Hello, this is the Marketing Department. We asked Kijima-san, who is currently working in the Foreign Sales Department, to talk about her working style.
After joining NTT Com DD as a new graduate, Kijima-san is now involved in the Sales Department as a Client Manager in the Foreign Sales Division. What is the role of the Foreign Sales Division at NTT Com DD?
I believe that the sales position is the face of the company. I am in a position where I have the most conversations with customers, so I am the person who should build most knowledge about the customer than anyone else. Additionally, we have a relationship with NTT Ltd, with whom we have had a relationship since the days of Dimension Data Japan, and we receive requests for projects from global companies and introduce global companies to NTT Ltd to provide support to our customers around the world. In promoting projects, we have strong ties with manufacturers, especially Cisco, where we hold a Gold Partner certification.
With NTT’s brand power, I feel that you could provide more and more products, services, and solutions to your foreign customers, but how is it actually?
I thought so too. However, in reality, customers will not buy our products just because they are NTT brand. If we do not meet the customer’s requirements, we cannot build a business together, and it is essential to always be flexible and responsive. Because the IT industry changes so quickly, if I don’t have the knowledge myself, they will not trust me. I participate in study groups and seminars as well as acquire knowledge with my colleagues.
How does NTT Com DD’s CoE team in Malaysia relate to the sales department?
At NTT Com DD Innovation Lab in Malaysia, our CoE team (Center of Excellence: a core department or research center for cross-organizational efforts) is setting up various Solution Demos. There is a lot of information out there about digital workplace and cloud solutions. We conduct many demos in our labs and actually see, touch, and release them. We select a solution that meets the customer’s needs. In the event of a failure, we are able to respond immediately. We are not only working on networks, but also on Secure Workplace, Cisco’s ThousandEyes, Metaverse, etc. We are researching and releasing new proposals together with the CoE team.
What do you think are the reasons for customers to choose NTT Com DD as their IT partner?
We understand that there are times when projects and collaborations between a client’s headquarters in their home country and Japan do not go well due to language barriers. Our bilingual sales/engineering staff is one of our strengths, and we are able to work together with our clients on projects. In addition to proposal and construction, we can also support our clients even after the project is completed, thanks to our unique maintenance service called SDIS®: a 24-hour, 365-day multi-language support system. We believe that the key to our success is that we do not end our relationship with our clients with delivery alone.
What is your particular focus as IT support to customers in the Foreign Sales Department?
We are focusing on improving the relationship ship with our existing customers. My boss’s policy is to have a meeting once a month with the foreign sales team members and to visit the customer’s site in person. I like to talk with people, so I hold weekly meetings with our customers to make sure we have a common understanding of the project, and I work closely with engineers and PM/SDMs to communicate with manufacturers to move the project forward together. We also focus on new sales activities and new solutions (security products: Tufin, etc.). We also do challenging work, such as working with manufacturers and sometimes calling on representative phones. Sales is a job that cannot be done by one person alone. I am very comfortable working in this environment with the support of many people, both inside and outside the company, as well as our customers.
Is there anything you are working on in your personal life?
I love saunas and enjoy going to the sauna with friends on the weekends. I get to socialize with new friends, and we get to learn about each other’s interesting topics. I also love to eat and find that discovering new restaurants and cuisines is the best part of my time. By spending time in a relaxed atmosphere through my hobbies, allows me to do my best and enjoy both my professional and personal life.
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Finally, please tell us what you would like to challenge in the future. Also, what is your message to our foreign company clients?
My motto is “fast, cheerful, and flexible! I will be happy to take charge of your case if you mention me as your contact person!
