Karakuri Launches EC-Specialized 'AgenticCS BPO' Service with "AI Hourly Rate of 200 Yen"
Karakuri Inc. has launched "AgenticCS BPO," a next-generation BPO service for e-commerce companies, designed with AI agents operating from day one. This hybrid service combines three AI agents with expert human staff, achieving an "AI hourly rate of 200 yen" and processing approximately 70% of EC-specific inquiries at less than half the traditional BPO cost.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: March 31, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 1, 2026 at 13:39 (18h 39m after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 22, 2026 at 02:11 (492h 32m after Collected)
Karakuri Inc. (Head Office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Shimon Oda; hereinafter "Karakuri") will begin offering "AgenticCS BPO," a next-generation BPO service for e-commerce companies designed on the premise that AI agents will operate from day one, starting in April 2026.
This service is a hybrid BPO that combines three AI agents—generative AI chatbot, AI-powered telephone support, and back-office AI for administrative tasks—with expert personnel earning 3,000 yen per hour, which is twice the industry standard. While achieving a price of 200,000 yen per seat per month (less than half the cost of traditional BPO at 400,000-600,000 yen per seat), the service allows AI to automatically handle approximately 70% of inquiries specific to e-commerce (such as delivery status, return procedures, and inventory checks).
## Background: Structural Contradictions in BPO and the Plateau of AI Utilization
The BPO market for contact centers continues to grow at an average annual rate of 4.1%, and is projected to reach 1,216.9 billion yen by 2029 (*1). However, the industry has long faced structural contradictions that have not been resolved. Client companies expect BPO vendors to promote efficiency and automation, but for traditional BPO vendors, automation means staff reductions, which translates to a decrease in sales. This conflict of interest in the business model has kept the use of AI in contact centers limited to a "partial auxiliary tool."
Since 2025, major BPO operators and SIers have announced a series of AI x BPO services, but many of them adopt an approach of "adding AI to human-based BPO," and it is said that no services clearly state a specific pricing model. Karakuri has been providing BPO services utilizing generative AI since June 2024, and the new "AgenticCS BPO" service is a redesign based on those achievements, operating on the premise that AI agents will be active from the very beginning.
## Mechanism of AgenticCS BPO: Collaboration of "AI at 200 Yen per Hour" and "Humans at 3,000 Yen per Hour"
In AgenticCS BPO, three different AI agents operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, automatically handling approximately 70% of EC inquiries.
### Three AI Agents (AI hourly rate of 200 yen *2)
* **GeN (Generative AI Chatbot)**: Automatically responds to text-based inquiries. Its patented "asking back" technology autonomously identifies the customer's situation and guides them to appropriate solutions.
* **Voicebot (AI-powered Telephone Support)**: Automatically responds to telephone inquiries. It handles routine phone support such as checking delivery status and processing returns.
* **Back-office Agent (Administrative AI)**: Integrates with order management systems and logistics systems to automatically complete administrative tasks such as return processing, inventory checks, and status updates.
### Expert Personnel (3,000 yen per hour = approx. 2x industry average *3)
Complex cases that cannot be resolved by AI (e.g., irregular complaints, return negotiations requiring judgment) are handled by expert personnel proficient in AI operations. They also take charge of prompt engineering and AI accuracy tuning, continuously improving service quality.
This service is a hybrid BPO that combines three AI agents—generative AI chatbot, AI-powered telephone support, and back-office AI for administrative tasks—with expert personnel earning 3,000 yen per hour, which is twice the industry standard. While achieving a price of 200,000 yen per seat per month (less than half the cost of traditional BPO at 400,000-600,000 yen per seat), the service allows AI to automatically handle approximately 70% of inquiries specific to e-commerce (such as delivery status, return procedures, and inventory checks).
## Background: Structural Contradictions in BPO and the Plateau of AI Utilization
The BPO market for contact centers continues to grow at an average annual rate of 4.1%, and is projected to reach 1,216.9 billion yen by 2029 (*1). However, the industry has long faced structural contradictions that have not been resolved. Client companies expect BPO vendors to promote efficiency and automation, but for traditional BPO vendors, automation means staff reductions, which translates to a decrease in sales. This conflict of interest in the business model has kept the use of AI in contact centers limited to a "partial auxiliary tool."
Since 2025, major BPO operators and SIers have announced a series of AI x BPO services, but many of them adopt an approach of "adding AI to human-based BPO," and it is said that no services clearly state a specific pricing model. Karakuri has been providing BPO services utilizing generative AI since June 2024, and the new "AgenticCS BPO" service is a redesign based on those achievements, operating on the premise that AI agents will be active from the very beginning.
## Mechanism of AgenticCS BPO: Collaboration of "AI at 200 Yen per Hour" and "Humans at 3,000 Yen per Hour"
In AgenticCS BPO, three different AI agents operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, automatically handling approximately 70% of EC inquiries.
### Three AI Agents (AI hourly rate of 200 yen *2)
* **GeN (Generative AI Chatbot)**: Automatically responds to text-based inquiries. Its patented "asking back" technology autonomously identifies the customer's situation and guides them to appropriate solutions.
* **Voicebot (AI-powered Telephone Support)**: Automatically responds to telephone inquiries. It handles routine phone support such as checking delivery status and processing returns.
* **Back-office Agent (Administrative AI)**: Integrates with order management systems and logistics systems to automatically complete administrative tasks such as return processing, inventory checks, and status updates.
### Expert Personnel (3,000 yen per hour = approx. 2x industry average *3)
Complex cases that cannot be resolved by AI (e.g., irregular complaints, return negotiations requiring judgment) are handled by expert personnel proficient in AI operations. They also take charge of prompt engineering and AI accuracy tuning, continuously improving service quality.