Cloud Service

Sells a global service
supporting companies’
e-mail distribution
to the Japanese market.

Cloud Service

SEKIGUCHI, Noriko
Joined KKE in 2006
Graduated from Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology,
Okayama University,
the Division of Electronic and Information Systems Engineering

Solved the issue of “e-mails failing to be delivered”

E-mail is an indispensable communication tool for companies to notify completion of registration or charges and to send newsletters, among others. However, it is actually difficult to ensure that tens of thousands of e-mails are delivered to the intended addresses nowadays when spam filters are highly developed. We are required not only to build mail servers and develop systems, but also to have expertise in e-mails and operate them in accordance with relevant know-how. If failing to do so, we would be busy every day dealing with complains about “E-mails not delivered," and this will lead to a decrease in customer satisfaction and opportunity loss. It is the e-mail distribution service called SendGrid that can solve such problems, and this is what I am in charge of now. Developed in America, SendGrid now supports the distribution of 50 billion e-mails per month (as of March 2019) from 82 thousand users already. By utilizing SendGrid that undertakes all the troublesome and time-consuming work required to ensure reliable e-mail delivery, many engineers become able to pull their energy into creation of more worthy things. I believe that the promotion of SendGrid’s business is highly significant from the perspective that it contributes to productivity enhancement of Japanese companies.

Quality-oriented activities started to yield results

I had been a member of a system development team for manufacturers since I joined KKE. Then out of a feeling that I want to try something new, I applied for a transfer to a team for SendGrid, which was totally different from my previous one. Since it was a field where I could not make use of my past work experience and also it was my first time to establish a new business, everything I did was through trial and error. I started by preparing what was necessary to expand it into the Japanese market, such as preparation of website and manuals, and establishment of a clearing system in Japanese yen. The key to promoting the marketing of SendGrid, which was originally developed in English, was the quality of support service in Japanese. I tried to ensure quality by making a rule that any sentences to be transmitted externally, including support e-mails, must be reviewed to check “whether they are correct and simple Japanese” and “whether the user’s real meaning is reflected in the response.” These efforts paying off, and also due to the fact that influential users made remarks online that the quality of SendGrid’s service is good and the reputation spread by word of mouth, the number of users has been steadily growing. These days, we receive more inquiries from potential customers who wish to use SendGrid. I am feeling the results of my previous efforts.

SCHEDULE

My ordinary day

9:00 a.m.

Arrive at work, respond to inquiries from users
11:00 a.m.

Review a draft of a blog
12:00 noon

Lunch
1:00 p.m.

Respond to inquiries
2:00 p.m.

Team meeting, organize tasks in charge and check progress
3:00 p.m.

Respond to inquiries, handle detailed tasks for improvement
5:00 p.m.

Translation of English documents
6:00 p.m.

Prepare a proposal for Website improvement
7:00 p.m.

Leave office

Proactive investment in people development and environment creation

Even before I joined KKE, I felt through communication with personnel officers that “There is a friendly and easy-to-talk atmosphere in the company.” This impression still has not changed since I joined. What appeals to me the most when I actually work for the company is that the company is willing to make investments for staffs to do better work or grow themselves. For example, there is the feeling that “If the performance of a computer is becoming outdated and it takes longer time to do a job, it should be replaced with a new one even though it costs money.” For staffs who “wish to study again,” the company gives them full support to take correspondence courses, go to schools, or attend academic conferences. I also go to an English conversation school with the help of financial and time-related support. What I would like to learn after English is knowledge and skills related to marketing because they are directly linked to my work. I would like to acquire expertise such as “Knowhow to attract prospective customers by websites” and “How to turn prospective customers into real customers” so that I can further familiarize SendGrid to the public.

OTHER