What is the role of inside sales? Miki: The Market Intelligence Division, to which I belong, handles many cutting-edge tools from overseas, including "Similarweb," "Sisense," "monday.com," "Whatagraph," "Powtoon," and "alli. We also offer many cutting-edge tools from overseas, such as "alli".

https://www.wantedly.com/companies/gaprise/post_articles/327432

https://neovisionconsulting.blogspot.com/2022/05/similarwebsisensemondaycomwhatagraphpow.html

Sayaka Kawamitsu, Satoko Miki

HR Public Relations Promotion Office, Inside Sales Group / Manager

Profile of Sayaka Kawamitsu

GAPRISE Corporation / HR Public Relations Promotion Office

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Profile of Satoko Miki

Gaprise Corporation / Inside Sales Group / Manager

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on 2021/06/17

One Story] "Thinking I can't do something" is just an assumption - I was able to grow because Gaprise is capable of any challenge. The Past and Future "Career" of a Female Inside Sales Representative

Hello! My name is Kawamitsu from the HR Promotion Office at Gaprise, Inc.

I'm Kawamitsu, from the HR Promotion Office of Gaprise Corporation. In this third installment of "One Story," we interview Satoko Miki, who moved to Tokyo from Hiroshima and has acquired various skills as an inside sales representative with no experience. We hope you will enjoy reading this interview while imagining what the inside sales job has to offer and what skills you can acquire from no experience.

Past employee interview articles: (Japanese only)

https://www.wantedly.com/companies/gaprise/post_articles/281050

■Knowing the person you are working with and adapting to them is important

Kawamitsu：Mr. Miki, please give me a hand!

Miki：Thank you for having me!

Kawamitsu：Today, I often receive questions from candidates I meet during interviews and interviews about how inside sales people at Gaprise work, and I would like to hear from Ms. Miki, a female inside sales representative, about her daily workflow. So I would like to hear from you, Ms. Miki, who is both an inside sales representative and a female member.

Miki: I hope you don't mind if I'm the one doing the talking (laughs)!

Kawamitsu: I'm sure you have a female perspective, and I'd like to hear your "inside sales story" and "what you can experience at GAPRISE" from your point of view as a woman who joined the company with no experience and is now playing an active role!

Miki: Well, please feel free to ask me anything! I'll be careful not to make any funny remarks!

Kawamitsu: I'll make sure to cut out any strange comments, so please don't worry (laughs)!

--First of all, before we get into your daily workflow, please tell us how your morning starts!

Miki: First of all, when I wake up in the morning... I lie sprawled out in bed for about 20 minutes (laughs). After that, I drink a lot of water to wake up my body, and when I feel calm, I start working.

Kawamitsu：When I wake up in the morning, I am thirsty. Do you have a routine for changing your mind about work after waking up in the morning?

Miki: Oh, I wouldn't go so far as to say I have a routine...I always weigh myself on the scale as part of my morning routine.

Kawamitsu: Scales...for health management?

Miki: No! I am on a diet! I thought if I got on the scale every day, I might lose a little weight! I haven't lost a single gram in four years, though (laughs)!

Kawamitsu: (burst of laughter). I'm sorry, that was a strange question... (shudders).

--Now let's get back on track, please tell us about your daily schedule as an inside sales representative, Mr. Miki!

Miki: It varies depending on the status of the calls that day, but my daily schedule looks something like this!

Kawamitsu: There are quite a few times of the day when you have to make calls. Especially from 13:00 to 18:00, it seems like you are on the phone all the time... Is it possible for you to stay so focused?

Miki: Of course, in between calls, I reply to internal communications and communicate with division members as needed, so I don't stay on the phone that much. I also take a 5 to 10 minute break when I feel I've reached the end of my call.

Kawamitsu: I see. I am relieved to hear that you are working while taking a well-deserved break!

Miki：Between breaks, it's good to have a change of pace.

Kawamitsu: Each call is to a different lead (prospective client), so it's important to have a change of pace.

--How do you decide what action to take on a lead?

Miki: We research various information on the leads supplied to us by the marketing team, and then prepare the content and story we are going to tell.

