- East Japan Railway Company
- https://www.jreast.co.jp/e/
- East Japan Railway Company is one of the passenger railroad companies in the JR group, which took over the railroad business from Japan National Railways in 1987. The company has a network of railroad lines mainly in the East Japan area.
Japan
- Industry
- Railway
- Solution
- Stations and platforms
- Start time
- 12/2019
- Circumstance
- Due to the limited number of IP radios installed, some stations had been borrowing IP radios from other locations when responding to events, but there were still cases where there were not enough. In preparation for large-scale events in the future, we felt the need to establish a means of communication that would allow all staff to share necessary information at the right time, as many supporters would rush to the station.
- Why we chose Buddycom
- Since tablet devices are provided to station employees, we were looking for a communication tool using an app with tablet devices, and we came across Buddycom. Buddycom has an unlimited number of people who can join a group and many enterprise-oriented features, so it was the perfect communication tool for all attendants to share information.
Unify heavy and bulky tools into a single tablet device! Carrying around becomes smarter!
Service managers who provide customer information in the station used to have to carry three different types of devices with them: tablet devices, IP radios, and PHS.
In addition, Buddycom can be used as an information sharing tool for the entire station, including supporters, during the busiest periods such as the year-end and New Year holidays, Golden Week and Bon holidays when many customers use the station. It is also attractive because it lowers the running cost of communication.
Used to share information when events are held at the National Stadium and Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.
The area around Sendagaya Station is dotted with many large facilities, including the National Stadium, where a variety of events are held.
When events are held at the National Stadium or the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, which are located near Sendagaya Station, staff from other locations come to the station to support the event, and by using Buddycom on tablets that are loaned to individuals, all staff at the platforms and ticket gates can share information at the same time.
In addition, by using the live-casting function (real-time distribution of video images) near the ticket gates, all staff members are able to grasp the situation at the site, which is helpful in guiding customers.
Conversation as if you were standing next to each other in a large, hierarchical station.
Shinjuku Station is one of Japan's leading terminal stations with approximately 770,000 passengers per day.
Buddycom is used to communicate between the station manager's office, transportation staff and service managers, to provide information on train operations during normal times, and to request assistance in case of abnormalities.
The aim is to improve efficiency and speed by connecting the field and office in the station.
By installing Buddycom, we were able to unify the devices we carry with us into a single tablet device. It can be used for large outgoing calls, and depending on the settings, it can also be used for limited or individual calls between members. As an option, we can also use a microphone, speakers, and earphones, and since they are connected via Bluetooth, we don't have to worry about handling the tablet device.
The advantage is that it is easy to operate and is an application!
Ueno Station is the gateway to the north for approximately 180,000 passengers a day.
Currently, as a trial period, the system is being used for temporary events such as summer transportation during the Bon Festival in Ueno Station.
We are using this system to share information among all staff members in the large Ueno Station, and it is especially useful for sharing information among supporters who rush from other places.
We also use the live-casting function, which enables us to communicate the congestion situation in the station in real time to the staff in remote locations.
With Buddycom, we can communicate with all of our counterparts at the same time, and the communication sensitivity is clear and easy to hear, so all of our problems have been solved. The biggest advantage is that it is easy to use and is an application. The biggest advantage is that the tablet devices we lend to our employees can be used as communication tools, allowing us to share information immediately.
The ability to use live video to share information allows us to immediately understand what is happening in the field, the recording function allows us to listen again if we miss something, and the ability to input text to make calls even in situations where we cannot make outgoing calls is wonderful. I used Bluetooth this time, and it was much easier to use than a wired microphone.
Expect to log in with QR codes.
In the future, it would be nice to have a feature that allows you to erase what you have said, like a chat application. We would also be very happy if you could suggest a function to receive calls forwarded from a fixed line installed in the station, or a bone-conduction headset, etc. We believe that the versatility of the system will be expanded if the attendants who come to help can be connected to a designated group, for example, by adding an account with a QR code.
Shiori SerizawaEast Japan Railway Company
Mayumi SeyaEast Japan Railway Company