Global Corporate Information

The Olympus Group uses "voice of customer" (VOC) activities to ensure that customer perspectives are reflected in our products and services.
Business units hold regular conferences to share case studies and information about their activities. These meetings also provide opportunities for reciprocal benchmarking.

Design and manufacturing reflecting customers' comments

VOC response case study 1:
"We want displays that are easy to view, regardless of individual variations in color perception."
In response to this customer feedback, Olympus modified the icons and color scheme used in the LCD graphic display of a compact digital camera^Note1 launched in February 2008, creating a design that would be clear to most people, regardless of individual variations in color perception. This product became the first digital camera to achieve "Color Universal Design" certification^Note2. In the current year, certification was also achieved for the E-620 digital SLR camera (launched in March 2009) and an IC recorder^Note3.

Olympus modified the icons, buttons indicator lights and other features of the E-620 digital SLR camera (left) and the V-72 IC recorder (right).

Note1: The µ1020/ Stylus1020 and µ850SW/ Stylus850SW compact digital cameras were the first digital cameras to achieve color universal design certification in Japan. (Only in Japanese)
Note2: Third-party certification by Non-profitable organization, the Color Universal Design Organization (CUDO)
Note3: Voice-Trek V-22、V-62、V-72

VOC response case study 2:
"We want an audible indication of battery level."
At the request of people with visual impairments, battery level was added to the audible guidance features of the Voice-Trek DS-71. Olympus modified the DS Series recorders to reflect comments from Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), a U.K. organization for people with visual impairment. The RNIB had previously praised Olympus voice recorders for their enhanced usability, which was achieved through modifications to the shapes of the record, playback and pause buttons and other controls. The Voice-Trek DS-71 went on sale in October 2008.

Voice-Trek DS-71

VOC response case study 3:
"We want to mount a digital SLR camera on a microscope."
Olympus developed an adapter to allow an ordinary digital SLR camera to be combined with the photographic lens of a microscope and mounted on a microscope barrel. With this product, even older Olympus microscopes, such as the BH2, can be used in conjunction with the latest SLR cameras.

The PM-FM digital SLR attachment adapter (left) and example of the adapter in use (right)