Infection Prevention and Maintenance of Sales and Service Operations

「In the tatami business, we continued online sales of tools and other products for tatami shops and active remote sales activities in anticipation of the impact of the decline in approved subsidy applications on sales of tatami manufacturing equipment. However, the business was unable to recover sufficiently, and both sales and earnings remained weak.」

「The “new sales methods” have proved effective, with attendance increasing substantially after the seminar on running a tatami shop was switched to a remote format.」

「In the tatami business, the approval rate for applications involving the use of our tatami manufacturing equipment under the “Manufacturing, Commerce and Service Productivity Improvement Subsidy” (Small and Medium Enterprise Agency) and the “Business Restructuring Subsidy” (Small and Medium Enterprise Agency) remained steady, supported by the further development of remote sales activities. However, sales remained weak due to the timing of subsidy payments and a decline in the number of applications.」

「In the Tatami business, the company continued expanding sales activities through remote sales methods and supported tatami stores with applications for the Monozukuri, Commerce and Service Productivity Improvement Subsidy and the Business Restructuring Subsidy, both administered by the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency. Although applications involving the company's equipment were approved steadily, sales were delayed due to the timing of subsidy payments and other factors.」

「In the tatami business, approvals of applications involving the use of our equipment under the “Manufacturing, Commerce and Service Productivity Improvement Subsidy” (Small and Medium Enterprise Agency) and the “Business Restructuring Subsidy” (Small and Medium Enterprise Agency) continued to progress steadily, supported by the further development of remote sales activities. However, the timing of subsidy payments caused sales to be pushed back into the second quarter of the consolidated fiscal period.」

「Remote sales methods, a measure to maintain the sales structure while preventing infections, became even more effective. The number of approved applications involving our equipment overwhelmingly exceeded the number involving competitors’ equipment in the Manufacturing Subsidy applications submitted by tatami shops, and sales of tatami manufacturing equipment continued to perform well.」

「In the tatami business, the further development of remote sales initiatives and the steady approval of applications involving the use of our equipment under tatami shops’ manufacturing subsidies led to strong sales of tatami manufacturing equipment.」

「We have responded flexibly and quickly to turn adversity into opportunity, changing what needed to be changed and restoring what needed to be restored. In particular, the “new sales methods” using the web made a significant contribution to improving performance in the Tatami and Interior Business divisions.」

「Our Professional segment remained strong, driven by the active use of the “new sales methods,” and continued to lead company-wide business performance.」

「Meanwhile, in the Tatami Business Division, we expanded our reach to prospective applicants for the Manufacturing Subsidy through active implementation of remote seminars and made steady progress in selling tatami manufacturing equipment to subsidy recipients.」

「The company implemented measures supporting future growth without delay, including promoting sales through new sales methods such as actively developing and deploying remote sales initiatives, and making 株式会社ＲＯＳＥＣＣ a subsidiary on 1 October 2020 to strengthen the Industry segment.」

「Against this backdrop, to mitigate the impact on business activities caused by the state of emergency declarations in April and May, we began using communication tools such as ZOOM and TEAMS as alternatives to sales visits and for internal meetings between remote locations, including employees working from home. In addition to our existing email newsletters, we began disseminating information to end users via the LINE app, and actively pursued new sales methods, including holding our annual user conference for the computer-controlled tatami manufacturing system online via ZOOM. Partly as a result, business performance began to recover in June, after the state of emergency was lifted, enabling us to return to profitability for the full year.」

「The company began using online communication tools such as ZOOM and TEAMS as alternatives to sales visits and for internal meetings between remote locations, including employees working from home. In addition to its existing email newsletter, it also began disseminating information to end users through the LINE app, and actively pursued new sales methods, including holding its annual user conference for computer-controlled tatami manufacturing equipment online via ZOOM.」

「We took every precaution to prevent infections among employees and business partners while maintaining our sales and service operations as much as possible at their previous levels.」