BUSINESS
Opening of the second Kyushu base, "Kumamoto Center" - What is the driving force behind ASNOVA's expansion?
Kumamoto Center opened in October 2024 as the second directly managed center in Kyushu. We spoke to center manager Mr. Kazuma Hirata, who played a central role in launching this new center, about the secret behind ASNOVA's success in opening new centers one after another. We will delve deeper into not only the factors that led to the opening of centers, but also the key points of operation, the training of personnel who can be entrusted with the center, and the trusting relationships with customers.
Text: Sayaka Mitsuda
Photo: Sho Kobayashi
INDEX
PROIFILE
- Kazuma Hirata
- Center Manager of Kumamoto Center at ASNOVA Co., Ltd. He was involved in the opening of new stores at Saga Tosu Center and Kumamoto Center, and will take up center manager of Kumamoto Center in October 2024.
Communicating with customers to understand their needs and gradually expanding our equipment
Q: Mr. Hirata, you were previously center manager of Saga Tosu Center. Please tell us how you came to set up Kumamoto Center.
Hirata: Saga Tosu Center, our first Kyushu store, has been doing well, and demand in the Kyushu area has been on the rise. In particular, we have seen an increase in customers in Kumamoto Prefecture and southern Kyushu, so we decided to open the new Kumamoto Center. Kumamoto is an area where overseas semiconductor manufacturers have also established operations, and further market expansion is expected. With the experience of opening up previous equipment center, I was appointed as the center manager of Kumamoto Center.
Kumamoto Center is conveniently located, about 5-6 minutes from the Matsubashi IC and Jonan Smart IC on the Kyushu Expressway. It also has a 3m-high building that can store forklifts and is easy to work in even on rainy days.
Q: As this is a new center that has just opened, it does not seem to have as much equipment as other centers. How do you plan to acquire equipment in the future?
Hirata: We have secured a certain amount of commonly used equipment, but when there is a request for equipment that is not currently on hand, or when the amount of equipment at Kumamoto Center is insufficient, we sometimes refer customers to Saga Tosu Center. This is an area where we cause inconvenience to our customers, but we are gradually expanding our equipment in cooperation with our sales representatives. Therefore, when securing equipment for a new center, communication with customers is the most important. Since the equipment needed differs depending on the area, we make an effort to listen carefully to our customers' opinions, which also serves as a way of gathering information.
Q: How do you acquire new customers?
Hirata: In addition to referrals from customers who visit Kumamoto Center, phone calls, and the ASNOVA website, some people tell us they found out about us while passing by, or saw our sign and stopped in. As this is only our second base in Kyushu, we feel we need to spread the word to new customers.
In addition, I think it is necessary to provide polite service at the center so that customers who have done business with us once will want to rent from ASNOVA again. It is important to gain trust by showing sincerity, not only by treating customers well on the phone and when renting, but also by being proactive in trying to answer customers' requests as much as possible, managing the quality of the equipment, and responding quickly to inquiries.
What qualities are required for center manager? To become a person who can convey the "charm of scaffolding"
Q. The establishment of a new equipment center means that a new center manager will also be needed. How does ASNOVA train center manager?
Hirata: Equipment Management Department trains candidates for the next center manager through annual management training and training camps. The training camp, in particular, is a three-day program at Chiba Noda Center in Chiba where employees learn about the mindset and behavior of center manager. In addition, at the monthly in-house MOKKEI meeting, employees learn from the experiences and lessons of great business people, verbalize them, and share them so that they can reflect them in their own work and grow as people. Through these efforts, we are creating a system to steadily develop the next generation of leaders.
Q. What qualities do you think are required of center manager?
Hirata: I think it's about always paying attention to the site and staff, and valuing communication. It's good to be a person who can understand what the other person is thinking from everyday conversation, even if it's just small talk, and can build a relationship of trust.
In addition, since many employees at ASNOVA start their careers without any prior experience in the industry, it is important for me, as Center Manager, to convey the appeal and rewards of scaffolding. When I first joined the company, Area Manager Fukano told me about the appeal of scaffolding. From that experience, I think it is important to understand that you are "involved in work that has social significance."
Recently, we have also launched a YouTube channel called "ASNOVA Channel", which also introduces the charms of scaffolding and the ASNOVA company in a friendly way. The other day, Kumamoto Center was also featured, and to my surprise, some people saw the video and applied!
Q. What is the secret behind ASNOVA's success in opening equipment center one after another?
Hirata: I think a big reason is ASNOVA's concept of "rent anytime, nearby, and with peace of mind." Our attitude of carefully responding to customer needs creates trust, and as a result, we need new bases to scaffolding more customers. And the sense of security that comes from having bases all over the country creates a virtuous cycle that attracts even more new customers.
Accordingly, it is also important to build trusting relationships with our subcontractors and partner companies. By building good relationships on a day-to-day basis, we can ensure that they can demonstrate their strengths when we need them, and I think this allows us to have a solid foundation for expanding our bases one after another. We would like to continue taking on new challenges in the future, based on the trust of our customers, employees, and partners.
INDEX
