Let me share my memories with President Yamauchi (pseudonym) for the first episode.
It was around 2003 when I transitioned to a company led by President Yamauchi.
At that time, he was about 60 years old and completely unable to use a computer, which was quite a challenge. By 2003, it seemed that inventory management systems, order processing systems, and POS management based on computers were already standard in the logistics and sales industries.
However, President Yamauchi's company (let's call it Yamauchi Trading Co., Ltd. for this purpose) stubbornly refused to use computer-based management.
Believe it or not, everything was managed based on memory and paper!
I tried repeatedly and patiently to convince President Yamauchi.
Without a PC-based system, I had no way of knowing what my colleagues were doing. If a responsible person took a day off, there would be nothing I could do if inquiries about estimates came in from their clients. Therefore, we should manage estimates and delivery notes using a PC.
Customer data should be entered into a PC so that anyone can access it. Nowadays, inventory management is mainly done using PCs, and pricing should be handled by a dedicated person for product registration.
It is more efficient to manage estimates and shipping using a PC, and it facilitates information sharing within the company.
However, President Yamauchi would not listen to my arguments at all. “There’s no way the numbers will match if we manage inventory with a PC. I don’t even trust numbers calculated on a calculator,” he said. “If we write estimates on a PC, we won’t remember the products.” He also insisted, “If we write estimates on a PC, we won’t need knowledgeable salespeople about the products. The system you’re proposing is for amateurs.” He added, “I hate email. You can’t see the other person’s face.”
What an anachronism! I was left speechless, but I continued to persuade him with determination. Eventually, I submitted a proposal for an inventory management and sales system to all employees for consideration.
Several months later, when all the employees gathered at the company’s year-end party, President Yamauchi unexpectedly brought up the topic of our previous discussions. He announced that we would abandon the plan. The atmosphere was such that the other employees felt they could not oppose the president's opinion. I couldn’t help but think it was rather inappropriate to decide the fate of a plan I had carefully considered in such an informal setting rather than in a proper meeting.
To avoid any misunderstanding that I’m portraying President Yamauchi in a purely negative light, let me share some insights into his character. President Yamauchi was a heavy drinker who often arrived late to the office due to hangovers or was unable to come in at all. He had the typical bad drinking habits of someone from the Showa era—his demeanor would change when he drank, and he became overly bold. On the other hand, he welcomed anyone and loved to go out drinking, easily connecting with people, which earned him a good reputation. He was generally carefree and unconcerned with details. While this might indicate a good personality, I do have my doubts about whether it made him suited for the role of president. His catchphrases included, “We don’t deal with poor people,” “If you’re complaining about prices, just leave!” “Increase the gross profit,” and “Customers who leave will eventually come back.”
While I’m not fond of the somewhat mocking term “old fogey” referring to elderly individuals, I believe that companies should manage themselves in line with the flow of the times, and those that do are likely to thrive. If President Yamauchi was unable to operate a PC, he should have made an effort to learn how, or alternatively, hired a secretary who was skilled in using one.
The process of developing openK was undoubtedly influenced by the experiences I had with the aforementioned challenges and served as a counterexample. The sequence of events from estimating to ordering, receiving, picking, and shipping is a manifestation of what I truly wanted to achieve at Yamauchi Trading Co.
I heard a rumor a few years ago that President Yamauchi had passed away. Now, I find myself extremely grateful to him. When I was desperately wanting to leave the company I had worked for before Yamauchi Trading, I received a headhunting invitation from him. Through this opportunity, I was able to have experiences that ordinary salespeople could never have. However, I do have something to say about the sales methods.
President Yamauchi, I would like to address the sales methods; your approach is incorrect.
