Global cosmetics manufacturer Shiseido Group is collaborating with IBM to create a mobile app to be used by its network of 10,000 brand ambassadors in Japan.

Shiseido’s ‘Beauty Tablet’ will be linked up to the company’s internal systems to process direct sales carried out by the brand’s beauty consultants. Developed on IBM’s MobileFirst Platform, the app will provide a “one stop mobile solution” for communications, scheduling and reporting.

The app will also feature a virtual community where beauty consultants can share tips and comment on each other’s work. Shiseido has stated that the aim of the community is to create a sense of pride and teamwork among consultants, while aiding the company in identifying best practice, which can be fed back into beauty consultant training programmes.

Chikako Sekine, Corporate Executive Officer at Shiseido, commented, “We are marking the 80th anniversary of the Shiseido Beauty Consultant – a role that continues to transform the relationship between the customer and our products. With new mobile apps, Shiseido Beauty Consultants continue to engage customers with ‘Omotenashi’ (the Japanese spirit of hospitality) to differentiate the Shiseido customer experience.”

Phil Buckellew, Vice President of Enterprise Mobile at IBM, said, “With more consumers expecting personalized experiences across every channel, brands must empower their salespeople with the tools and insight to provide greater customer service.

“IBM’s partnership with Shiseido will help maximize and accelerate its mobile strategies to drive greater brand differentiation and higher levels of engagement.”