With the support of Altius Link Co., Ltd., Metropolitan Expressway Co., Ltd. aimed to strengthen its center system to put customers first, establishing a 24/365 reception system, establishing a flexible staffing system for emergencies, and strengthening its response to customer harassment. As a countermeasure against customer harassment, AmiVoice® Communication Suite was introduced to provide operational support for Metropolitan Expressway Co., Ltd.'s "Power Cutting (Customer Harassment Countermeasures) Manual." As a result, a work environment was realized in which operators could operate stably in emergencies and with less psychological stress from responding to customer harassment.
Achieving stable operations by establishing an "emergency assembly system" in the event of an emergency
Altius Link has a wealth of experience in providing business support in the field of life infrastructure, such as electricity and communications, and has the knowledge and experience to build and implement systems that enable operators to safely get to work while continuing business even in emergencies. By utilizing this know-how, they have created a system that can maintain stable operations even in the event of an emergency, by preparing a list in advance of personnel who can get to work by alternative means, even when public transportation is suspended.
Creating a safe environment by introducing a voice recognition system to support customer harassment countermeasures
As a measure against customer harassment, Metropolitan Expressway has formulated a "Power Cutting Manual (Customer Harassment Countermeasure Manual)" that sets out rules for cutting off power under certain conditions. Altius Link suggested introducing the voice recognition system "AmiVoice® Communication Suite" to support the operation of this manual, making it possible to visualize conversations, display real-time alerts, and check response history. Furthermore, by objectively recording the content of responses, it is now possible to accurately verify compliance with the manual. Operators have commented that "I've become more proactive in answering calls," and "I feel a great sense of security knowing that I'm being protected," creating a work environment with less psychological stress.
Interview between Metropolitan Expressway and Altius Link
Metropolitan Expressway Co., Ltd. CS & Sustainability Promotion Department
Manager of Sustainability Promotion Planning Division
Kazunori Onda (right side of photo)
Altius Link Co., Ltd. Corporate Business Headquarters No. 2
General Manager, Sales Department 1, Solutions Division 3
Mr. Hiroyuki Kurosawa (left side of photo)
Start of stable 24/365 operation and new challenges
-Please tell us about the challenges you faced at the time and how you ended up outsourcing the work to Altius Link.
Mr. Onda (Shuto Expressway)
At the time, we operated our own customer center, but securing the necessary personnel and the associated labor management were major challenges in order to create a system that could respond to inquiries 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.With the spread of ETC, face-to-face interactions at toll booths are decreasing, so we decided that in order to continue functioning as one of the few direct points of contact with customers and to realize our company's management philosophy of "customer first," we needed to outsource to a specialized company, and after comparing multiple companies through a bidding process, we decided to entrust the work to Altius Link.
We faced several operational challenges at the beginning of the contract, but by working together with Altius Link, we were able to solve them one by one, and thanks to them, we are now able to operate stably 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Considering the scale of our workforce and the associated complex shift management and labor management for diverse working styles, we are once again glad that we asked Altius Link to handle the work.
-What other challenges did you face while running the business?
Mr. Onda
There are two main issues: "emergency staffing" and "measures against customer harassment." The emergency system goes beyond responding to large-scale events like the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, or typhoons and heavy snowfall, which can be predicted to some extent, to responding to unpredictable emergencies like earthquakes.
Another issue is how to deal with customer harassment. In some cases, customers have repeatedly complained over many years, and the situation has even escalated into legal action. After these incidents, the question of "how can we protect our employees from customer harassment" became a major issue within our company.
Specific implementation details: Promoting a system to respond to emergencies and measures against customer harassment
How did you solve these two problems?
Mr. Onda
The big trigger for us to consider our emergency response system was the earthquake that occurred in Tokyo on the night of October 7, 2021, which recorded a seismic intensity of 5+. With few operators deployed at night, the number of inquiries increased sharply and the response rate dropped significantly. This earthquake prompted us to begin discussing with Altius Link whether there was a way to respond flexibly to situations that are difficult to predict.
As part of its business continuity plan (BCP), Metropolitan Expressway has established a system in which employees living nearby can quickly assemble even outside of working hours in the event of an earthquake with a seismic intensity of upper 5 or higher. We asked Altius Link's operators if they could also help us with this "emergency assembly system," and we were able to put the system in place.
