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Staff Interview
Aiming for the world in a field with no experience
Staff Interview
営業部 菊地 剛
KIKUCHI
TSUYOSHI
We always show our customers who visit our lab from overseas to the rooftop.
From this spot, you can see Enoshima, one of the most representative names in Shonan, and Mt. Fuji, the highest mountain in Japan.
It's the perfect place to show off our products to the world.
I first encountered biochromatography 11 years ago, when I had just started working in the transportation industry.
After graduating from university, I worked in sales at a construction company that specialized in land utilization, but in my fifth year at the company, the Lehman Shock hit and sales performance began to decline.
I continued to work every day in order to avoid being scolded.
I was fed up with my own gradual decline and had quit my job without finding another one. Then, Endo, a classmate from my junior high and high school days, contacted me.
「人手が足りない」と声をかけられ、なんとなく始めたのが運送業でした。
At first, I was working to deliver products for Biochromat, a client company, but the production department was short-staffed in the inspection work.
To help somehow.
I was working without knowing anything about the industry, wondering, "What is this used for?" (laughs).
One day, the president recognized my experience from my previous job and asked me to join the sales team, where I first learned about physics and chemistry.
At the time, our products were not even recognized in Japan, but we sympathized with the president's strong belief that "we will sell to the world!"
At the same time as Endo, I decided to quit my job in the transportation industry and become a full-time employee.
Aiming for the world in a field with no experience
The job of a salesperson can be broadly divided into two parts: selling our company's products in Japan and around the world, and increasing the number of fans.
When I was a manufacturer, I knew all of my clients, but in sales, I make as many new acquaintances as there are customers, so I'm keenly aware of the difficulties of interpersonal relationships.
Every September, we exhibit at JASIS, an exhibition that brings together cutting-edge science and technology, and at academic conferences where researchers gather, in order to develop new customers.
When we don't receive any visits, we also try to find potential customers by sending out e-mail newsletters and posting product information and user cases on our website.
In addition, we have over 100 distributors who handle our products, so we can accompany distributors to the lab,
Consulting on proposal content is also an important part of the job.
Last year, the overseas sales ratio of the analysis division finally exceeded 50%.
By collaborating with a major overseas manufacturer that has a sales network all over the world, we are able to reach customers who would not have been able to do so on our own.
We are now able to deliver it.
When I first joined the company, I honestly thought that going overseas was just a dream, but as the saying goes,
I realized that if you have faith, you can achieve anything.
My next dream is to open a branch in Europe.
As a fabless manufacturer, we would like to travel the world carrying the souls of our suppliers who help us create our products.
If you want to go far away, go together
Biochromato is a small intellectual group, so I think each individual has a broad range of responsibility.
In sales, this includes marketing, managing customer databases, creating flyers for agents, and interviewing user cases.
Our products were originally born from the needs of researchers, so sales, who are closest to customers, are also involved in the company's future direction.
It's an important position.
Both Endo and I were working in completely different fields, but I think our "try anything" mindset suited the company's corporate culture.
This is a great opportunity for people who have ambition, want to take on new challenges, and want to work on a global scale.
I think it's the environment.
I also think it would be good for people who want to contribute to Fujisawa.
Biochromato has donated books to libraries in the city, supported the renovation project of the Yabe Park baseball field, and given career talks at junior and senior high schools.
We also focus on contributing to society.
Users have commented, "You're doing some great work," and researchers who happened to read the article have asked, "Can you do this kind of analysis?"
By taking action, we not only support researchers around the world and contribute to a prosperous society, but also return profits to the local community and nurture the next generation.
It's a win-win-win situation, which is why I can do my job with pride.
Confidence in the product means confidence in the company
We also receive inquiries.