BUSINESS
Strengthening ASNOVA’s Information Infrastructure with the Introduction of "Lark"
Information wasn’t reaching all employees, and having too many systems in place was causing inefficiency.
As ASNOVA continues to grow rapidly, we realized we couldn’t afford to overlook these “small inconveniences.”
To address this, we introduced “Lark,” an all-in-one SaaS platform, across the company. We believe that in order to strengthen collaboration—both within and beyond the organization—and to create an environment where each employee can think and act independently, a strong foundation is essential.
We spoke with Shunsuke Takeuchi, Senior Manager, and Yuki Kuchida, Assistant Manager of the General Affairs Department about the challenges leading up to the implementation and the ongoing internal transformation happening behind the scenes.
Text: Sayaka Mitsuda
Photo: Sho Kobayashi
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- Shunsuke Takeuchi
- Senior Manager, General Affairs Department at ASNOVA Inc. He joined ASNOVA Inc. in 2019 and, as general affairs department senior manager, is involved in a wide range of tasks, including managing internal regulations, legal affairs, and IT infrastructure.
- Yuki Kuchida
- Assistant Manager of the General Affairs Department, joined ASNOVA in 2021. He is mainly responsible for internet-related operations at the equipment center and the head office.
Faced with the problem of "not being able to communicate and not be organized". General Affairs Department Working together to implement the system
Q.Please tell us how you decided to introduce Lark.
Takeuchi: I first heard about Lark from the management team and began by researching what kind of system it was. To be honest, I wasn’t very enthusiastic at first. Replacing our existing systems would require a lot of work, and I could already anticipate the burden of explaining everything to employees and getting them to adopt it. I even questioned whether we really needed to go through with it at all. However, since communication issues had long been a challenge within the company, I decided to shift my mindset. I thought, “We have an opportunity—so why not give it a try?” That’s when I started getting involved in the project.
Kuchida: The issue I felt strongly about was "information fragmentation due to the large number of IT systems." Although ASNOVA has advanced in IT itself, it was necessary to cross multiple systems to complete work. For example, even though we had data, it wasn't consolidated in one system, so every time we wanted to refer to something, we had to launch a different app... This was a psychological hassle.
With Lark, everything can be done in one system and managed centrally, so I felt there was great potential there.
Takeuchi: Issues with "internal communication" were also evident. At ASNOVA, not all employees were provided with a computer, and as a result, we were unable to provide all employees with accounts to use some of the company's internal systems. As a result, communications were only sent to employees with accounts, and the employees were told to "please pass on the information to those around you." Since it would be costly to provide accounts to everyone, the result was that information only reached a select few. Naturally, we always had doubts about whether information was really reaching all employees, but we had no way of checking this. This was how an "information gap" was created.
Kuchida: That's exactly right. If information doesn't reach everyone, it can create a sense of isolation within the company and lead to distrust in the company. That's why we wanted to create a system that would ensure information is delivered to everyone.
Q. What kind of future are you aiming for by introducing Lark?
Takeuchi: I believe that our role as General Affairs Department is not only to facilitate the exchange of information, but also to create an environment where "people who want to do it can do it." In the past, when a system or application was needed, it was common to outsource it, but now we are in an era where we can create our own in-house dedicated system with no code. We thought that if we could create a system that suits our work, we would be able to bring out the independence of our employees.
ASNOVA is now an organization of more than 150 people, and I would like to eliminate the situation of "I want to do it, but I don't have the means to do it." We hope that the introduction of Lark will be an opportunity for people to get used to the comfort of using it and feel that it would be nice to be able to do something like this with Lark.
ASNOVA is now an organization of more than 150 people, and I would like to eliminate the situation of "I want to do it, but I don't have the means to do it." We hope that the introduction of Lark will be an opportunity for people to get used to the comfort of using it and feel that it would be nice to be able to do something like this with Lark.
Kuchida: I would like to use Lark as a starting point for data analysis. In the past, it took too long to put together scattered information. In the future, I think we are in a phase where we will make effective use of existing data and formulate strategies, rather than collecting new data.
Lark can also be used to share information with people outside the company. By promoting the use of IT, including with our business partners, ASNOVA hopes to lead the transformation of the entire scaffolding industry.
Embracing change lays the foundation for a self-sustaining organization
Q: How do you actually use Lark?
Kuchida: I use it for task management. At ASNOVA, we had different systems for different tasks, such as "use this system for this task" and "manage applications with this system." Previously, I created separate tables for task management and entered the due date each time, but with Lark, I can link notifications, so I am automatically reminded every day at 6pm of "tasks that are due today." Since tasks are completed within one system, there is no need to go back and forth between different systems, and I no longer miss tasks, so my work has become much smoother.
Takeuchi: In terms of communication, I think the Lingo feature that provides pop-up explanations of technical terms is very useful. Even in-house terms that we use regularly may not be understood by new employees or those with different job titles. I think that just being able to know "what does this word mean and why it is used" can reduce mistakes and misunderstandings.
Q. Please tell us about the reaction within the company and the measures you took when introducing it.
Takeuchi: At first, there were some people who said, "Why are you changing it?" and "It's okay to keep it as it is." Therefore, we first had some employees experience Lark, and then gradually increased the number of people who understood Lark. In addition, under the slogan of "Lark first," General Affairs Department has established a system that employees can use with peace of mind by prioritizing questions and doubts related to Lark, even if they do not have other duties. We regularly conduct surveys and Lark study sessions, and have received more than 80 questions so far. We put them together like a bulletin board and share them with the entire company.
Kuchida: As Takeuchi said, I was also skeptical at first. But I decided to clarify "why we should do it" and "what we should do it for" rather than "why we shouldn't do it," and then we moved forward with the introduction. We had the option of keeping the existing system, but we decided to cancel most of the systems with the thought, "If we're going to do it, we're going to do it!" I think it was because of that thought that we were able to experience the new convenience.
Q. ASNOVA continues to break away from the status quo and change, but what are your plans for the future and what kind of organization do you envision?
Takeuchi: We plan to hold the "Lark Business Improvement Contest" around next spring. "I want to use Lark to solve these problems in the company!" or "Lark may be able to do this!" I want to give them an opportunity to realize that.
In addition, we would like to promote the introduction of smartphones and tablets and establish a system that allows us to work anywhere. I would like to work smoothly with ASNOVA VIETNAM and Qool Enviro Pte.Ltd. Enviro to achieve collaboration that transcends language barriers.
In addition, we would like to promote the introduction of smartphones and tablets and establish a system that allows us to work anywhere. I would like to work smoothly with ASNOVA VIETNAM and Qool Enviro Pte.Ltd. Enviro to achieve collaboration that transcends language barriers.
Kuchida: Currently, we still have inquiries from General Affairs Department about things we don't understand, but ultimately we would like to create an environment where each department can run on its own. By continuing to use Lark in this way, I believe that in the future, there will be people in each department who are familiar with Lark, and new changes will be created around them. I believe that by uniting such employees, we can aim to become a "self-propelled organization." We would like to take that step together with our employees through a new internal system.
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