EPISODEINTERVIEW
03

Exceeding our customers' expectations creates a very rewarding feeling.

K Sky Co., Ltd.
Haneda Office
Head

MASAYO YAMAMOTO

MASAYO

YAMAMOTO

As I challenge myself to fulfill my potential, I'm working alongside everyone to build the next stage of the future together.

At the Tokyo International Airport (Haneda Airport), among the different business operations that we undertake for companies such as the major airlines, I am the person responsible for overall passenger operations. I am in charge of over 100 staff members working in various operations, ranging from the check-in counter, the arrival and departure gates, and responses to complaints. I gained over 20 years of experience myself at the Kansai International Airport before taking on my job as a manager at Haneda Airport. At our workplace in Haneda Airport, which is growing significantly, the majority of the staff is made up of young people. We are in the midst of creating the next stage of the future together while testing our own abilities. K Sky Co., Ltd. was originally a group company of an airline, but it joined the Konoike Group in 2010. Back when visitors to Japan were not as numerous as they are now, and the word "inbound" wasn't used, Konoike resolved to have us join its group after it set its sights on growth in the airport industry. I want to repay the debt we owe to them, and I want to also do my best to reward the expectations of my boss, who recommended me for a managerial position.

MASAYO

YAMAMOTO

Helping people to grow. I believe that's the essence of work.

Helping people to grow. I believe that's what work is. There was a time when I listened to the complaint of a customer regarding the onboard meals. That customer's son wanted to become a pilot, and the parent wanted to help him achieve his dreams. "I'm raising him strictly, but I'll be happy if he realizes the affection I have for him after I'm gone. I want your company to raise its employees strictly as well, with this same kind of parental affection and care. "This customer had truly deep thoughts on the matter. This kind of life-changing talk moved me greatly, and the customer and I both had tears in our eyes. The customer greeted me several times at the airport thereafter, and we had many talks together.

MASAYO

YAMAMOTO

Performing our work by listening carefully to what people have to say to draw out their thoughts.

Exceeding our customers' expectations creates a very rewarding feeling, and leads our customers to choose us again. We feel the importance of this in our skin as we interact with our customers day to day. However, because our place of work is so busy each day, we do tend to be strict unintentionally in our interactions at times. This is why we must always keep the idea of exceeding expectations at the forefront of our minds. I believe that if I act as a leader in achieving this, the other junior employees will be sure to follow in the same spirit. Developing staff can at times be even more difficult than dealing with customers. It's important to listen carefully to what each individual is trying to say, and to consider their feelings as we proceed with our work. This is indeed a job where people's feelings are very important. What makes me happiest is when I am able to give my more junior employees a push in the right direction and show them the way forward. Everyone is really trying their hardest, and I want to further draw out their potential for growth so that they can become something truly special. It's just like the feeling of being a mother.