Send Takkyubin shipments directly from Teams while working remotely. Providing the delivery DX solution demanded by the times in collaboration with Yamato Transport (Part 2)

With the spread of remote work, opportunities to ship work-related packages from home or while out of the office are increasing. Dentsu Inc. has partnered with Yamato Transport to provide a solution enabling business professionals to easily ship Takkyubin parcels using Microsoft Teams from locations outside the office. A proof-of-concept trial is currently underway to prepare for full-scale solution deployment.

The Dentsu Group is actively pursuing business development through collaborations like this with partner companies. In Part 2, we asked Mr. Fukushi Shimizu and Mr. Norimasa Sato of Dentsu Group Inc. about key lessons learned in business development from the project with Yamato Transport.

Think and innovate based on societal expectations, not just products or services

Q. What were the key points discussed when considering the business for this project with Yamato Transport?

Shimizu: Yamato Transport possesses extensive expertise and a robust system infrastructure built over many years, centered on delivery services. However, deciphering changes in society, the times, and lifestyles, and then providing what businesses, individuals, and markets truly need as a business offering is by no means simple.

We believed our daily experience with corporate transformation challenges and Dentsu Inc.'s long-cultivated expertise in marketing could be valuable here. From this perspective, our discussions with Yamato Transport focused intensely on how to create solutions aligned with post-COVID needs, such as diversifying work styles and improving productivity.

Such discussions are fundamental to how the Dentsu Group has always approached building marketing and strategy. While we were fortunate to release this service in collaboration with Yamato Transport, the business development itself is work that extends from what we've always done: asking, "What will companies, individuals, and markets truly need in the future society?"

Q. Various players exist in the business development field. Where do you see the Dentsu Group's strengths in business development?

Shimizu: What sets Dentsu Group apart is our approach of always starting from society's and people's expectations, rather than from companies, products, or services. We have challenged this approach and have experienced both successes and failures. In this case, if we had only considered the business perspective—like "What are the challenges for Takkyubin?"—we might not have delved deeply into themes like work styles and productivity. We always base our discussions on societal expectations: "Given the current situation of society and people, the business we create should be like this," or "People are struggling with this issue now, so we want to solve it."

In the initial discussions for this project, we also explored questions like, "How can we recreate a work environment (experience) in remote work that matches the office?" Yamato Transport offers various solutions beyond Takkyubin, and we tackle all kinds of business transformation and DX challenges, so this solution is merely the starting point. If we define the value of our collaboration with Yamato Transport as "businesses supporting diverse ways of working in the coming era," I believe there are many more things we can and must do.

Sato: Furthermore, the Dentsu Group has a large number of employees who are constantly involved in diverse projects for numerous clients, learning directly from the front lines. Our ability to continuously accompany companies across all industries has cultivated execution and driving power, which can be considered one of our strengths.

Finding the first customer and sharing the vision within the team is crucial

Q. From this project with Yamato Transport, what key points did you learn about business development?

Shimizu: I have two key takeaways. First is the question, "Who is the first customer?" In this case, as introduced in the first part, we had someone who shared the opinion that "sending product samples while working from home is cumbersome." It was crucial that the project team shared a highly detailed image of this "first customer" from the development stage. Looking ahead, I feel it will be important to determine whether we can expand this customer base.

The second is the importance of accurately grasping the context of society and businesses. We regularly interact with management planning and business division personnel across all industries, so we have a visceral understanding of what concerns companies have when looking five or ten years ahead. For example, we currently feel that nearly every industry is struggling to acquire talent suited to environmental changes. Therefore, we also envisioned this solution as a step toward supporting diverse work styles and facilitating talent acquisition.

Sato: Furthermore, I strongly feel that the success of new initiatives like this one relies heavily on the client's representatives also possessing a challenging spirit. They consulted with us openly and frankly about everything, and we responded with sincerity, engaging in repeated dialogue. It is within such a relationship that trust is built, leading to positive outcomes.

Q. Finally, could you share your aspirations for future business development?

Shimizu: At Dentsu Inc., we've long collaborated with client companies on business development and DX projects. This time, together with Yamato Transport, we released a solution leveraging DX to enhance CX for business users sending parcels. Moving forward, we aim to increase such collaborations and co-create businesses that deliver greater value to society.

Personally, I aim to make a significant positive impact on society through my work. I look forward to collaborating with various companies, leveraging each other's strengths, to create businesses that don't yet exist in the world.

The key to new business development is finding your first customers and deeply understanding their pain points within their broader context. This principle applies equally to marketing and communication strategies. I hope you'll find this approach useful for your own new business development efforts.

※1 Microsoft, Microsoft Teams, and Teams are trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries.
※2 "Takkyubin" is a registered trademark of Yamato Holdings Co., Ltd.