AGC Chemicals Company, Implements uSonar to Drive Autonomous Marketing Automation

The Chemicals Company of 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 they were ready for email distribution via the MA tool.
Furthermore, with "lead organization" remaining a "black box" that the company could not track 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 timely approach.
Additionally, by using the corporate database "LBC" 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. As a result, 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 gain "peace of mind and accuracy" through Japan's largest* corporate database. Another major point was the high cost-effectiveness achieved through operational efficiency and increased speed compared to outsourcing costs.

• Reduced the time from lead acquisition to email newsletter distribution from one month to 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 outsourcing costs

For companies struggling with issues such as "having implemented MA but not utilizing it fully" or "relying too much 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 outsourcing, 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 the guidance," which is expected to elevate the overall quality of their marketing initiatives.
As a short-term theme, the company plans to improve the accuracy of email distribution and optimize the timing based on lead interest levels, steadily advancing the establishment of marketing operations that do not rely on individual dependency or manual work.

Previously, it could take nearly a month for acquired lead information to be ready for use in MA, and there were many instances where we could not fully capitalize on the connections we made. Since implementing uSonar, the accuracy of "who we should guide" has improved, and our data-driven decision-making and operations have leveled up.
Tasks that we previously managed through manual effort can now be done "effortlessly and as a matter of course" through automation. It has become an indispensable presence in our email newsletter and event guidance operations.

AGC is a comprehensive materials manufacturer with many products holding the top global market share. Founded in 1907, it began with its original business of flat glass production and has provided materials and solutions needed by society in response to the changes of the times.
Currently, the group operates in a wide range of fields including glass, electronics, chemicals, life sciences, and ceramics in over 30 countries and regions. In 2018, the company changed its name from Asahi Glass and, under the mission "AGC, Your Blueprints Blueprint," it supports the lives of people around the world, always and somewhere.

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

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