In early September, I went on my first business trip to India in four years.

I met with the presidents of several car manufacturers, who are our customers, and told them that our group would like to continue to contribute to the Indian market and work together with them.

We also exchanged opinions on the progress of EVs and other issues.

Learning from a Customer's Factory Improvement Case Study

One of the most memorable stories I heard from one of our customers was how he revived his Indian plant, which had become a "defective plant" (according to him), in the harsh environment of the Corona pandemic.

The factory was thoroughly cleaned to the point that there was not a speck of dust, and a presentation area was set up next to the production line for visitors.

By making the manufacturing process visible to visitors, the workers were able to feel a sense of tension and responsibility, while feeling happy that they were being watched properly.

In the past, the plant's employees avoided eye contact with visitors, but this time they greeted them with a twinkle in their eyes.

The company canteen has also been remodeled so that outside guests can be invited, and the taste was also improved by hiring a professional cook.

The prices of the meals are more expensive than other company cafeterias, but they are so popular that even employees have to make reservations to get in, and the cafeteria is full every day.

This also led to an increase in loyalty to the company and a change in awareness.

They said that although it cost them a certain amount of money, the result was an improvement that exceeded their expectations.

As a manager, I learned a lot from his boldness and decisiveness, such as being aggressive and implementing Kaizen even under big changes due to the Corona pandemic, progress of CASA, etc.

2022.09