SoftBank and Sierra AI Customer Service in Japan Lifts Satisfaction from 74% to 93%

Soufun has announced a partnership with U.S.-based AI startup Sierra, securing exclusive rights to represent Sierra in the Japanese market. Earlier, Soufun integrated Sierra's intelligent customer service system into its online-only mobile brand LINEMO, yielding impressive results: the customer inquiry resolution rate climbed from 83% to 97%, while customer satisfaction scores improved from 74% to 93%.
The online brand was the first to benefit, and Sierra's valuation has since surpassed 100 billion yuan.
LINEMO, Soufun's digital-only mobile brand, operates without physical stores, relying on online chat and the LINE app for customer support. Consequently, the quality of its AI-powered customer service directly shapes user experience. Sierra, a conversational AI startup founded by Bret Taylor and Clay Bavor, is headquartered in the United States. In 2026, it raised $950 million in funding, achieving a post-money valuation of approximately $15.8 billion (about 107.255 billion yuan). Today, more than 40% of Fortune 500 companies use Sierra's AI software.
Scaling up still requires navigating compliance hurdles.
This collaboration is part of Soufun's "Activate AI for Society" initiative. Soufun is developing AI-powered call center solutions under this strategy and plans to offer them to more businesses across Japan. However, the company acknowledges that large-scale deployment must adhere to Japan's Act on the Protection of Personal Information and related regulations governing personal data handling and cross-border data transfers. In the telecommunications sector, customer communication data is subject to particularly stringent requirements. As a result, commercializing AI customer service in Japan demands a careful balance between technological innovation and data compliance.
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Soufun has announced a partnership with U.S.-based AI startup Sierra, securing exclusive rights to represent Sierra in the Japanese market. Earlier, Soufun integrated Sierra's intelligent customer service system into its online-only mobile brand LINEMO, yielding impressive results: the customer inquiry resolution rate climbed from 83% to 97%, while customer satisfaction scores improved from 74% to 93%.
The online brand was the first to benefit, and Sierra's valuation has since surpassed 100 billion yuan.
LINEMO, Soufun's digital-only mobile brand, operates without physical stores, relying on online chat and the LINE app for customer support. Consequently, the quality of its AI-powered customer service directly shapes user experience. Sierra, a conversational AI startup founded by Bret Taylor and Clay Bavor, is headquartered in the United States. In 2026, it raised $950 million in funding, achieving a post-money valuation of approximately $15.8 billion (about 107.255 billion yuan). Today, more than 40% of Fortune 500 companies use Sierra's AI software.
Scaling up still requires navigating compliance hurdles.
This collaboration is part of Soufun's "Activate AI for Society" initiative. Soufun is developing AI-powered call center solutions under this strategy and plans to offer them to more businesses across Japan. However, the company acknowledges that large-scale deployment must adhere to Japan's Act on the Protection of Personal Information and related regulations governing personal data handling and cross-border data transfers. In the telecommunications sector, customer communication data is subject to particularly stringent requirements. As a result, commercializing AI customer service in Japan demands a careful balance between technological innovation and data compliance.
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