Boosting Productivity at Japanese Overseas Offices: Automating IT Support with Dify and AI

In recent years, the overseas expansion of Japanese companies has been rapidly accelerating. Alongside the increasing diversity of talent and resources, one of the key themes has become how to handle tasks more efficiently.
The Netherlands has emerged as a particularly attractive destination. With its strong logistics network, favorable investment climate, high level of English proficiency, and thriving high-tech industries, many Japanese manufacturers—ranging from automotive and chemical to precision machinery and electronic components—have established a presence there.

While the Netherlands offers abundant talent and resources, the reality is that several challenges remain. However, in today’s era of advanced IT technologies, many of these challenges can be addressed more effectively than ever before.
At Information Development Europe (IDE), we are exploring what kinds of issues and concerns are most pressing for overseas operations today, and more importantly, how we can be a trusted partner in solving them.

The Challenge of IT Help Desk Talent Shortages at Japanese Overseas Offices

The term “labor shortage” is heard across nearly every industry today, and IT talent is no exception. For Japanese companies, this issue persists even after expanding overseas.
According to JETRO’s 2023 survey, more than 60% of Japanese companies operating abroad reported facing labor shortages, identifying it as a serious challenge.

(Source : Jetro)

When we look more closely at the areas most affected, an ERP survey by a major global manufacturer found that the largest gap was in “IT-skilled talent at global sites” (31.7%) （Source : SCSK ) .
In another JETRO survey, 56.8% of Japanese companies abroad reported feeling a shortage of IT personnel （Source : Jetro).
For many overseas offices, a large share of IT operations revolves around internal IT support. This makes the lack of help desk staff a pressing issue. In manufacturing, for instance, IT departments are often responsible for both OT (Operational Technology) and IT systems. If the IT team becomes overstretched, it can jeopardize the availability and stability of critical systems across the organization.
While the following statistics are based on domestic data in Japan, they shed light on the scope of the issue:

Small businesses (<100 employees): ~1,200 annual help desk inquiries
Mid-sized companies (100–500 employees): ~2,800 inquiries
Large enterprises (500+ employees): ~4,500 inquiries

The larger the workforce, the higher the number of inquiries. In fact, some IT leaders report that over 70% of their time is consumed by handling internal requests. Others point to problems such as over-reliance on individual staff for help desk duties, or declining productivity due to frequent IT issues faced by employees. From experience, the situation at overseas offices tends to be even more constrained, with fewer resources that can be dedicated to help desk support.
So, how can companies respond? In theory, there are two approaches:

Increase human resources

Increase individual productivity (output per person)

The first option often leads to rising labor costs, making it difficult to sustain. That’s why the second approach is more realistic—and this is where Generative AI becomes a powerful ally for help desk teams.

Automating and Streamlining Help Desk Operations with Dify and Generative AI

Dify is an open-source AI application development platform designed to harness the power of large language models (LLMs). What sets Dify apart is its ability to enable no-code or low-code AI app development, allowing even those with limited programming knowledge to build AI-driven applications through intuitive operations. Being open-source, it offers flexibility for customization, expansion, and even local deployment.
In this article, we focus on how Dify’s natural language processing (NLP) capabilities can be applied to enhance overseas help desk operations. Below, we outline five key use cases, ranked by their potential impact on productivity.

1. Automated Chatbot Responses
Routine inquiries—such as password resets, account unlocks, or locating manuals—can be fully automated.
→ This reduces the workload of understaffed help desks.

2. Intelligent FAQ and Knowledge Search
By training Dify with manuals and historical ticket data, employees can ask natural-language questions (e.g., “What’s causing this error?” or “Why won’t the XX system start?”). Dify then proposes relevant solutions instantly.
→ Operators can quickly verify answers, enabling partial automation of first-line support.

3. Multilingual Support Automation
Whether inquiries arrive in Japanese, English, Dutch, or other languages, Dify can translate and interpret them in real time.
→ Operators respond in their native language, while Dify instantly converts the reply into the user’s language.

4. Automated Ticket Classification and Prioritization
Dify analyzes incoming inquiries to determine urgency and category, then escalates high-priority cases to the right personnel.
→ This minimizes the risk of missed responses due to limited staff.

5. Inquiry Analytics and Reporting
By analyzing help desk logs, Dify can automatically generate reports such as: “Which office is receiving the most inquiries, and of what type?”
→ This visibility helps identify location-specific challenges and improve documentation.
Thanks to its strong compatibility with SaaS, Dify has also been recognized by SaaS providers as a domain-specialized AI platform for supporting customer service and operations ( Source: MOHA Software. )

Real-World Results

The benefits of generative AI in help desk operations are already visible. For example:

At one Japanese manufacturer, the total number of inquiries was reduced from 650 to 370 (approx. 57% reduction) after automating responses with AI.
Another company, which previously handled 1,700 monthly inquiries, automated 300 inquiries per day through AI-driven responses—cutting manual workloads by up to 90%.

As we enter the era of AI, it is crucial to leverage these technologies fully—not only to reduce operational burden but also to contribute to solving challenges and driving growth for our clients.
At Information Development Europe (IDE), we remain committed to supporting the overseas success of Japanese enterprises.

If you have questions about this article or are interested in exploring the solutions mentioned above, please reach out via the link below:
Contact | ID Europe B.V.