——First, please tell us about your background, Ms. Lee Jian.

Manager Lee: After graduating from Ritsumeikan University, I worked for a Japanese study abroad agent for three years. Then, I joined HighChem in 2011. Initially, I was doing sales clerical work, but in 2013, when I consulted with my boss that I wanted to do sales, my wish was accepted and I became a general employee.

——Ms. Lee Jian, you have a liberal arts background, but were you confused about doing sales at HighChem, where there are many science graduates?

Manager Lee: Indeed, there are many excellent people around me, including masters and doctors in science. There was a time when I was worried about whether I could really do it in this company. But, whenever I didn’t understand or was worried, my superiors and colleagues always helped me. I think I am very lucky to have superiors, colleagues, and subordinates who are willing to teach me various things and give me advice in a casual way.

Moreover, the strength of a liberal arts graduate is that “I like to communicate with people”. I wasn’t really suited to working on a computer all day. That’s why I wanted to be in sales, where I could communicate with customers a lot, and I think it was good that I was able to demonstrate that strength.

——You were promoted to manager in 2020. What achievements do you think were recognized?

Manager Lee:   I believe the performance of my department was evaluated. When I was assigned to the Functional Chemicals Division 2 in 2020, the previous year’s sales were just under 1.6 billion yen, but the following year it was 1.7 billion, the second year it was 2.5 billion, and last year we achieved 3.1 billion yen in sales, doubling our sales in three years.

——Sales doubled!? That’s amazing. How did you achieve that?

Manager Lee: It’s the result of the seeds we’ve sown over time gradually sprouting and blooming. The cycle from sowing to harvesting chemicals is very long. Even if we develop a new product and put it on sale, it doesn’t mean that the customer will adopt it immediately. Also, it’s a world where you sow 100 seeds and you don’t know whether even one of them will bloom. Therefore, the work of finding 100 seeds is really a painstaking and difficult task.

And to grab that one, what’s most important is to gain the trust of the customer. In other words, to become the salesperson who comes to mind first when the customer is looking for a new chemical. Most of our customers are major chemical manufacturers, and there are many reliable trading companies. In order to become a chosen salesperson among them, it is important to build a relationship of trust with the customer through the usual way of dealing with the customer and the way of daily communication. By doing so, you can become the first salesperson to come to mind when a new story comes up. I think it’s most important to give them the sense of security that if they ask me, it will be okay.

——When dealing with Japanese customers, are there any cultural differences or things you are conscious of?

Manager Lee: Yes, I think it’s necessary to be aware of cultural differences. If I insist on doing things the Chinese way because I’m Chinese, I won’t be accepted by the customer. I always try to be as close to the customer as possible and move the conversation forward. For customers who value manners, I try to approach the meeting with a manner that is not rude.

——How did you acquire such communication skills?

Manager Lee: In my previous job as a study abroad agent, I was in charge of sales for individuals. Sales for individuals is really severe compared to corporate sales, because the customer has to pay out of their own pocket. They demand something proportionate to the service. During the three years of my previous job, I learned how to communicate with Japanese customers and how to make them satisfied and happy to go home.

——Functional Chemicals Division 2 now has a team of three salespeople and one assistant. What do you focus on in developing your subordinates?

Manager Lee: Manager Lee Jian: Each of my subordinates has their own way of thinking, so I don’t necessarily ask them to think the same way as me. However, since we are trying to achieve great results with just a few people, we all share the common understanding of “improving productivity”.​

——What specifically are you doing to improve productivity?

Manager Lee: For example, regarding the assistant’s work, I see administrative work as an important job within the organization. If the administration is done properly, it also increases customer satisfaction. Even when sending a single document to a customer, I first instruct them to consider whether they can send it with related documents. From the customer’s perspective, I ask them to first consider when and with what documents it would be convenient for this document to be sent. By doing so, they can move from a passive attitude of moving because the customer told them to, to being able to work on their own initiative. It may be a bit detailed, but I believe that improving productivity is all about paying attention to such details.

——From your own experience, do you think there are strengths to being a female manager?

Manager Lee: The chemical industry is a male-dominated society and generally has a gritty image, but I absolutely believe that having women enter this field works positively. For example, women are good at observing. They can sense the feelings of their subordinates or notice changes. Because women are gentle in their demeanor, they can talk on the same level. For customers too, the perspective of feeling familiarity or finding new business opportunities is different from that of men. By the way, a customer recently told me, “You have perfect timing when you call” (laughs).