"Maybe this job isn't for me." Many people, regardless of their department, have probably thought that at some point. Ishida, who is now a successful branch manager, was one of them.

When Ishida first joined the company, he was assigned to the Sendai branch and tried to sell to all kinds of customers, but he says he was not able to increase sales.
"It's a funny story now, but back then I was convinced I was going to get fired based on my own unfounded assumptions, and I was incredibly anxious."

"I'm not the type to aggressively sell things, and I'm not good at explaining things to people either... I was really wondering what I was going to do next."

After that, I was transferred to the Fukushima sales office and worked in agency sales, gradually finding my own sales style. Just when I thought I was finally becoming a full-fledged salesperson, the next obstacle appeared.

A few years after joining the company, I was assigned to the Tokyo East Branch, where I was responsible for the Tokyo metropolitan area for the first time. The scale and speed of the projects were all unprecedented experiences.

Amidst all this, Ishida experienced a serious mistake in a project: a delay in delivery.
"I was really depressed. I felt pathetic, shocked, and most of all, I was frustrated that I couldn't recover from my mistake."
However, that failure became a turning point for Ishida.

After that, Ms. Ishida was transferred to the Solutions Sales Department. She started anew as a salesperson in a new environment.

I've been assigned to the Solutions Sales Department. Unlike my previous agency sales role, this will expose me to a sales style that involves identifying customer challenges and then planning and proposing optimal solutions.

Through my experience in consulting-style planning and proposal development, I learned how to deeply understand customer needs and challenges, as well as the sales approach of building proposals while working closely with the client.

Failure was certainly not something I wanted. However, the change in environment exposed me to different ways of thinking and perspectives on sales, which gave me an opportunity to re-examine my own sales style.

"Of course it was tough. But I don't think I would be where I am today if it weren't for that failure and that transfer."

Using the skills and know-how he acquired, Mr. Ishida once again excelled as a salesperson at the Yokohama branch, eventually leading him to his current position at the North Tohoku branch.

"There are many salespeople I admire, but I personally focus on building relationships carefully and thoroughly, in my own way."

The "attitude of deeply understanding and supporting customers' challenges," which I cultivated through solution sales, is still relevant in my current sales style.

When he first returned to the branch office, he felt anxious about the gap in his work experience. However, he says that his sense of mission and inner passion led him to remain committed to sales.

"I really want to be on the front lines of Itoki, right in front of our customers, and make an impact. I want to increase sales myself, and I feel I have to increase them." The moment when that feeling is recognized by customers is priceless.

"There's nothing more rewarding than hearing customers say, 'I'm so glad I asked Mr. Ishida for help.'"

"From now on, we want our customers to like Itoki even more."
Currently, Ishida's focus is not on how he is perceived personally, but on the future of the company. He says that he is where he is today because of the support he has received from so many people.

"I believe I was able to overcome my own shortcomings thanks to the support of those around me. That's why I want to give back to Itoki. The same goes for the people at the factory. We can't sell our products without them. I approach sales with the belief that they are the culmination of everyone's enthusiasm and hard work."

Ms. Ishida's journey so far has certainly been challenging. However, those experiences have led to new perspectives and strengths as a salesperson. Today, Ms. Ishida continues her journey, carefully engaging with each and every customer.