Serviced Office client at Nagoya Lucent Tower
Companies create branches in new markets for a variety of reasons, including to better understand regional characteristics, how the product is being used in that area, and to create a closer relationship with their customer base.
OPTIS Japan K.K. decided to branch out from its domestic headquarters in Tokyo Marunouchi to Nagoya. The company, which sells optical analysis software and provides consulting to companies in the automobile industry set up its new office at Servcorp’s Nagoya Lucent Tower location. We sat down with CEO of OPTIS Japan K.K. Mr. Yoshimura Takamasa to understand why he chose a Servcorp Workspace Solution when he opened in Nagoya.
“The work environment affects how employees grow, and on top of that it’s important to have a place where employees can invite clients without feeling embarrassed.”
OPTIS is originally a French company which specializes in selling optical and acoustic analytical software and provides consulting. Our analytical software creates realistic 3D images just like rendering for virtual reality.
For example our software can be used when designing car interiors. It can cost upwards of 50 million yen to create a prototype vehicle, however, with our software you can see how it would look in real life without having to create an expensive prototype. Not only that, but creating a prototype takes time and if there are changes that need to be made later that’s even more time spent on making the prototype. By using our optical analysis software you can see how the design will look at a much earlier stage.
With computer graphics it can be difficult to create actually realistic images, however, since our software is optical it displays just as it would physically. For example you can see a noticeable difference when you choose cheap materials vs. high quality materials. It’s so realistic in fact, within the past 5 years all automobile manufactures in Japan have begun using our software.
The decision came when one of our customers in Aichi Prefecture, where Toyota is located, started requiring more of our services. At first I was just thinking of hiring some people who live out in Nagoya, but I realized that setting up an actual office in Nagoya could be an incredible opportunity to accelerate our business growth. Currently the Nagoya office consists of 2 people: 1 sales person and 1 engineer, so there is a lot of room to grow.
Up until this point we have been conducting business with our clients from all across Japan from our head office in Tokyo. This has led to a dramatic decrease in the number of opportunities we have to visit our clients at their locations. We opened the Nagoya branch in order to reverse this trend and bring ourselves closer to our clients. However, now I’m also considering opening an Osaka branch as well. Should we open an Osaka branch it would really open the door for us to reach our clients easier, and if we hire locals we can communicate with our clients in their local dialect – an important factor when doing business in Japan.
Even if you have a local branch, if your workers only speak the standard Tokyo dialect then there is still a slight barrier between you and the client. However, I want our clients to feel completely comfortable and at home when they interact with us. That is why I am considering opening more regional offices, to really solidify that bond.
It would probably have to be just how amazingly impressive the work environment was. When I went to tour the location the first office I was shown was this fantastic corner office on the top floor. The moment I stepped in I thought to myself, there aren’t many workspaces out there with as amazing a setup as this. I visited some other serviced offices as well, but they were more of just spaces than an actual office. I couldn’t help but think it would be difficult to work in such an environment. At Servcorp on the other hand, the environment was great, the design was elegant, and the staff were extremely kind and professional. Out of all the things that made it such a great work environment it was the staff that really stole the show. They are well trained, easy to talk to, and have such bright personalities. I was really impressed.
Exactly! At this company we certainly can’t compromise on design. You see, our products and services come at a very high price, so our customers expect the best in everything from the service, the staff, and even the office. To me an office is a place where the environment, design, and people all come together as one. The work environment affects how employees grow, and on top of that it’s important to have a place where employees can invite clients without feeling embarrassed.
"No matter what location you go to they are always kept in pristine condition and it’s easy to use and focus on your work.”
When setting up the Nagoya branch there was a lot of uncertainty, like how many people would be joining that team, how good business would be, and things of that nature, so I never even considered leasing a traditional office. Considering all of the time and energy it would take to train a secretary, a serviced office seemed like the obvious choice.
Furthermore, when leasing an office you have to buy all the furniture, and even just preparing the contract takes a lot of time. With Servcorp on the other hand, the moment you start your contract you are provided with a fully furnished office and you can even work out of their other locations. Whenever I go to Osaka on business I work out of one of the Servcorp locations in Osaka. No matter what location you go to they are always kept in pristine condition and it’s easy to use and focus on your work.
Of course! For one thing they get to work in a clean, well kept, high-end office. Not to mention the staff are wonderful and always give a heart-warming greeting when you pass by. We currently only have two employees at the Nagoya branch, so I think being able to chat with the staff gives them a nice reprieve from their work as well.
First of all from a business perspective, just by having a Nagoya branch we have been able to build more trust with our clients. On top of that we can use any other Servcorp location when we need to which is really convenient. For example when we travel for work or a seminar, or when we do personal evaluations or interviews which can be difficult to do at our head office, we can just go to a nearby Servcorp location and use it as a satellite office.
I think Servcorp is the perfect fit for startups or companies which are looking to sell their products nationwide. One of the advantages with Servcorp is that from the day you start your contract you have a fully-fitted office with gorgeous design and the infrastructure of a global company. It’s perfect for people or companies that need to get set up quickly. The environment, people, and services are kept at such high standards that no other serviced office can compare. So when you choose Servcorp you can be assured you’re getting an office like no other.
“An office is not all about location and rent. Productivity from employees and customer satisfaction are invaluable by-products if you get your choice right.”
“They’re incredibly professional in everything they do and they really connect with their clients. [. . .] We can tell that they truly care about us and our business and treat us as though we are all on the same team.”
“Servcorp provides great value and a lot of advantages for fast-paced companies which want to concentrate on their core business.”
