EVALUATING CONSUMER BEHAVIOR, CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE, AND MARKETING COMMUNICATION AT A JAPANESE-LANGUAGE TRAINING INSTITUTION IN CIKARANG, INDONESIA

Abstract

This study evaluates consumer behavior, customer experience, and marketing communication at Institution A, a Japanese-language and translation service provider in Cikarang, Indonesia. The study aims to identify the factors considered by course participants when choosing a language course, map the customer experience across service and digital touchpoints, and evaluate Institution A’s social-media communication relative to a local competitor. A mixed-method case-study approach was used. Quantitative data were obtained from a questionnaire involving 13 course participants, while qualitative data were collected through interviews with three participants and direct observation of an offline Hataraku Nihongo class. A descriptive comparison of Instagram content was also conducted using a 2024 observation of Institution A and Competitor B. The findings show that participants primarily considered career objectives, certification, learning interest, course cost, distance, class availability, teaching methods, and institutional background when selecting a course. Customer experience was supported by adequate physical facilities, responsive staff, flexible learning formats, staged instruction, and personalized service; however, online participants reported problems with internet connectivity, video playback, and the pace of material delivery. Of 13 questionnaire respondents, only four selected satisfied responses across all assessed items, producing a project-level CSAT result of 30.8%. In marketing communication, Institution A had stronger visual consistency, whereas Competitor B generated more observed engagement in the compared Instagram post. The study recommends improving online-service reliability, maintaining consistent content publishing, and using interactive campaigns to strengthen customer experience and digital reach.