Magazine​

"Values" are essential for a company to achieve sustainable growth and adapt to change. At Archem Inc., every employee keeps these values in mind as they continue to take on various challenges in their daily work.

In this series, we will spotlight employees who are active on the front lines, and explore the culture of Archem through their struggles at work and the processes they went through to overcome them.

For the second installment, we spoke with Kyoko Hata of the Sales Section 3, Archem Business Japan Ltd., who, after working in technical and quality assurance roles, rejoined the company and continues to challenge herself in the new field of overseas sales despite having no prior experience. Her theme is the Value of "Making Challenges a Habit."

Sales Department 1, Sales Section 3
Kyoko Hata

| 15 years of experience, one resignation, and then a "fateful reunion" leading to rejoining the company

Ms. Qin is currently in charge of selling materials such as urethane foam to domestic and international customers, mainly in China. However, she wasn't always in sales.

He previously supported the field for 15 years as a technical services representative at the predecessor company of Archem. After leaving the company and pursuing a different path, Mr. Hata was unexpectedly "reunited" with someone one day.

Hata-san: I injured my leg in my personal life, and on the train on my way to the hospital, I happened to run into someone who had helped me a lot in my previous work, and they asked me to rejoin the company. If I hadn't injured my leg, I wouldn't have been on that train that day. I was also looking for a new job at the time, so I really felt that "life is all about timing and connections."

This fateful encounter led Hata to decide to rejoin Archem. He initially joined the quality assurance department, but about a year later, his current supervisor asked him if he would like to try working in sales.

| A technical background who isn't even good at chatting takes on the challenge of uncharted territory in overseas sales.

Although I have about 15 years of experience in technical services and quality assurance, I have absolutely no experience in sales. Moreover, the position I was offered was "overseas sales."

Hata-san: To be honest, I never once thought I was suited for sales. I'm not good at speaking in front of people, and I'm not fluent in English. Naturally, I had hesitation and anxiety about whether I could handle it. However, the feeling that "if the opportunity has come my way, I should ride it" won out, and I decided to take on the challenge.

When I actually joined the sales department, I was bewildered by the fundamental differences in rules and systems. Furthermore, I encountered obstacles such as time differences and language barriers with overseas customers and team members, making smooth communication difficult through email alone.

| Days of trial and error: "Putting myself in the other person's shoes and taking the initiative to meet them halfway"

To overcome the time difference and communication hurdles, Ms. Hata made repeated efforts to "not just wait, but proactively reach out herself." If there was no response by email, she would use chat tools to reach out casually, and she would carefully consider the timing of her communication, taking the time difference into account, continuing the back-and-forth exchange in a painstaking manner.

Hata-san: Even if countries and cultures are different, the foundation is "trust between people." If I give off an unapproachable vibe, the other person will also hesitate to talk to me, so I always try to create an approachable atmosphere and not let my mood affect my work. If there's something I don't understand, I ask my colleagues for help, and I respond to customer requests promptly and with sincerity. I believe that relationships are built little by little through these small accumulations.

Furthermore, because of his background in technical services and quality assurance, Mr. Hata's deep knowledge of product specifications and quality has become a powerful asset, leading to great trust from customers and his team.

| A value system cultivated in my private life: "Riding the wave that comes my way."

Mr. Hata's flexible and positive outlook, embodied in the motto "If a wave comes along, let's ride it," was actually nurtured by a major personal challenge.

Ms. Hata decided to take on her first full marathon after a friend invited her to participate in the Honolulu Marathon in Hawaii. Initially, she was skeptical, but once she took that first step, she was suddenly greeted with a whole host of new sights and encounters with various people, and she discovered the joy of running.

Nowadays, in addition to marathons around the Hawaiian Islands, he also bravely takes on "trail running (trail races) of over 100km," running through mountain trails overnight.

Hata-san: Before taking on the Honolulu Marathon, I only ran around my neighborhood as a hobby. I never imagined back then that I would be traveling overseas and running 100km. But when a friend invited me to take that first step, I was able to see scenery I had never seen before and meet wonderful people.

The feeling that "you won't know until you try" and "taking a step forward expands your experience and world" is exactly the same in both work and private life.

| Our Guiding Principles: What does "making challenges a habit" mean to Mr. Hata?

At Archem, one of the company's shared values is "Make challenges a habit." Finally, we asked Mr. Hata what this phrase means to him.

Hata-san:

It's about "not being afraid of failure or change, and continuing to ride the waves that come your way."​

Everyone is afraid of failing, and I'm actually quite anxious and easily frightened myself (laughs). But if you do nothing, you'll only regress. Of course, you'll fail when you try new things, but I believe that even those failures contribute to your own experience. Life is all about connections and timing. I want to continue to cherish the opportunities and connections I have with people, and enjoy trying everything from small daily challenges to big ones.

| Next episode preview

Mr. Hata, who jumped from a technical position into overseas sales despite having no prior experience, continues to bravely take on challenging races in his private life as well. His attitude of cherishing connections and riding the waves with ease truly embodies the story of "making challenges a habit."

Next episode (Vol. 3) preview:

"Being sincere" - Kazuhiro Maekawa, Manufacturing Department

Mr. Maekawa, with his sincere passion for manufacturing and his thoughtful communication that transcends his position, supports the workplace and his colleagues. We will delve into the "essence of sincerity" that lies in his unwavering dedication to people and work. Please look forward to it!