Mr. Kurosawa (Altius Link)
Building a personnel system to prepare for emergencies was a difficult undertaking, but Altius Link has a track record in lifeline-related work such as electricity and communications, and has the knowledge to build and implement systems that allow operators to safely get to work while continuing business even in emergencies. By utilizing this experience, they were able to build a system that would allow stable operations to be maintained even in the event of an emergency by preparing a list in advance of personnel who could get to work by alternative means, even when public transportation was stopped.
Mr. Onda
To address another issue of customer harassment, we have created a "Call-Ending Manual (Customer Harassment Countermeasure Manual)." The key point of this manual is that it clearly stipulates that operators may hang up the phone at their own discretion if the same content is repeatedly asserted for more than 30 minutes, unreasonable demands are made, or abusive language is used. This rule overturns the conventional idea that "we should not hang up on calls from customers," and was created by utilizing the opinions of experts and our experience in court cases. The operation of this manual is supported by AmiVoice, a voice recognition system proposed by Mr. Kurosawa.
Mr. Kurosawa
AmiVoice is a system that automatically converts customer conversations into text. Its implementation allows real-time alerts and conversation history to be displayed during phone calls, allowing supervisors to provide on-the-spot support to operators. If a problem arises during a conversation, there's no need to put the call on hold to explain or discuss the situation. Supervisors can review the call history in AmiVoice to understand the situation and immediately provide follow-up. Furthermore, when implementing the power-cutting manual, operators' decisions are objectively recorded and stored, allowing for accurate verification of compliance with the manual. Thanks to this support system, operators have expressed confidence in the system, saying, "I no longer feel afraid to answer the phone, and I feel more proactive and motivated to respond more courteously," and "I feel a great sense of security knowing that the company will protect me if something happens."
Mr. Onda
Since the start of countermeasures against customer harassment, 34 cases have been handled in accordance with this manual in the approximately two years since the start of countermeasures against customer harassment.*However, this has not led to any lasting problems, and the system allows operators to respond with confidence.
Results after implementation
We value customer feedback and turn it into value.
The new structure will lead to the next stage and future prospects
Mr. Onda
At Metropolitan Expressway, the Customer Service Center's role within the company is also changing. While previously seen as a department that simply relayed customer feedback, after dealing with this type of customer harassment and holding in-house tours, the Customer Service Center is now beginning to be recognized as a "breakwater" that blocks 99% of customer inquiries, allowing employees to focus on their core duties. This widespread recognition is largely due to the expertise and hospitable service of Altius Link's operators. For example, when inquiring about the travel time to a destination, rather than simply telling the time, they provide additional information from the customer's perspective that is not displayed on the navigation system, such as "It's 20 minutes to the destination, but please be careful as there is a falling object 500 meters ahead." Even during in-house tours, the Customer Service Center's dedication to its customers is so impressive that it has impressed many.
As a result of the increased importance of our internal customer center operations, starting in April 2025, the Customer Center transitioned to a contract structure through our group company, Shutoko Associates Co., Ltd. This change aims to accumulate know-how in-house, ensure stable operations in the future, and establish a system that allows us to build close partnerships. Under this new structure, we will not only focus on answering calls, but also on utilizing customer inquiry data analyzed by AmiVoice for our business and initiatives. This is a challenge we cannot achieve alone, so we intend to continue working closely with Altius Link to provide services in line with our customer-first philosophy.
*This is from an interview conducted in June 2025.
Customer profile
Metropolitan Expressway Co., Ltd.
Metropolitan Expressway Co., Ltd. is a company that supports the transportation infrastructure in Japan's metropolitan area. Its main business is the construction, management, and operation of expressways, contributing to smooth traffic and regional development. With a management philosophy of "customer first," the company is working to provide sustainable and safe road services through carbon neutral strategies, digital transformation promotion, and customer harassment prevention measures.
Official site:https://www.shutoko.co.jp/
Altius Link Co., Ltd.
Altius Link is a joint venture between KDDI and Mitsui & Co., Ltd. Utilizing diverse human resources and the group's assets, the company provides comprehensive BPO services that support corporate activities, including contact centers, back office, sales support, and IT solutions, all in one place.
By combining high-value-added operations by people with cutting-edge technologies such as generative AI and advanced data utilization, we promote BX (Business Transformation) and help strengthen corporate competitiveness. With our purpose of "Making those connections stronger, more beautiful, and more interesting," we will create value together with our client companies while enriching the connections between people, companies, and society, and contribute to the development of a sustainable society.
Official site:https://www.altius-link.com/
