STAFF OF THE YEAR 2026 Customer Service Contest Announced, New 'NEXT AGE' Category for Staff Under 25 Debuts

## Overview of 'STAFF OF THE YEAR 2026'

Vanish Standard (Headquarters: Shibuya, Tokyo; CEO: Noriaki Onozato), the provider of the store staff DX application 'STAFF START,' has released a teaser video for the 'STAFF OF THE YEAR 2026' contest to determine the 'Charismatic Store Clerk of the Reiwa Era.' The 2026 competition is expected to attract the largest number of participants to date.

## Launch of 'NEXT AGE' for Young Staff

As a new initiative this year, the company is concurrently holding 'STAFF OF THE YEAR 2026: NEXT AGE,' a competition specifically for staff members aged 25 and under. This event introduces new judging criteria that focus not only on skill superiority but also on the individual 'personality,' 'expressiveness,' and 'customer engagement style' of each staff member.

The top two finalists from 'NEXT AGE' will earn the right to compete in the 'STAFF OF THE YEAR 2026 Final Stage' to be held at Shibuya Hikarie on November 12.

## Competition Schedule

### STAFF OF THE YEAR 2026
- Preliminary Stage: June 25 (Thu) – August 12 (Wed), 2026
- Semi-Final Stage: Early to mid-September
- Final Stage: November 12 (Thu) at Shibuya Hikarie Hall A

### STAFF OF THE YEAR 2026: NEXT AGE
- Preliminary Stage: June 25 (Thu) – July 23 (Thu), 2026
- Semi-Final Stage: August
- Final Stage: Early October at a location in Tokyo

## About STAFF START

'STAFF START' is a DX service that supports both online and offline customer service by store staff. It has been adopted by over 3,000 brands and has achieved a transaction volume of 221.2 billion yen.