Masako Yamamura: Retail & Leadership Trainer Extraordinaire

Dive into Hospitality and Retail with professional sales and leadership trainer Masako Yamamura. We discuss Omotenashi, Bartenders, Commissions, Fortune-tellers, Gin . . . and the numerous differences and similarities between the retail and hospitality industries in Japan. We are at the NAMIKI667 Bar at the Hyatt Centric in Ginza where the staff were a bit scared to wait on us. They might need some of Masako's awesome training. Some other highlights from our conversation:

The "official" reason she started her own company
What the hospitality industry could learn from the retail industry
Why culturally "commission" sales is not popular with Japanese
Her definition of "Omotenashi" and why she hated the Olympic O-MO-TE-NA-SHI presentation
An interesting & delicious gin cocktail recipe
Using hospitality concepts in retail can differentiate your brand from competition
Why a 5-star hotel experience in Japan is not as positive vs. overseas
Reminisce about contracting her training sessions on a "contingency" basis
Why Japanese "Just In Case" mentality holds back true hospitality
How Omotenashi can lead to world peace
Not having the qualifications when working at the Mandarin Oriental
Least popular jobs for todays Japanese youth
Her pessimism regarding the future of Japan
A story about a fortune-teller's shocking but reaffirming message