Japan Airlines launches mileage redemption system

TOKYO -- e-milenet, a joint venture of Japan Airlines and Mitsubishi, has launched the Dejima Direct interface using the first of a multi-phase Web and wireless system. Customers can now have direct access to Japan Airlines' mileage redemption "without the constraints of complex menus, tedious protocols or memorized commands."

Dejima Direct enables e-milenet customers to ask for the product they are looking for, in their own words. Neither training nor knowledge of keywords is required, the companies said. Dejima Direct provides direct access to information using normal, natural language queries and on-line help, eliminating complexity from accessing information.

"Dejima Direct enables e-milenet to create an intimate relationship with its customer," said e-milenet Vice President Tsuyoshi Hasegawa. "Our customers feel more in control as they gets to interact with content on their own terms. We in turn learn much more about them. Customers ask what they want without going through a pre-defined product selection."

Dejima Direct access

Hasegawa said his company identified Dejima Direct access solutions as key to its Web site performance. It gives e-milenet customers the ability to look and shop for what they want the way they want to. The resulting user experience drives transactional flow as well as loyalty to the e-milenet service.

"This in turn creates opportunities for cross-selling as well as product portfolio improvement,'' he said. "In addition, Dejima Direct has built in scalability and is wireless-ready: as we move to offer the same service on our wireless i-Mode site, we expect the benefits of Dejima Direct to extend to our wireless customer, from day one.''

e-milenet provides promotions on personal living style. The program allows members to earn points, called p-miles, by surfing the site, participating in a variety of campaigns and shopping, or simply logging in. p-miles are then redeemable in a wide selection of reward categories, including Japan Airline mileage. Importantly for the Japanese market, e-milenet's Web site is accessible through i-mode for anywhere, anytime access.

"e-milenet believes the Internet brings unparalleled opportunities to match customer expectations with the successful delivery of products and services," said Antoine Blondeau, Dejima's president and CEO. "We are appreciative of e-milenet, Japan Airlines and Mitsubishi Corporation for having recognized that Dejima Direct's unique interaction paradigm is a driver of customer value and revenue, and for being our first deployment customer in the promising Japanese market.''

Specializing in wireless

Blondeau has 14 years of experience in the technology sector, specializing in the wireless telecommunication and software development industries. He has helped establish numerous Japanese companies in France including Mitsubishi Electric, Canon, Toshiba, and Sony through his work with the Tokyo representation of the Prime Minister of France. He then managed the expansion of Nortel Networks' digital wireless terminals business, growing the OEM and Asia/Pacific segments from US$2 million to US$100 million in four years.

Prior to joining Dejima, Blondeau was president and COO of Zi Corporation where he is credited with developing the business from one licensee to 25 and which grew during during his tenure from a market capitalization of $35 million to a high of $1.4 billion. Blondeau is a graduate of the Paris Graduate School of Management (ESCP) and has studied at the faculties of Economics and Commerce of Tokyo Chuo University. 

Dejima was founded in 1998 and has offices in San Jose, California (headquarters), London, and Tokyo. the company is privately funded and backed by companies like InfoSpace, Mitsubishi Corporation, Omron, Research In Motion, and Sonera. 

Dejima is privately funded by corporate and venture capital investors. Dejima has closed both A and B rounds of financing.