Recruitment information

Can Expensive Machines Be Sold Online?

In 2007, Vision's main product, office copiers, was sold through a sales style where telephone operators made hundreds of calls a day, and sales representatives visited customers with appointments. However, some customers had low purchase intent, and the benefits of introducing copiers from Vision were not well communicated. This led to low sales efficiency. Thus, a project was launched to utilize Web marketing, which had been adopted since 2004, to improve this.

S.I Initially, copiers were only introduced as products on the corporate site, without a landing page for users to show purchase intent and access our company. Based on President Sano's idea, we created a site to experimentally accept inquiries from the Web, resulting in several contracts per month via the Web. Thus, a project was started to explore the potential of Web marketing in earnest.

T.A I was also in sales at the time and felt that selling expensive products on the Web was difficult, but President Sano showed us the potential. All project members, including Y.S and the president, were eager to deliver affordable and advantageous copiers to many users. As soon as we were summoned to the project, we began seriously considering what could be done with the Web.

Did the Web Connect East and West Sales Departments?

Vision is known for its quick action once a decision is made, achieving numerous business successes through rapid business strategy implementation. However, this time there was a major challenge. At that time, the sales sections for office copiers had department heads in Tokyo and Osaka, respectively, achieving results by competing with each other. In other words, they were rivals. Integrating a new Web sales channel could cause confusion.

T.A Therefore, even deciding where to place the operation center, which would be the first point of contact for customers accessing our company via the Web, led to conflicting opinions about whether to place it in one or both locations.

S.I For the project's success and development, the sales, operations, and Web teams needed to work together to set KPIs and run the PDCA cycle to improve numbers. Initially, the project couldn't proceed due to emotional aspects.

T.A From S.I's passionate talk, it was conveyed that we could approach not only customers with explicit needs but also those who thought they might need it or were conducting preliminary research. Expectations for the Web grew.

Approaching Latent Markets Previously Impossible

Until then, telephone operators could only arrange visits with customers who had high intent to introduce copiers. No company wants to have discussions about products they have no immediate intention of buying. However, the Web allows users to reach the site through various search keywords, enabling contact with users with low purchase intent depending on the site's design.

T.A The operator team's significance lies in sorting information from customers accessing via the Web by area to allocate it to the optimal sales team. A certain number of customers accessing via the Web do not immediately intend to buy a copier. Many access for preliminary research, thinking they might need it in the future. Thus, the operator team makes periodic calls to maintain contact and not miss the timing when these "potential customers'" needs become explicit.

S.I From the Web production side, we focused on SEO measures to attract such latent customers to the site through various keywords. In addition to providing landing pages, we repeatedly tested and improved the conversion rate. Furthermore, we aimed to create a site structure where various customers would stay by introducing recommended products and selection methods that suit their usage, and campaign introductions.

Opening New Channels Increases Sales!

From 2013 to 2014, repeated regular meetings were held by the Web, sales, and operation teams to identify and share issues, taking actions to solve them one after another. As a result, a Web site that can attract users in various situations was completed through trial and error. The operation team established a system to maintain long-term relationships, and sales could reliably close deals at the right time.

S.I Recently, the Web has become an indispensable sales channel for the entire copier business. There is no doubt that the Web contributes to our business.

T.A Since inquiries from customers who saw the Web come in constantly, managing potential customers is very important. As a salesperson, it helps greatly with new prospects daily and replacement prospects during renewal periods.

With Competitors Catching Up Quickly,
What's the Next Step to Widen the Lead?

Currently, in the category of office copiers, Vision's Web marketing is at the forefront. The Web is fully utilized to contribute to sales expansion, and Vision's Web site has become a benchmark in competitors' Web strategies.

S.I As a project team, we have been continuously improving the Web site through trial and error, but competitors have been imitating our efforts. I strongly feel that people are watching what Vision will do next.

S.I I also believe that the Web's potential is not yet exhausted. The site can evolve further. I want to learn and actively incorporate advanced Web marketing techniques.

T.A It might be good to include the latest price comparisons. The operation team also sees room for improvement in methods to maintain relationships with potential customers.