TMJ (Secom Group) Publishes Case Study on ORIX Bank's Adoption of 'Gero-Talk,' an Elderly Customer Service Training Tool

TMJ, Inc. (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; President: Hideki Maruyama; hereinafter 'TMJ'), a Secom Group company specializing in the construction and operation of call centers and back-office processing centers, announced today the publication of a case study regarding the adoption of its elderly customer service training tool, 'Gero-Talk,' by ORIX Bank Corporation (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President: Kanji Teramoto; hereinafter 'ORIX Bank').

This case study highlights the efforts of ORIX Bank's Customer Service Department—which operates under a management philosophy centered on sustainability—to enhance its service for elderly customers, as well as the positive changes observed in the workplace through experiential learning using 'Gero-Talk.'

(Case Study Page: https://www.tmj.jp/case/case_31791/)

■ Background of Adoption

Since 2021, ORIX Bank has pursued 'sustainability-based management,' identifying 'measures for an aging society' as one of its key material issues. As part of this, the Customer Service Department, which handles non-face-to-face customer interactions, began full-scale initiatives for elderly customer service in 2021. To deepen understanding of age-related cognitive and auditory characteristics, the bank joined the Japan Financial Gerontology Institute (JFGI) and conducted quarterly video training for communicators. However, a challenge remained: classroom-style learning often left employees feeling that while they understood the concepts, it was difficult to apply them effectively in real-world scenarios.

To address this, the bank introduced 'Gero-Talk,' an experiential training tool provided by TMJ that allows staff to learn how to speak effectively while experiencing the differences in how sounds are perceived. The goal was to help employees internalize their classroom knowledge and apply it directly to their interactions with customers.

■ Reasons for Adoption: Ease of Implementation and 'Experiential Learning Effectiveness'

Gero-Talk is an experiential learning tool co-developed with Oto Designers Co., Ltd., designed to help users 'learn by verifying how their own voice reaches the listener.' Through recording, scoring, and simulated hearing loss experiences, users can confirm how age-related changes in hearing affect the perception of their own voices.

The tool was highly evaluated for its ability to be implemented quickly and smoothly while meeting the strict security requirements of financial institutions, as it is a tablet-based device that does not require external communication. Furthermore, the process of recording, scoring, playing back, and experiencing simulated hearing loss allows participants to concretely grasp the necessity of adjusting speaking speed, phrasing, and paraphrasing, leading directly to improved learning outcomes.