Kawamitsu: So you first prepare thoroughly before making the over-the-counter call?

Miki: That's right. If I were to talk a little more, I would say that we formulate a hypothesis based on company information and talk scripts, and prepare the content and storyline before making the call.

Kawamitsu: I see. Do you have any tips or something you are aware of when making a hypothesis?

Miki：I don't have any tips, but I have a "client issue casebook" that I have accumulated from the past, and I make full use of it!

Kawamitsu: I didn't know such a thing existed! I'll have a look at it myself to better understand our clients' issues!

Miki: Yes! Please take a look!

-What are some of the rules for making over-the-counter calls?

Miki: We have a sales rule called "2 e-mails and 5 calls," which means "send 2 e-mails and call 5 times.

Kawamitsu: Two emails and five calls! Why that sales rule?

Miki: In the past, we would switch to the next lead after one email or two calls. But then we ran into the problem of losing the lead list quickly and losing sales activity. I knew I had to do something about this problem, so I researched case studies of other companies and read blog sites that published inside sales methods, and found an article that said "2 emails and 5 calls" would result in less opportunity loss of leads. Since then, I have been practicing cold calling based on that rule.

Kawamitsu: Have there been any changes since you started practicing the "2 emails/5 calls" method?

Miki: Yes, there has been! Since I started practicing it, not only have I been able to connect with contacts on the second e-mail and the fifth call, but the number of appointments has also increased, and I can definitely feel that opportunity losses are decreasing!

--Miki: Is there anything that you keep in mind when you make a call?

Miki: This may seem obvious to someone with sales experience, but I am especially conscious of the volume and tone of my voice and my speaking speed when making a call. Also, depending on the personality of the person who answers the phone, I try to intentionally interject laughter while empathizing with them during the conversation.

Kawamitsu: What effect does interjecting laughter have?

Miki: The number of times I get rejected in the middle of a call has decreased dramatically, and callers are more likely to listen to the end of the conversation.

Kawamitsu: Wow! Laughter has such an effect!

Inside salespeople acquire a variety of skills.

--Kawamitsu: What is the role of inside sales?

Miki: In the Market Intelligence Division, to which I belong, we use "Similarweb," "Sisense," "monday.com," "Whatagraph," "Powtoon," and "alli. We handle a number of cutting-edge overseas tools such as "alli". The inside sales staff is responsible for reading the client's issues and needs based on marketing automation tool data and interviews, proposing appropriate tools, and setting up appointments with field sales staff.

Kawamitsu: You are proposing a very large number of tools. That sounds like a lot of work, but it sounds like you're gaining a lot of skills by being involved with so many different tools!

Reference information

Similarweb : https://www.similarweb.com/ja/

Sisense: https://sisense.gaprise.jp/

monday.com : https://monday.gaprise.jp/

Whatagraph: https://whatagraph.gaprise.jp/

Powtoon: http://powtoon.gaprise.jp/

alli: https://alli.gaprise.jp/

--What skills did you gain from your inside sales job?

Miki: In a big way, I think I gained BtoB sales skills and communication skills!

Kawamitsu: Big! May I ask a few more details?

Miki: Specifically, I think I gained the ability to convey information concisely and accurately in short conversations lasting only a few minutes, and the ability to explain things logically. When I was working in customer service, I didn't even know the term "logical thinking," so I was never even conscious of the order in which I spoke (laughs). (Laughs) Now I think I am able to propose solutions to fundamental issues by communicating things in a concise and orderly manner, saving both the other person's time and ours.

Kawamitsu: Do you think you can use these skills in your private life as well?

Miki: Yes, of course, and I feel that it is a skill that can be applied not only outside the company, but also within the company and in my private life. I feel that I am now able to have conversations that look at the essence of things and then derive solutions to the underlying issues.

Kawamitsu：Mr. Miki, your problem-solving skills are a result of your experience in BtoB sales through inside sales, aren't they!

--Please tell us about the moment when you feel a sense of accomplishment from working in inside sales.

