[Circular Economy Project Dialogue Vol. 1] The First Step Toward a Circular Society. ASNOVA’s Vision for a Sustainable Growth Curve
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BUSINESS
Two years since entering the Kyushu area: The story of Saga Tosu Center opening
Two years have passed since ASNOVA opened Saga Tosu Center in August 2022 as a new base for the Kyushu region. Despite facing challenges unique to the region, the company is developing a locally-focused strategy.
In this interview, we talked to Akio Fujiwara, Osaka Sales Office Assistant Manager, who is in charge of sales in the Kyushu area, about the difficulties encountered during the start-up process of the Saga Tosu Center, the market in Kyushu, and his vision for the future.
Text: Sayaka Mitsuda
Photo: Sho Kobayashi
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PROIFILE
- Akio Fujiwara
- Assistant Manager, Osaka Sales Office of ASNOVA Co., Ltd. Involved in the rental and sales of wedge binding type scaffold mainly in the Kyushu area.
We started with little awareness and steadily developed our customer base.
Q. Mr. Fujiwara, you were in charge of the Kansai area at Osaka Sales Office. How did you end up being involved in the launch of Saga Tosu Center?
Fujiwara: At the time, my superior asked me, "We are planning to open a new equipment center in Saga Prefecture. Would you like to go?" I immediately answered, "I'll go!" I was happy that the company had high expectations of me, and I gladly accepted this new challenge because it is not something you can experience very often.
Q. Please tell us about the difficulties you faced in developing customers in the Kyushu area.
Fujiwara: As this was our first store in the Kyushu area, naturally most people there hadn't even heard of "ASNOVA". Since Saga Tosu Center started with zero customers, we started by making a list of companies in neighboring prefectures that seemed to need scaffolding, and then visiting them directly. At first, we targeted big cities such as Fukuoka Prefecture, but in fact, many customers from Saga Prefecture, Kumamoto Prefecture, and Nagasaki Prefecture who found the store convenient started using it.
We have steadily been able to connect with customers and have also received new business through referrals from customers. Since opening in August 2022, we have had busy periods and many customers have used our services, but during the off-season from April to May 2023, we had few customers. It was a very tough situation, with only one or two outgoing trucks entering the facility per day. It was a first-time experience for me.
Q. It's a critical situation. What specific efforts have you made?
Fujiwara: If the situation continued as it was, equipment center might have to close, so we felt that we had to do whatever it took to ensure stable sales. We came up with a flexible strategy, proposing long-term rentals to meet the needs of customers in far-flung locations.
To begin with, there are few specialized companies offering scaffolding rental services in Kyushu, so we had to start by explaining what kind of service scaffolding rental is and what its benefits are. In addition, because there are many scaffolding manufacturer bases in Kyushu, one of the characteristics is that many customers choose to "purchase" as a method of procuring scaffolding. Therefore, by conveying ASNOVA's characteristics, such as the amount of equipment we have, our response capabilities, and our high level of inventory management, we were able to create peace of mind and trust, and by letting customers know about scaffolding rental service, we were able to steadily gain customers little by little.
Aiming to become a model center in Kyushu that can also handle disaster reconstruction and recovery
Q.What kind of area is Kyushu for ASNOVA?
Fujiwara: I think it's an area with a lot of potential. Currently, ASNOVA is becoming more well-known in Kyushu, and the number of customers is gradually increasing. However, as I mentioned earlier, we have yet to develop customers in Fukuoka Prefecture. Considering the size of the market and the penetration of scaffolding rental services, I think this is an area with a lot of potential customers and room for growth.
In the future, I would like to open more equipment center in the Kyushu area in addition to Saga Tosu Center. This will allow a wider range of customers to use our services conveniently, and it will also increase awareness of our scaffolding rental service and ASNOVA. Furthermore, we will be able to operate the equipment that we have previously procured from the Kansai region more efficiently at our Kyushu base.
Q. Do you have any ideas for preparing for emergencies, such as disaster recovery and reconstruction?
Fujiwara: Our work is essential to maintaining social infrastructure. When a disaster occurs in the Kyushu area, we would like to contribute to the reconstruction and recovery efforts by providing scaffolding in necessary locations. There are still many issues to be addressed in the Kyushu area, such as the number of bases, the amount of scaffolding we have, and awareness, but together with center manager Mr. Hirata of Saga Tosu Center, we are exchanging opinions on various scenarios.
Center Manager Hirata has a very flexible way of thinking, and whenever I make a suggestion or ask for advice, he always says, "Let's give it a try." I personally feel that I am able to be bold in my sales activities thanks to center manager Hirata. He is a very reliable person.
Q. What are your thoughts about the future of Saga Tosu Center?
Fujiwara: I would like to position Saga Tosu Center as a model center for the Kyushu area. Also, because it is located in the center of Kyushu, I would like it to be a center that can cooperate with other centers when they open.
By being involved in the opening of Saga Tosu Center, I was able to learn about the real world and approach my work from a more practical perspective. I would like to continue to communicate with my colleagues at Saga Tosu Center and strive to make it an even better center.
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