Aoba-BBT, Inc.
(Former Name: Business Breakthrough, Inc.)

Furukawa

"As a remnant of when we operated with a small team, each department and individual had their own unique approach to tasks, even down to the format of price quotes. Our new business development lists were managed manually using Excel or spreadsheets. We faced issues where different representatives would register the same company as a client, or client names were recorded inconsistently—sometimes as abbreviations, other times as service names. Even when we received inquiries via our web forms, we struggled to identify the appropriate sales representative, and we were largely unable to centralize our customer list for effective sales strategy planning."

Furukawa

By organizing our customer list in Salesforce using LBC codes, we are now able to think about how to best utilize that data. For example, for target lists independently acquired by each sales department, we can now conduct efficient, waste-free sales activities by cross-referencing them with past negotiation history. This is made possible by the integration between Salesforce and uSonar. After receiving a demonstration of the service, I felt this was exactly the system we were looking for.

Furukawa

Before implementing LBC, if we received an inquiry call from a specialized trading company, for example, we struggled to determine which sales representative should handle it based solely on the company name. Since implementing LBC, we can immediately check which corporate group a specialized trading company belongs to, which has streamlined our internal routing. Furthermore, the sales representatives receiving these leads now have a much clearer understanding of why they are assigned to a specific account.

Furukawa

Previously, when we attempted to create lists of target companies, we were only able to focus on immediate tasks. We were unable to identify the 'white space'—untapped companies and industries—that we should be targeting for future growth. By integrating uSonar with Salesforce, we can now centrally manage specific sales activity data, making it easier to develop strategies such as which industries to focus our outreach on. As a result, lead acquisition has become smoother, and prioritizing accounts is much easier. The accuracy of the new business prospect lists we provide as sales support has improved, and above all, because they are packed with the information we need, creating lists while developing strategies has become an enjoyable process. By using the 'Trans' feature of SideSonar, we can check for existing business relationships and organize collaborations, allowing us to respond according to our strategy.

*1 SideSonar: A product name from uSonar. It integrates with SFA/CRM and can be used for target list extraction, etc.
*2 Trans: A feature name of SideSonar. It allows for the easy addition of LBC attributes to your existing company lists.

Furukawa

Many of the training programs we conduct, such as business leader development, only resonate with companies specifically seeking those outcomes. Therefore, even for HR-focused events, we must carefully select invitees based on the lecture theme. In such cases, we utilize 'Mixer' to select from pre-prepared 'Stories' provided by uSonar, which has increased our targeting accuracy. Previously, we had to research companies one by one online to determine if they matched our training needs, which took an enormous amount of time. By using Mixer to efficiently narrow down our targets, we have reduced the time previously required. I feel it is ten times faster now (laughs). It is actually fun once you get started. The events we have held have been well-received, and we have felt a positive impact, such as receiving reports that they led to the adoption of our training programs. During the planning of one marketing event, I was asked, 'You can't possibly create a target list limited to the XX industry with annual sales of over 30 billion yen, can you?' When I replied, 'Yes, I can,' and created it immediately, they were wide-eyed with surprise (laughs).

*3 Mixer: A feature of SideSonar. It allows for the creation of lists tailored to specific objectives using diverse criteria such as industry and company size.
*4 Stories: Pre-compiled company lists provided by SideSonar covering a wide variety of themes.

Furukawa

"Previously, our approach to gathering customer information relied exclusively on web advertising; we would run ads, collect leads, and then reach out. Now, we can grasp a tangible sense of our customer profile from the start. I feel that our marketing has qualitatively shifted toward a more proactive approach."

Furukawa

"We use it as a primary filter for credit checks when engaging with new business partners. It is very intuitive because the concern level is displayed via flags. We only need to acquire detailed credit reports for companies that do not pass this initial check, which leads to cost savings. Furthermore, we can quickly check companies that submit inquiries, allowing us to proceed with sales activities with peace of mind."

Furukawa

Currently, we believe that if we can integrate this with the separate databases of our business clients, we will be able to develop strategies more efficiently. Furthermore, our university and graduate school have over 2,000 alumni, and tens of thousands of business course graduates are active across various industries. We have a vision to visualize a network where members who have studied at Business Breakthrough can easily consult with one another on business matters. By deepening these connections, we hope they will continue to grow with Business Breakthrough throughout their careers. The implementation of uSonar has not only expanded the scope of what we can do, but it has also made these dreams feel achievable, which is truly exciting. We rely on the team at uSonar, as they are always ready to provide thoughtful advice. We look forward to continuing to consult with them as we take on new challenges.