Employee interviews
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Tokyo Sales DivisionYasuhiro Ito
How is Kida Company?
I’m involved in proposing and selling primarily food additive products. In the course of my regular sales activities I get to meet with a broad variety of business partners—not just clients, but also manufacturers and others in the industry. We exchange a lot of detailed information with one another, and maintaining trust in our relationships is critical. It’s a key feature of our company. The importance of communication has also become part of our internal corporate culture, making it easy to ask questions when you don’t understand something. It’s also great when you’re struggling, since other people readily work with you to find a solution.
When do you get the most satisfaction out of your work?
This may not sound glamorous, but I find a lot of joy in acting as a bridge between manufacturers and customers in my job as a salesperson at a trading company. I was majoring in a liberal arts and I am not particularly good at chemistry, but by deepening my knowledge and working to grow in that area, I’ve been able to broaden my sales activities and boost my performance—which has in turn given me a lot of satisfaction. After I joined Kida, the company helped me get licensed to handle hazardous materials as well as manage toxic substances, and I’m currently looking to get additional qualifications as well. I’m eager to keep developing my skills.
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Sales Division, Sendai BranchHitoshi Tanaka
What made you decide to join the company?
What is a typical day like for you?I joined Kida because it seemed like a place where I could be more of a free thinker when it came to my sales activities. When I first got here, I was stressed out because I wasn’t as good as my coworkers on the job—but I just kept and open mind and did what my supervisor told me. Eventually I gained my confidence to push forward.
Because Kida is a trading company, you get to experience everything—from raw materials to finished products and distribution. It’s a great life experience getting to learn so much. Another advantage is that because I get to interact with such a wide variety of people—other trading companies, suppliers, customers, and so on—I have the chance to develop a broad range of skills.When do you get the most satisfaction out of your work?
I enjoy my work the most when we come together as a team to work out a strategy and then support each other in achieving a shared goal. I also love the feeling of being truly useful to others—when I listen carefully to what the other person needs and make sure I know exactly what they’re looking for during sales negotiations.
The work culture at Kida encourages people to try Impossible without being afraid of failure. Of course we have a duty to report on what we’re doing, but we’re also allowed to be free-thinking and go about negotiations. This leads me to create a greater sense of accomplishment.
