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Advancing Corporate CRM

Experiencing ease of use and the acquisition of valuable information, the solution has been adopted by the team. We look forward to further utilization across our entire corporate sales division.

Implemented "mSonar/Side Sonar" to advance Corporate CRM

JTB Corp.

Internet-related, Investment, Corporate Management, Leisure and Leisure Facilities

INTERVIEWEE

  • Business Solutions Division
    Business Planning Team
    Business Planning Manager, Mr. Masahiro Morita

JTB Corp. develops the Exchange Creation Business, which creates actions and interactions that connect people, regions, and society, with a focus on the tourism business.

Specifically, the company operates under a three-pillar business structure: the foundational Tourism Business; the Business Solutions Business, which assists with corporate problem-solving and collaboration between companies and public organizations; and the Area Solutions Business, which addresses regional issues, human flow, and regional revitalization through initiatives such as the Hometown Tax Donation Program.

  • Challenges Before Implementation

    • Customer information was managed individually by each sales office and each representative.
    • There were challenges regarding the productivity of corporate sales activities.

  • Reasons for Implementation

    • It allows for easy business card scanning while enabling the linkage of valuable corporate attribute information.
    • The abundance of industry and corporate information allows for a clear understanding of corporate groups and office connections, starting from business card data.

  • Results Achieved

    • Monthly business card registrations increased dramatically from approximately 3,000 to 7,000.

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Challenges Before Implementation

System reconstruction was initiated with the goal of advancing corporate CRM to improve operational efficiency and boost productivity through sales expansion.

Within the JTB Group, which has corporate sales offices nationwide, customer information was managed individually by each office and person. To centralize and effectively utilize this information, we have been focusing on building a new sales model leveraging digital technology since around 2018.

The information to be centralized includes not only customer data from JTB's entire corporate sales division but also real-world sales activity data, expertise, customer needs and challenges, key person information, and data obtained through digital initiatives by each corporate sales entity.

Through these efforts, we can build an information infrastructure centered on the customer using data from each corporate sales organization, enabling sales activities that provide tangible benefits to our customers.

Furthermore, we are working across the entire corporate sales division to solve the challenge of improving productivity by reducing the man-hours involved in corporate sales and driving profit growth.

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Morita

We were already using the corporate database LBC from uSonar (formerly Landscape). During a meeting regarding LBC, we discussed our challenge of improving productivity, which led to the proposal of Meishi Sonar (now mSonar). Although we had been using a different business card management service, it was only utilized by certain departments. Departments that did not use it had to perform manual data entry, which limited the effectiveness of the service and created challenges in improving operational efficiency.

The effectiveness of the business card management service at the time was limited, and replacing the system at JTB, which operates nationwide, was a high hurdle that required a cautious approach.

Morita

When we heard the details about Meishi Sonar, we learned that it allows for easy business card scanning and links that data with valuable corporate attribute information, which is a hallmark of uSonar. We were attracted to the fact that we could not only move away from a situation where sales offices and individuals nationwide were managing customer information on their own, but also organize and utilize that information effectively.

However, replacing a system means changing established workflows, so we could not simply proceed without careful consideration. We needed to evaluate it thoroughly.

Therefore, to ensure a fair assessment, we compared multiple business card management services and independently scored each one. In fact, Meishi Sonar did not rank first in the overall score. However, it received high marks in areas we felt were necessary for solving our challenges and achieving our goals, which reaffirmed the necessity of its implementation.

Specifically, we were impressed by the abundance of industry and corporate information, the ability to understand connections between corporate groups and business locations starting from business card information, and the fact that it was superior from a field sales perspective, such as providing information on companies residing in specific buildings. Following this, I presented these points internally and gained approval.

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Deciding Factors for Implementation

Prioritizing Pre-Implementation Training to Ensure Internal Adoption

We began the implementation of Meishi Sonar (now mSonar) while coordinating with our existing corporate platform. Since we were already using uSonar's LBC, the implementation process itself was smooth.

Morita

We began moving toward implementation around autumn. We rebuilt the system with the goal of going live in the spring, and we were able to launch as scheduled without any particular issues.

This was thanks to the strong collaboration between the sales and system teams within uSonar. I am grateful for the results, as they were able to answer any questions immediately and respond with great flexibility.

Leading up to the spring launch, we focused on internal training regarding the benefits of the new system to ensure that employees did not view this as merely a change in service providers from our previous business card management tool.

Morita

During my time in sales, I also felt the frustration of manually entering business card information. However, I believed that if everyone understood the results that could be achieved by registering business cards in Meishi Sonar, they would be motivated to use it.

Therefore, I provided training on why registering business cards is important, what kind of results it leads to, and how it enhances the value we provide. I also explained the differences from our previous business card management service and the background behind why we introduced Meishi Sonar, emphasizing that it is more than just simple business card management.

Even after the implementation, they dedicated efforts to ensure adoption, such as conducting internal seminars.

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Morita

As a result, while we were registering about 3,000 cards per month with our previous business card management service due to manual entry, that number increased dramatically to 7,000 cards after introducing Meishi Sonar. We heard from uSonar that this is one of the highest adoption rates among their corporate clients, which made me realize that it has truly permeated the team.

Although we provided training based on the headquarters' initiative, now, promotion leads in each department prepare their own materials and share how they are utilizing the service within our internal community, showing that they truly feel the benefits of the implementation. Furthermore, I expected some resistance to switching services, but there was none; in fact, I often hear feedback that it is easy to use. I am delighted that this is a result of them realizing that it has become a useful source of information and a valuable service.

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Results Achieved

Establishing a Foundation for Unified Sales and Striving Toward Goals

Realizing Internal Adoption and Starting the Journey Toward Solving Challenges

Morita

First, as a system, we have successfully integrated it into the company and made a smooth start. Not only the members but also the President are using it actively. By entering sales activity reports, we can now grasp not only our points of contact but also the progress of our deals, and key personnel have become visible. We aim to conduct effective sales activities based on the valuable information obtained from Meishi Sonar.

At the same time, we have high expectations for the Rating 2.0 feature of the concurrently introduced SideSonar, which uses AI to create lists of high-potential customers based on various collected data. By utilizing this feature, the headquarters intends to conduct more precise targeting.

I will not rest on the success of our initial launch; I look forward to further utilizing the system to boost our unified sales efforts.

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* Note: Our service and feature names are current as of the time of the interview.

* New subscriptions for SideSonar ended in February 2025. Analysis and list creation features have been integrated into PLANSonar, and CRM/SFA enhancement features have been transitioned to GuideSonar.

* The latest business card management application currently offered is mSonar. Meishi Sonar was the former name of mSonar prior to December 2023, or the name adopted for "THE Meishi Kanri Business" provided by NTT DATA NJK Corporation following our acquisition of the service in December 2024.

* Rating 2.0 was an optional feature of SideSonar (new subscriptions ended in February 2025) and was discontinued as of April 2025. Similar functionality has been incorporated into the AI List feature within PLANSonar.

Article Publication Date: August 25, 2022

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