Miki: When I make a proposal that matches the needs of the client and we set an appointment, I get a small "Yay! I give a small gut-punch (laughs).

Kawamitsu: It's great when everything goes well!

Miki: Yes, it is! It's only natural, but the deeper our understanding of the tools we are proposing, the broader the scope of our proposal to the client's needs! When I can confidently pass on a proposal to a field sales representative that clearly solves a client's problem... it gives me a tremendous sense of accomplishment!

Kawamitsu：It's a great team play between Inside Sales and Field Sales! On the other hand, are there any situations in which you find it difficult to work as an inside sales representative?

Miki: There are many, but I feel it is especially difficult when we have just started offering a new tool. Since there are few examples of use and few actual implementations, the conversation tends to focus on explaining the functionality. As a result, I sometimes fail to convey the essential value of the tool and fail to get any appointments.

Kawamitsu：How did you overcome such difficult situations?

Miki: Actually, I'm in the process of overcoming it right now. I hit the lowest appointment rate since I joined the company.... However, when I talked to my boss, Mr. Okuhara, he said, "What can't be done can't be done, and while it is important to try until you can do it, it is also important to know when to give up. If you can't do it, think of other ways. If you can't do it, think of other ways, change the tools you propose, and do what you can do. That really helped me a lot.

Kawamitsu：Mr. Okuhara...those are wonderful words. Do you think you will be able to escape from the point where you can't make appointments?

Miki: Right now, I'm using other tools as hooks to make appointments, so I think I'll be able to get out of this.

Kawamitsu: That's great! I'm rooting for your continued success!

■What I found in Gaprprise that I want to achieve

--What did you want to achieve when you joined GAPRISE?

Miki: As I answered in the previous interview, I was invited by my boss, Mr. Okuhara, who was originally an acquaintance of mine... I joined Gaprise on a whim, not knowing what I would be doing at first. All I knew was that it was a sales position (laughs). You can see the details in my previous article, but rather than wanting to achieve something at Gaprise, I joined the company because I wanted to move from my hometown of Hiroshima to Tokyo and try something new.

Kawamitsu: Even though Mr. Okuhara invited you to join us... it was a big decision to take on a challenge in a new place!

Miki: Yes, it was! I was very anxious, but at the time I was eager to take on the challenge in a new place!

Previous interview article: (Japanese only)

https://www.wantedly.com/companies/gaprise/post_articles/281050

--Did you find what you wanted to achieve after joining GAPLIEDS?

Miki: Yes, I found it! As my next step, I want to take on the challenge of working in human resources!

Kawamitsu: You mean you want to make a career change to human resources?

Miki: Yes, to begin with, work takes up most of my day. I want to make my time at work enjoyable, and I think many people want to make their time at work more valuable.

Kawamitsu: I sympathize! I, too, want to enjoy my "working time," which takes up so much of my life!

Miki: Thank you! I hope that those who choose to work at GAPRISE will make their working time both enjoyable and valuable. Right now, I only have a vague image of "creating an environment where people who join Gaprise can achieve self-fulfillment," but I believe that it is HR that can proactively realize this, so I am eager to take on this challenge.

--I think that I can realize this on my own, so I am eager to take on this challenge.

Miki: From the perspective of "creating an environment for self-realization," I am interested in recruitment, training, and system design.

Kawamitsu: Of these areas, are there any in particular that you are interested in?

Miki: In terms of "creating a working environment," I am particularly interested in institutional design. I would like to create a system that allows members to choose where to work even though teleworking is the mainstay of the Corona Vortex, and that allows members to work with high productivity while being satisfied with their work.

Kawamitsu: By the way, what are the reasons for hiring and training?

Miki: I believe that recruitment is very important in terms of "creating an organization." I think that by being involved in "the people who work and the beginning of Gaprise," I can pursue the joys and difficulties of creating an organization.

Kawamitsu: I am also in charge of recruitment, and I feel the fun and difficulty of being involved in the "beginning of GAPLIS and its workers" every day.

