan (Ref: 1st: Tokyo, 2nd: Umeda). The whole building w…

EmiOnishi image

EmiOnishi

Tokyo's Yamanote Line: More Than You Ever Wanted To Know images

Tokyo's Yamanote Line: More Than You Ever Wanted To Know

Cruise through the pages of Deep Japan, and you'll find tons of advice on how to ride the trains and get to where you're going. But, did you ever stop to think about *how* and *why* the train system…

jdlawrence image

jdlawrence

Popular Anime Locations in Japan images

Popular Anime Locations in Japan

One of the most popular anime ever. In an apocolyptic future, after the destruction of Tokyo by giant monster, the capitol of Japan is moved to Hakone`s Sengokuhara area.The main characters go to…

Kintaro-man image

Kintaro-man