Full-Scale Implementation of Generative AI for Customer Inquiries Achieves 97% Reduction in Response Time

On 26 August 2025, MISUMI Group Inc. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Ryusei Ono) will fully launch a generative AI-powered chatbot to handle inquiries on its MISUMI e-Commerce site*1. The chatbot will serve two key functions:
- Technical Support: Assisting with product specifications and selection from over 30 million items.
- Customer Service: Determining eligibility for cancellations, changes, and returns on each order.
Available 24/7, the chatbot significantly reduces response wait times—a 97 to 98% reduction in average wait time compared to traditional operator support—providing customers with a fast and seamless experience to access the information they need.
MISUMI is advancing procurement DX (digital transformation) by leveraging cutting-edge digital technologies and data, including generative AI. This chatbot initiative is positioned as a service that eliminates the wasted time customers spend waiting and enhances their Time Value.
MISUMI will continue to provide Time Value to our global customers in the IA (Industrial Automation) industry through expanding our services and contribute to enhancing their productivity.
1*: A chatbot is a feature that automatically responds to questions via chat. This function is available exclusively on the MISUMI e-Commerce site in Japan. Usage is free of charge.

▽ Technical Support Inquiries (Pilot launched in November 2024)
MISUMI offers over 30 million products, including items from other brands. The existing FAQ system was unable to address questions about specifications for all products. Additionally, inquiries received via phone, email, or contact forms required operator responses, resulting in an average wait time of one hour (3,600 seconds) for answers.
With the AI chatbot, when a customer submits a question via chat, an information-gathering AI searches the internal product database—including past inquiries, product details, specifications, and catalogs—for the necessary information, acting in place of a human operator. Based on the collected data, a generative AI then provides a response.
・ Improvement Effect：Average response time reduced to 40 seconds―a 98% reduction
・Information Site: https://jp.misumi-ec.com/pr/ai_chat/

▽ Customer Service Inquiries (Full-scale implementation from 26 August 2025)
Post-order cancellations/changes/returns are subject to conditions based on the product and order status, making uniform handling difficult. When inquiries were made by phone, operators had to individually check each situation before responding, and there were also periods when calls were hard to connect (The average time to complete an inquiry was 321 seconds.*)
With the AI chatbot, customers can instantly find out whether cancellations or changes are possible at the time of inquiry, and receive guidance on how to proceed. Moving forward, the scope of support will be expanded to include delivery dates, shipping, and tracking status. The service will also evolve to allow customers to complete certain processes directly within the chat interface.
*Average time measured from when a customer calls MISUMI to when the call ends after completing cancellation or other procedures.
・Improvement Effect: Average response time reduced to 10 seconds (a 97% reduction)

To get started, open the “Submit Questions or Requests” section located on the right side of the MISUMI e-Commerce site’s top page.
Please note that an account is required to use the MISUMI e-Commerce site.
You can also access the chatbot through the Web Inquiry Form.

MISUMI supplies mechanical components for on-site factory automation, along with tools, consumables, and other products, serving more than 323,000 companies worldwide (as of March 2025). We wear two hats: one as a manufacturer with in-house production capabilities, and the other as a distributor of third-party branded products. This unique business model, built on a strong foundation, enables MISUMI to provide globally Reliable, Quick Delivery, enhancing customer convenience.