Miki: Of course, it's not all fun and games, but it's the difficulties that make it interesting to pursue! As for training, I remember my own bitter experience of not being able to produce results immediately after joining the company. I think I would enjoy my job more if there was a reproducible system that would enable me to achieve results quickly after joining the company. After all, work is more interesting when you can produce results!

--Please tell us about the episode in which you became interested in "people" and "human resources.

Miki: When it comes to "people," I don't have any particular episode. I don't really have any episodes like that. But I have always been interested in talking to people and getting people involved in things that I enjoy. Kawamitsu: I see.

Kawamitsu: I see. How about "personnel affairs" then?

Miki: I first became seriously interested in "human resources" when I consulted with my boss, Mr. Okuhara, about my career. When I was identifying and summarizing my values during the consultation, I realized that my values were all oriented toward people.

Mr. Okuhara said to me, "If we sort out Miki's values, isn't HR the kind of work you want to do?" I gathered information on the Internet and listened to Mr. Hasegawa, the human resources manager at GAPLIED, and as I did so, I began to think, "Sounds fun! I want to try it.

Kawamitsu: I didn't know there was such an episode!

Miki: That's right. I like inside sales work, but more than that, I wanted to be the person who pushes people to achieve results, and I wanted to "change the working environment and system.

Kawamitsu：Since you have experience in the field, you want to change the working environment and system yourself! This is something I would like to talk about separately!

Miki: By all means! I'd be happy to talk about it!

It's not just my boss, I have the support of many people.

--Miki: Was there anything that was difficult for you after moving to Tokyo?

Miki: I was homesick anyway!

Kawamitsu: You are from Hiroshima, right? What did you do when you wanted to go back to your hometown?

Miki: I would drink alcohol from a convenience store on my way home from work to cover it up (laughs)!

Kawamitsu: That's rough treatment (laughs). Did you have someone in the company to support you?

Miki: Yes! I had the support of many Gaprise people, including my boss Mr. Okuhara, with whom I share the same hometown, as well as members of the business division and the board of directors! I really appreciate it! Thank you very much for that (laughs). I hope we can go out for another round of drinks after the Corona disaster!

Kawamitsu: Mr. Miki...I understand your feelings, but please do so in moderation (laughs).

Miki: Yes... (laughs).

--Kawamitsu: What kind of conversations do you usually have with your boss, Mr. Okuhara, whom you mentioned earlier?

Miki: Of course we discuss the progress of sales activities and goal setting, but we also talk about my own career and personal life.

Kawamitsu: Is there anything you are conscious of when talking with Mr. Okuhara?

Miki: Since I first joined the company, I have been told about 50 times to "speak from the conclusion..." (laughs).

Kawamitsu: Fifty times! If I'm told that many times, I have no choice but to be conscious of it!

Miki: When I feel comfortable, I think I can summarize the main points of the talk and speak in conclusion first. However, when I am not in a good mood, I tend to start with a weird conclusion like, "Seriously, this is bad! I'll fix that (laughs)!

Kawamitsu: "Seriously, it's bad! Kawamitsu: Do you still listen to me even if I start with "Seriously, it's bad!

Miki: Usually, they respond seriously, "What's the point? Miki: Usually, he responds seriously, "What's the point?

Kawamitsu: So there are exceptions to the conclusion-first rule!

Miki: He does get mad at me if I do too much (laughs).

--Kawamitsu: What are the non-negotiables in your work?

Miki: "Never blame others. I think I am responsible for whatever happens, and I never say, "Because someone else said so.

Kawamitsu: What is your intention behind this?

Miki: I believe that blaming others will not change anything and will not have a positive effect. The person who is told, "I did it because of what that person said," feels bad, and he or she also regrets saying it. Therefore, I have decided to "never blame others.

Kawamitsu: Specifically, in what situations do you feel you cannot compromise?

Miki: It is a common situation where people say, "I did what I did because Mr. 00 told me to do it this way. Even if other people tell me what to do, I think it is I who decide what to do, so I have become conscious of making decisions based on "what I want to do and what is best for me" when I choose something. However, since all the people at Gaprise have a lot of knowledge and experience, I actively seek advice from them (laughs).

