Background and Reasons for Implementing uSonar
The Chemicals Company of AGC faced challenges in managing leads acquired at exhibitions and other events. Although they had already implemented a Marketing Automation (MA) tool, the actual operations were outsourced to an external vendor. Consequently, it could take nearly one month for acquired leads to be organized, registered, and finally ready for email distribution via the MA tool.
Furthermore, with lead management becoming a "black box" that the company could not oversee 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 timely outreach.
Additionally, by leveraging the LBC corporate database embedded in uSonar, detailed information such as industry and annual revenue can be linked, allowing for information delivery tailored to the characteristics of each company. As a result, the company expects to achieve 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 based on 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.
Benefits of Implementation
- Reduced the time from lead acquisition to newsletter 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 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," AGC's initiative serves as a model case.
Future Outlook
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," which is expected to elevate the overall quality of their marketing initiatives.
As a short-term goal, 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 labor.
Comment from Tomoyasu Tanaka, Group Leader, Marketing Promotion Group, SCM Promotion Department, Chemicals Company, AGC Inc.
Previously, it could take nearly a month for acquired lead information to be ready for use in MA, which often meant we could not fully 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 leveled up.
Tasks that we previously struggled to manage manually can now be automated, making them "effortless and standard." In our operations for newsletters and event invitations, uSonar has become an indispensable presence.
* LBC is uSonar's corporate data service that assigns an 11-digit management code to business locations across Japan. It centrally manages rich corporate attribute information such as industry, annual revenue, profit, number of employees, and fixed IP addresses. By matching client data with LBC, it enables precise targeting excluding existing clients. (Japan's largest: Based on our own research of the number of head office and business location data held for Japanese companies as of May 1, 2025)
https://usonar.co.jp/en/service/usonar/index.php#serviceLbc
About AGC Inc.
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 in 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 Dreams, Our Challenge," 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
Article Published: June 17, 2025
