Glossary

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Business Development Manager or Area Manager: This position is a Duskin employee who supports operations and management for franchisees. These managers are responsible for helping franchisees' business development as well as identifying their business challenges and giving advice.

Contact Center: Duskin Contact Center was renamed in 2018 from Duskin Call Center with an aim to serve as a comprehensive customer contact point. In addition to the toll-free call center (0120-100-100) function, our Contact Center operates and manages other communication channels, including emails and chats, to enhance customer satisfaction.

Customer-level sales: Customer-level sales is the total of domestic and overseas sales at company-owned and subsidiary units and the estimated sales at franchised units. It is a barometer for the amount of joyful transactions generated with our customers.

Daily Life Fine-Tuning Services: Direct Selling Group introduced this new concept to explain the value of our services. With a singular phrase, Fine-Tune Everyday Life, customers can understand how Duskin helps them achieve more harmony and balance in their lives by addressing their needs at home and work.

DDuet: Serving as a contact point for customers, DDuet is Duskin's membership website for those who are not covered by our direct selling channel. This website communicates our sales campaign, receives order placements and provides useful information to help make household chores easier.

Duskin Family: Duskin Family is a term for our entire group of companies united by Duskin's management philosophy and sharing a common destiny. It includes Duskin Co., Ltd., consolidated subsidiaries, affiliated companies accounted for by equity methods and franchisees (shops, offices and plants).

Duskin - origin of our company name: Duskin is a word combining DUS from the English word dust and the KIN from Japanese word meaning rag or zokin.

Duskin School: This is our comprehensive training center for all Duskin brands, supporting development of our people with experienced instructors and wide-reaching training programs.

Dust control products: These are cleaning products treated with our adsorbent that captures dust without the use of water. This technology is applied mainly in the production of our mops and mats.

Four-leaf clover company badge: The design of Duskin's company badge consists of a capital D for Duskin and a four-leaf clover. The four-leaf clover, which typically symbolizes good luck, was included with the hope that our employees find the ability to live a happy life based on work, family, hobbies and faith.

Franchise system: This is the business model Duskin pioneered in Japan. When starting up, a franchisee is provided with a franchise package, including manuals, business know-how, management support and training to operate the business. This system enables all franchisees to provide the same high-quality service and be recognized as a singular unique brand.

Franchisee Council: This is a voluntary association organized based on the idea that franchisor and franchisees are partners, sharing a common destiny. The goal of this council is to help the head office and franchisees to work together, encourage one another and grow together.

Franchisor or franchisee: Duskin head office (franchisor) and its franchisees nationwide are not simply connected by a franchise agreement and consistent operational systems, but are united by the same management philosophy. Sharing a common destiny under the slogan of Sowing the Seeds of Joy, the Duskin franchise network is united and grows together.

Hataraki-san (employees): At Duskin, all employees, from the president to non-management level employees, should be equally regarded and respected. They are called Hataraki-san, which means the people who make things easy for people around them.

Hygiene Master: These are specialists with expertise in sanitary management. Our specially trained Hygiene Masters provide customers with comprehensive solutions for sanitation.

Mister Donut College: This is a training facility established in 1971 right after the first Mister Donut shop opened, on the site of one of Duskin's first buildings. This facility is fully equipped and staffed for trainees to acquire their licenses.

Mister Donut Founding Day: January 27, 1970, was the day when our founder Seiichi Suzuki decided to start the Mister Donut business. Accordingly, Mister Donut declared January 27 to be Mister Donut Founding Day. Each year on this day, shop crews voluntarily clean their communities. Our shops across the nation donate a part of the sales to The Duskin AINOWA Foundation to help people with disabilities achieve independent living and total participation in society.

Prayerful Management: This is Duskin's Management Philosophy. To live this philosophy, we pray that each one of us takes "Each day as a chance to begin our life anew to Sow the Seeds of Joy to people around us while making us spiritually ready for possible losses." This philosophy declares that Duskin places the greatest importance on humanity in this world driven by economic pragmatism where human needs tend to be less focused on.

Production and Logistics or franchised plant: These are Duskin's plants where used and collected dust control products are washed, treated and processed. Products are also distributed from these locations. Franchised, company-owned and affiliated plants total 45 nationwide.

Royalty: This is a fee paid by franchisees for the right to use the franchisor's trademarks and know-how. The royalty fee structure at Duskin is a percentage of sales.

Sales representatives or Concierges: Duskin's sales representatives, totaling 61,000 nationwide, deliver rental products to residential customers. With our long-term strategy, ONE DUSKIN, our sales representatives are serving as Concierges who proactively provide services tailored to our customers' needs.

Specified Commercial Transactions Act: This law is to prevent business operators' illegal, or malicious solicitation while protecting consumer interests. For direct selling business operators, it is prohibited to continue to solicit consumers once they decline the offer.

Unifying Business and Morals: "Morals" refers to the compassion and kindness we have toward others that remains constant even as times change. "Business" refers to the products and services that we change to stay in step with changing times. A unity of business and morals and the consistent pursuit of growth underlies every action that Duskin undertakes.