EPISODEINTERVIEW
07

I want to overcome barriers with flexible thinking, in both work and the environment.

International Logistics (Osaka) Branch
Hiroshima Regional Office
Assistant Manager

MIHO TERAGAKI

MIHO

TERAGAKI

Thinking intently about what our customers' true needs are. This is what it means to strive to go beyond expectations.

I'm currently in charge of matters such as international cargo transportation by both sea and air, as well as the relocation of plant facilities overseas. Before coming to Hiroshima, I worked in a distribution warehouse elsewhere in Japan. I feel the dynamism of distribution in my skin, from gritty international distribution sites to the forwarding business. The impetus for my desire to work in the distribution industry came from my experience with the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. Life became really inconvenient for people then as the things close to us disappeared, such as through the collapse of the elementary school that I used to attend, the lack of relief supplies, and the lack of school meals. I felt the importance of distribution during that time. Distribution will never leave us. It's a demonstration of the way things should be. The meaning of striving to go beyond expectations is, I believe, the surpassing of small difficulties each day, and thinking intently about what the needs of the customer really are. Self-satisfaction plays no part in it; rather, we need to face our customers and search to discover what they really need. As a result, whether we have exceeded expectations or not is a decision that our customers make.

MIHO

TERAGAKI

Close communication with the customer takes the form of phrases like "That helps" and "Thank you".

Working in international logistics involves customers in a wide variety of industries. This is the reason why I believe that building upon basics such as "That helps", "Thank you", and "I'll have you do that again" is very important. In our business, when there are times of uncertainty or when a decision must be made, we approach our customers with sincerity to talk about what we should do, and to share our thoughts on the possible options together. While we build our relationship through this communication, we become able to anticipate and determine the true needs of the customer, whether it be speed, quality, or cost.

MIHO

TERAGAKI

We are in an era where everything is becoming flat. I want to engage with flexible ideas for work and creating environments.

I've been working at distribution sites for a long time, but I also have experience in leading activities related to diversity in the administration and planning department at the head office. I believe it's very important to establish environments and structures that enable everyone to work easily regardless of gender. Konoike is a company where the men can stand out as passionate and strong characters. But it's also a company where women can continue to be active. Using flexible ideas that don't cling to existing ways of thinking more often is certainly a good thing. I believe that distribution is also in an era where we can't differentiate between customers in Japan and overseas markets any longer, and I have a feeling that our business itself cannot be made up of only our core distribution services. Konoike continues to challenge itself in a variety of new areas, such as new expansion in business areas like automation and artificial intelligence. It's been several years since I came to Hiroshima, and I'm working here now with gratitude for the relationships I've been able to build with a lot of great people. In the future I want to continue to value flexible thinking and incorporate it into our daily work efforts.