Hello, from the Marketing Department! We interviewed Mr. Aoki, who is currently working in the Foreign Sales Department, about his working style.
How do you like working as a parenting father in the Foreign Sales Department?
Remote work is encouraged both as a company and as a department, so it is very comfortable for me to work. I have a family of three; a wife and an elementary school child, and my wife is in the medical sector, so it is essential for her to commute to her workplace. Therefore, inevitably I am the main caretaker of our child. If both of us had to commute to work, our child would either be left at the after-school care center or home alone, but thanks to the remote work, I can watch him without any worries. I also appreciate the flexibility of being able to take leave or leave early when I’m not feeling well. Balancing work and childcare is a challenge, but I am very satisfied with my situation.
Do you communicate with your child in English at home? Also, how do you spend your usual days and holidays with your child?
Unfortunately, my son is not interested in English (laugh), but since I have been involved in IT companies for a long time, we enjoy practicing typing on the computer and playing PC games together. My son enjoys trains and buses, so we always go somewhere by train and bus on holidays. In addition, both my son and I collect retro games, so we often take the train to Akihabara to tour the electronics district. Even though I work remotely from home, it is not easy for me to play with my son during the week, so I try to keep him company to the fullest on the weekends.
In terms of work, what is difficult and what do you focus on when dealing with foreign customers?
I am still surprised every day by the cultural differences. Clients may be straightforward in their demands, or it may be difficult to convey what we want to say; it’s a typical situation in dealing with foreign clients. However, I feel that the basics are the same, we are all the “same people,” and can often understand each other through face-to-face meetings and web conferencing. So, while I am aware of the cultural differences, I always keep in mind my motto, “Think of clients first, and be honest with yourself,” in carrying out my sales activities.
What does our Company have to offer to foreign clients?
Our company is based on a former foreign company, and we feel our comprehensive strength in cooperation with NTT DATA, Inc. which has a global presence is attractive. The price advantage of being a Cisco Gold Partner is also not to be overlooked either. We also have many bilingual engineers on our staff, so we can flexibly handle projects that other companies cannot, such as construction projects that work with HQ. Finally, I think the most attractive thing about NTT Com DD is its diverse and interesting members!
Is there anything you keep in mind as a senior employee when dealing with young members of the Foreign Sales Department?
The Foreign Sales Department has a wide range of age groups from young members to senior members. As a client manager, each member is in charge of a different client, and the status of each project varies. I myself am not particularly conscious of seniority and juniority but try to treat my colleagues from an equal perspective. If I am asked for advice, I try to solve the problem together, or give advice based on my own experience. All our members get along very well and engage in friendly competition, so we are working hard together to make the Sales Department more exciting, not as senior, or junior members, but as members of the same team.
Do you have any advice for younger employees?
There are busy days ahead, but let’s take good care of ourselves and work hard together!
