TBR team Tokyo are go!

From the Rugby World Cup to the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo; Japan is increasingly becoming a key go to destination. As part of the global major events team here at TBR, I recently had the pleasure of heading out there with some of my colleagues to scope out our requirements and planning efforts ahead of these events, to prepare and finalise arrangements ahead of time to ensure we deliver the best possible service that we can.

We are called TBR Global and truly are a global business, operating in 3,000 cities across the world. In each region that we deliver transport solutions in, from events to corporate and roadshows, there are many key learnings to be made and the more we learn, the more we will grow and evolve. This ensures a smooth and memorable experience for our clients; an ethos that has stuck with us since our inception in 1991.

Out in Japan, we visited key sites in Tokyo and Yokohama, which will longer term equip TBR with the ability to produce concise and efficient transport operations plans for our clients attending the Rugby World Cup. In addition to this, we also met with suppliers who will provide us with a professional and bilingual hospitality workforce. These suppliers will be with our clients every step of the way; they are essential staff that will play a pivotal role for our clients, from the moment they land at the airport right through to the stadium, so it is important to nurture these relationships early on.

When dealing with international agencies, there are cultural nuances and differences to be aware of and this is especially critical in Japan. There are intricate cultural protocols to adhere to when conducting business in Japan, with manners and respect playing as important a role as the business operation itself. For example, it is customary to share business cards when you first meet counterparts in Japan and a sign of respect to have a 2-sided business that has Japanese and English translations, if you are an English-speaking business. It is also important to clarify your business language in advance of a meeting to ensure your counterparts can adequately prepare, sometimes by bringing a translator to a meeting.

The overall feeling whilst we were out there is that Japan is shaping up well with the large infrastructure projects. Both events are highly visible throughout Japan, with a significant level of promotion and marketing underway across several communication touchpoints, from billboards to social media. They present a prime opportunity for Japan to promote themselves as a destination of choice, with the whole operation for the Rugby World Cup running for two months from September to November, across 12 host cities and multiple venues, including airports, hotels and stadia.

We have recently recruited a full time Japan Operations Director, who comes with an extensive background and knowledge of the executive transportation industry. They are currently in the throes of establishing a good supply chain across all 12 host cities and testing their ability to meet TBR quality checks for our VIP clients. Further down the line, we will be sending dedicated Project and Logistics Managers out there to work on the ground, who will be supported by local coordinators and hospitality staff, to ensure a seamless transport operation delivery.

All in all, there are many moving parts to the operation and the time we are spending out there in advance is invaluable to helping us prepare for the months and year ahead. We look forward to driving ahead with our planning and seeing it all come to fruition later this year.

Come back soon and visit our Instagram to find out more about our work out in Japan, as part of our ‘Team Tokyo’ series. Until then, to find out more about our work in action please visit the ‘What we do’ section of our website.