EN/JP

CASE 02

[Solutions] Creating and establishing new values

  • Proposal of benefits from the customer point of view

  • Cooperation with external experts

Making proposals to offer new values which go beyond current common knowledge
~ Aiming for open innovation ~

Background

Using the principles of the mica static eliminator, an ion generator was commercialized.
Due to the negative ion boom at the time, we made proposals for our ion generator to be installed in home electrical appliances such as air purifiers. However, because customers did not have common knowledge of how to use it or how to measure negative ions, they did not take to our product as expected. Through that experience, we realized the importance of proposing our products in a way that highlights their benefits to customers, not just as things.

Challenges

Although customers were interested in negative ion, they did not have enough knowledge about it, and even less experiences with how to use it. Therefore, they did not consider the possibility of using our products as quickly as we expected.

Solutions

When we marketed our ion generator to be installed in air purifiers, we provided information on how to install it, explained the benefits and data of the product to be included on customers’ brochures. We actually installed our ion generator in a customer’s housing, implemented a performance assessment, studied the best method for installation, and then made a proposal to customers.
Additionally, we conducted joint studies with public laboratories and universities and established an antigenecity study method to obtain appealing data for customers’ brochures. Using that study method, we asked a registered inspection institute from the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare for testing and got the data for brochures.

Conclusion

We make benefit-oriented proposals by collecting information from both inside and outside of the company, and make proposals for benefits to customers in a bid to develop products in conjunction with customers to ensure their satisfaction. This is the direction for us to aim for.

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