AGC Chemicals Company, Adopts uSonar to Drive Marketing Automation Autonomy

The Chemicals Company at AGC faced challenges in responding to leads acquired at trade shows and other events. Although they had already implemented a Marketing Automation (MA) tool, the actual operations were outsourced to an external vendor. As a result, it could take nearly one month for acquired leads to be organized and registered by the vendor before email distribution via the MA tool could even begin.
Furthermore, with "lead organization" becoming a "black box" that the company could not monitor internally, they decided to implement uSonar to establish a system where they could manage their own marketing PDCA cycle. By integrating MA with uSonar, they have significantly reduced the man-hours previously spent on manually linking leads with corporate information, enabling a more timely approach.
Additionally, by leveraging the "LBC" corporate database embedded in uSonar, detailed information such as industry and annual revenue can be linked, allowing for information dissemination tailored to the characteristics of each company. Consequently, the company expects to realize timely and effective email newsletter distribution.

The deciding factor for the implementation was the ability to move away from conventional operations that relied on "manual work involving guesswork" and instead gain "peace of mind and accuracy" through Japan's largest* corporate database. Another key point was the high cost-effectiveness achieved through improved operational efficiency and speed compared to outsourcing costs.

• Reduced the time from lead acquisition to email distribution from one month to just a few days
• Enabled pinpoint delivery of appropriate information to the right companies and individuals
• Significantly improved the accuracy of email newsletter distribution and target list creation
• Eliminated the "black box" in MA operations and improved reliability
• Reduced external outsourcing costs

For companies struggling with issues such as "having implemented MA but not utilizing it fully" or "relying too heavily on outsourcing," the company's initiative serves as a model case.

Moving forward, the company will review its marketing operations, which were previously dependent on individual skills and external vendors, and proceed with building a system that allows for continuous improvement and execution in-house. By integrating uSonar and MA, the company aims to move beyond simple mass distribution and instead deliver "meaningful information" at the optimal time to "companies and individuals who need it," with the expectation of raising the overall quality of their marketing initiatives to the next level.
As a short-term goal, the company plans to improve the accuracy of email distribution and optimize timing based on lead interest levels, steadily advancing the establishment of marketing operations that do not rely on individual dependency or manual labor.

Previously, it could take nearly a month for acquired lead information to become available for use in MA, which meant we often missed opportunities to capitalize on valuable connections. Since implementing uSonar, the accuracy of "who we should approach" has improved, and our data-driven decision-making and operations have been elevated to the next level.
Tasks that we previously struggled to manage manually can now be handled "effortlessly and as a matter of course" through automation. It has become an indispensable tool for our email newsletter and event invitation operations.

AGC is a comprehensive materials manufacturer with numerous products holding the top global market share. Founded in 1907, the company began with its core business of flat glass production and has since provided materials and solutions needed by society in response to changing times.
Today, the group operates in over 30 countries and regions, expanding its business across a wide range of fields including glass, electronics, chemicals, life sciences, and ceramics. In 2018, the company changed its name from Asahi Glass and, under the mission "AGC, Your Blueprints for a Brighter Future," continues to support the lives of people around the world.

Website URL: https://www.agc.com

Contact for Inquiries
Public Relations, uSonar Co., Ltd. (Hiyama/Sawada)
Email: ir@usonar.co.jp