Employee Interview: Kanon Miyamoto (Image)

My seeds are Built on the job
Trust

Kanon Miyamoto

New graduate hire Product Sales (Semiconductors) Texter Company
Product Sales Department 1, Division 3

Miyamoto, who places the utmost importance on "visiting the field," has been engaged in proposal activities for a wide range of customers since joining the company. In order to become a "consultant" who guides customers to the optimal solution, he is striving for growth as a team through repeated trial and error.

Q1: What is your current job and what is rewarding about it?

Become a trusted advisor to our customers.

During my first one or two years at the company, I mainly worked with small and medium-sized B2C clients, and from my third year onward, I was entrusted with handling large corporations. I work with a wide range of industries, including medical equipment, industrial equipment, and consumer products, and I make proposals while understanding the unique challenges each client faces.

Since joining the company, I have consistently been in charge of the same supplier manufacturer, but recently I have also taken on responsibility for another supplier manufacturer, and I am focusing on "cross-selling proposals" that combine two products. This is an initiative to propose existing products and new products as a set to customers with whom I have built long-standing relationships.

However, handling multiple products simultaneously is not easy. Dealing with specialized products with numerous model numbers, and having to flexibly adapt proposals to each customer, requires a deep understanding of both the products and the customer's business.

On the other hand, handling different products creates new points of contact with customers, and as a result, I feel a sense of accomplishment in broadening the scope of my ability to make proposals.

What I always keep in mind when carrying out my work is to "become a trusted advisor to our customers." Those words, which I heard from the president when I was a new graduate, still leave a strong impression on me. Rather than competing solely on price and specifications, I want to be someone that customers think, "Let's consult with Miyamoto first." I believe that it is because of this relationship of trust that they are receptive to new product proposals. I strive every day to become an advisor who can deeply understand the products and businesses, correctly grasp the challenges of our customers, and propose the best solutions.

Q2: Why did you choose Macnica?

Macnica is a company where you can work in a way that suits you.

While studying abroad in Singapore, I thought, "Since I'm here, I might as well try job hunting overseas!" and attended a career forum held there. That's where I first encountered Macnica.

At the time, I had no knowledge of semiconductors; my understanding was limited to something like, "They seem to be inside cell phones." Even so, during the interview, the HR person treated me not as a "job seeker," but as "an individual." I still remember being able to speak naturally without having to pretend to be someone I wasn't.
In interviews with other companies, I felt a strong sense of tension because I was the one being evaluated, but at Macnica, I felt like I was having a conversation on equal footing. The warmth of the people and the comfortable atmosphere were the deciding factors for me.

There were absolutely no discrepancies between my expectations and reality after joining the company. Macnica has an open and flat culture, and I can frankly express my opinions to my superiors and senior colleagues. Of course, not everything goes exactly as planned, but I can learn new perspectives and ways of thinking through exchanging ideas.

I think one of Macnica 's strengths is that we can work together with mutual respect and a sense of satisfaction. Colleagues who have changed jobs before often say, "There's no other company where it's easier to express your opinions," which makes me appreciate the excellent environment here even more.

My team has members working all over the country, so there's a physical distance between us, but we always communicate actively. At team meetings, I often receive opinions not only from my superiors but also from senior colleagues working on other projects, and I really feel that the entire team is supporting my growth.

Daily Schedule

8:30

Returning to the office/Starting to work from home

First, check your email and chat.
Organize today's tasks
8:45

morning assembly

Time to share important information with the entire team
Share deadlines and goals for what needs to be done, and discuss necessary matters.
9:00

Inquiry handling & planning

While responding to customer inquiries and confirming delivery dates, I proceed with preparing for today's business meeting.
10:00

Creating a proposal document

To make customers think, "I want to use this!", we organize technical information and costs and refine the proposal.

12:00

Lunch

Lunch with colleagues and junior staff at a nearby restaurant
A brief moment of refreshment, interspersed with everyday conversation.
13:00

Meetings and business negotiations with clients

We have meetings with customers online or in person to delve deeper into their needs and explain our products, sometimes as many as five times a day.
This is the most exciting part.
17:00

Closing ceremony

Share "Today's Events" and request assistance from your supervisor as needed.
19:30

Project follow-up and product study

Follow up on existing projects and keep up-to-date on new product information.

Q3: An episode that made you grow

I continue to visit the site.

I remember a large project that I took over when my predecessor went on maternity leave. The project was already in its final stages, and I started in a tough situation where competitors had a cost advantage. To be honest, I was worried about whether I could really handle it. Because of the relationship I had built with my predecessor, I also sensed that the client was observing me first.

Amidst all of this, what I made sure to do was "visit the site." It took eight hours round trip to get to my assigned location. Even so, I made a point of meeting directly with people in the design and procurement departments and not missing any subtle changes or honest opinions. I also volunteered to take clients to the headquarters of our suppliers in the United States, creating opportunities to meet them face-to-face and deepen our relationship of trust.

Furthermore, I made it a point to share the information I gathered within the company on the same day, organize the sales and technical challenges, and develop countermeasures within the same day or a few days. Through these activities, our clients began to recognize my abilities and started to consider my proposals more positively.

As a result, I was hired, and I felt a great sense of accomplishment, realizing that my efforts had paid off. Through this experience, I learned that "trust is built up over time."

Macnica is a company that respects the autonomy of its employees, and for this project, they entrusted a lot of responsibility to just me and an engineer who understood the situation on-site. That being said, my superiors kept a close eye on my work and provided support at key points while still prioritizing speed. It was because they looked at not only the results but also the process, and provided support when needed, that I was able to move forward without fear of taking on challenges.

MY VISIONFuture goals and aspirations

My future goal is to leverage my honed sales skills to become a person who can create new demand in overseas markets. I want to utilize the consulting and proposal skills I've cultivated in the field, not only domestically but also on a global stage.

I want to go beyond simply delivering products and become a company that can grasp the market characteristics of each country, give shape to needs that haven't yet materialized, and create new businesses. To achieve this, I want to actively collaborate with our offices in the United States and Shanghai, and hone my ability to discuss on an equal footing with overseas marketing and technical teams.
We aim to elevate our established trust-building sales approach into a globally competitive advantage.

Message

Macnica values open and flat communication, and everyone can exchange opinions regardless of seniority or position, resulting in an exceptionally transparent atmosphere. New challenges are welcomed, and even if you fail, your superiors will support you, so you can try anything without fear.

Furthermore, Macnica has a culture where individual opinions and values are respected, allowing the entire team to grow together. If you enjoy an environment where you can think and act independently and grow together with your colleagues, I believe you can grow tremendously at Macnica.
If you're still undecided, I highly recommend talking to someone at Macnica.

For those of you who want to work in a way that suits you, let's create the future together!