The sense of fulfillment
when both the customer’s
and my own ideas
are reflected in the drawings
and the product takes shape
is something
unique to sales engineering.
- Sales Engineering Dept.
- Joined in 2005
Please tell us about your current job responsibilities. To make the best possible proposals that build strong connections between our customers and our products.
Our clients are located all over Japan, from Hokkaido to Okinawa.
I am in charge of more than 20 customers, mainly in Yamaguchi Prefecture.
We do, of course, develop new business, but we are fortunate to receive many requests and referrals from existing customers.
The reason is that our company holds the top market share in vibrating mills and vibrating dryers, with solid achievements and strong trust.
It is not uncommon to hear, “If we leave it to CHUO KAKOHKI, we’ll be fine.”
Without becoming complacent in this environment, I always strive to make proposals that create deeper relationships between our customers and our products.
What do you find rewarding about this job? Having my proposals, developed through trial and error, adopted and seeing the results of my efforts.
The key to this job is how well we can provide answers that satisfy our customers’ requests.
This role really tests our ability to make proposals.
Within the constraints of what our products can handle in terms of materials and processing capacity, we are sometimes asked to solve difficult problems.
Even with tough issues, we first take them back, ask our supervisors about past cases, consult with the design and manufacturing departments, and then hold repeated meetings with the customer.
When my proposal is ultimately adopted, I feel a great sense of fulfillment.
The customer’s intent and my own ideas are reflected in the drawings and take shape as actual products.
No matter how many times I go through this process, it is always deeply rewarding.
What has been the most difficult thing since joining the company? Equipment for pharmaceutical applications, where strict quality standards are required. I was able to cultivate valuable knowledge.
This was my first project as a sales engineer that went all the way from testing to delivery for a pharmaceutical company.
Production equipment for pharmaceuticals must comply with strict quality control standards called GMP, and even the installation conditions and operating performance of the equipment have to be thoroughly verified.
We had to proceed with design and manufacturing with the utmost care, holding repeated, detailed meetings with the customer.
It was a challenging project because it was so specialized, but I learned a great deal and gained valuable knowledge that I can apply in the future.
What would you like to take on in the future, and what are your future goals? To become someone our customers can rely on, I want to value and build strong relationships of trust.
My goal is to further strengthen the relationships of trust with customers in my territory.
I want to be the person they immediately turn to not only for new projects, but also when troubles or problems arise.
I originally studied chemistry at university and, for seven years after joining the company, I was in the test lab, responsible for testing and evaluating equipment.
When I was approached about transferring to the Sales Engineering Department, I was anxious, but I managed to overcome that with the support of my supervisors and seniors.
The knowledge and experience I gained in the test lab have also become a strong asset.
I truly feel that even in an unfamiliar role, you can grow as long as you have motivation and sincerity.