Kawamitsu：I see. Having the idea of self-responsibility creates a strong sense of ownership.

Experience at GAPRISE made me realize that "what I think I can't do" is just an assumption.

--Miki: Do you have any good points about Gaprise or areas you would like to improve?

Miki: I feel that not only Mr. Okuhara, my boss, and Mr. Kai, the representative, but also many people are not selfish and take one employee's life as seriously as their own, which is a good thing about GAPRISE. Also, since we can communicate with each other without dividing, we don't have to be reserved in any strange way. I also think that is what makes it easy to work there.

Kawamitsu: I think so too! Is there anything else?

Miki：After that, we have an open environment where you can challenge anything if you raise your hand, so I think it's a great environment for people who want to challenge themselves in various ways!

Kawamitsu: Thank you! On the contrary, is there anything you would like to improve?

Miki：We are gradually fostering a culture of praise, but I think we still have a long way to go. However, at the same time, I feel a certain response that things will get better in the future.

Kawamitsu: There is a channel on Slack called "New and Renewal Order Sharing Group," and there is a culture of praising new orders and renewals. I would like to set something more company-wide.

Miki: Yes, that's right. We have started posting on the same channel not only new orders and renewals, but also when appointments made by inside sales staff are converted into deals.

Kawamitsu: Let's get this going together! Is there anything else?

Miki: Well...I feel that while it is possible to talk with division members and supervisors during telework, it is still difficult to create an atmosphere where we can easily talk with members outside of the division and support them.

Kawamitsu：It seems that communication issues in teleworking will continue to arise in the future. We in the HR Promotion Office would like to solve these issues one by one, after carefully understanding them.

--What kind of person do you think Gaprise is suited for?

Miki: I think people who can work independently and proactively, people who can look at things positively even if the results are not good, and people who can work toward a goal as a team will have a lot of fun at Gaprise! Also, people who can respond flexibly to changes in the world and rather enjoy such situations are also very suited to Gaprise!

Kawamitsu：I see! On the contrary, what kind of person do you think is not suited for this job?

Miki: I think it would be difficult for someone who waits for instructions. Or, people who want to do things on their own may also find it difficult. Of course, individual achievement is important, but since we want to achieve "complete achievement" with all members of the division and the company, I think it is important to be able to work from the perspective of how we can "raise the company's overall level.

Kawamitsu：That's right. What kind of person would you like to work with, Mr. Miki?

Miki: Someone who has a sense of energy and sincerity in his/her work.

Kawamitsu: Meri-hari...what kind of person exactly?

Miki: In my opinion, a person of integrity is someone who can "make things personal. When I have a problem while working with someone, he or she will consult with me from the perspective of "what I would do if it were me," or give me a new insight. If we are sincere and hardworking with each other, I think we can create a synergistic effect and make the environment more comfortable to work in.

Kawamitsu: At GAPRISE, we have the value of "leader or follower," and we have the value standard of "making everything about yourself. I always try to be sincere!

--Please give a comment to the future members!

Miki: I think that Gaprise is a workplace where there is no seniority system or internal politics, and flat relationships can be built. There is no need to be reserved or discourteous, so I highly recommend it to those who are willing to be involved and proactive in expressing their opinions and ideas!

Kawamitsu: Thank you! Finally, please give a passionate message to our future members!

Miki: In my case, I started out by asking myself, "What is IT and technology in the first place? I was worried that I wouldn't be able to do it! I was also anxious about whether I could really do it! However, after taking the plunge, I now feel that I'm getting by surprisingly well! I think it's normal to have things you don't understand when you first join a company, but I think it's more important to learn how to deal with the things you don't understand!

I also realized that "limitations" and "things I think I can't do" are just assumptions, so when you have the opportunity to choose something at GAPRISE, don't make the assumption that you can't do it because you've never done it before!

Kawamitsu: Thank you! This has been an interview full of personality, Mr. Miki!

Miki: Thank you very much, too! I look forward to seeing more and more future Gaplace members!

Kawamitsu: I will do my best to live up to your expectations, so please keep up the good work!

Gaprise, Inc. is looking for people to work with!

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