| Kazutoshi Tsuji, President of Sony Consumer Sales | < /tr>
About two and a half months have passed since Sony established Sony Consumer Sales (SOCS) in April 2012. The new company will be a division of Sony Marketing (SMOJ) with functions such as sales support activities for dealers.
Sony Consumer Sales President Kazutoshi Tsuji said, "If Sony Marketing's activities so far have been vertical development for each product category, a company with a horizontal axis platform that conducts activities across categories. , Sony Consumer Sales.In the network era, it will become an organization that sells AV and IT products on the horizontal axis." We asked President Tsuji about Sony's consumer sales efforts.
■ Supporting sales of networked AV products
－－Please tell us about the purpose of establishing Sony Consumer Sales.
Tsuji: Sony Consumer Sales is a sales support activity targeting volume retailers and regional specialty stores that was previously part of Sony Marketing. In that respect, it is not a company that does something new. However, there is a big meaning in cutting it out. As you know, in the domestic AV equipment market, the strong demand period for flat-panel TVs has ended, and new developments are being explored. In recent years, mass retailers have been caught up in the sales of flat-panel TVs, and have been required to respond to price appeals rather than functional explanations. However, after the complete transition to terrestrial digital, the aspect of the sales floor changed completely. In a nutshell, it has become a situation where we can't sell without appealing function instead of appealing price.
| It also realizes various device linkages such as "Recopla" that allows you to watch BD recorder programs on Sony Tablet. |
Looking back, Sony's entire organization is based on "categories" divided by product, and sales support activities by Sony Marketing have been based on this system. I was. However, at the forefront of sales floors, proposals that make this a cross-sector are urgently required. Therefore, in sales operations such as business negotiations, store display proposals, and sales promotion activities, we have established a system that can be developed on a horizontal platform, and human resources who are comprehensively equipped with specialized knowledge not only for AV products and IT products but also for networks. We will promote the development of In other words, it can be said that the major significance of the separation of functions as a new company is to transcend the boundaries of product categories and establish a sales support organization for the Net-AV era.
－－Is it correct to understand that Sony Consumer Sales will be in charge of overall sales activities for mass retailers and regional retailers?
Tsuji: In a nutshell, it is an organization in charge of selling out. The company name, Consumer Sales, comes from the meaning of supporting sales of consumer products at the front line of sales. For example, sales negotiations at the headquarters of mass retailers will continue to be handled by Sony Marketing. However, at the sales site, wisdom is required on how to sell these.
To put it bluntly, I didn't really need that kind of wisdom in the last five years. It is necessary to use wisdom for the sell-out part, and the role of Sony Consumer Sales is to help propose networked AV products that match the characteristics of the store and the characteristics of the region. .
－－Are Sony Consumer Sales already developing human resources with the skills of the Net-AV era?
Tsuji: We still have a long way to go. If I were to rate myself, I'd say it's around 30. There are many employees who would be the best in the world if they were allowed to sell flat-panel TVs. There are many specialists for each item. However, regarding combination proposals, sales know-how and proposal know-how have not yet been accumulated. For example, when focusing on the Sony Tablet, it is unavoidable to explain how it connects to networks and how it works with other products. It can never be said that it can be built at the sales floor. In some cases, the mere fact that it is a network product is enough to set you up.In the past year, I would like to raise the skills of our employees to 60 to 70 points, which can be said to be a passing grade, and to promote the creation of sales floors where network-type sales proposals can be made at dealers. To that end, we will hold study sessions, etc., while also accumulating practical skills.
－－What do you mean by practical type?
| Sony Tablet |
Tsuji: Starting this June, we will distribute 800 Sony Tablets, mainly to our sales representatives. At first, I thought about having all employees have smartphones, but since some of our competitors have already introduced smartphones, we decided to switch to tablets at once (laughs). Until now, presentations to the store manager had to be done face-to-face using a PC, but with the Sony Tablet, I can sit next to the store manager and explain in more detail (laughs).
Another important point is that this tablet is not only for business use, but employees can take it home and use it freely. After all, the user who uses it is the strongest. By experiencing network products, employees are aiming to know what kind of product Sony Tablet is and what kind of possibilities it has. I tell my employees, ``It's okay to start by watching Nico Douga, so just try using it.'' (laughs)
■ Conveying the joy of photography at the digital camera sales floor
－－What other skills are you working on for the Net-AV era?
Tsuji: Currently, we have network labs in 15 branches nationwide. Here, we have prepared an environment where various AV and IT equipment can be networked and demonstrations can be conducted, so it is possible to verify network proposals together with dealers. I would like to further promote the utilization of the lab.
In addition, we are promoting the acquisition of a dot-com master qualification, which is a private qualification related to the Internet, and currently 600 people in the company have this qualification. I would like to spread this to all sales people. We also promote acquisition of Photomaster, a certification exam for photography and cameras. Through these activities, we will thoroughly improve skills and raise awareness. In addition, we would like to develop employees who have the skills to be lecturers at seminars and promote seminar-type proposals.
In addition, at major bases, we will integrate the IT sales office and the AV sales office, and establish a sales support system that is not bound by categories here as well.
On the other hand, since four to five years ago, before the sales season, our sales representatives and store managers of mass retailers hold direct discussions to strategically discuss how to sell new products. (store business meeting)”. However, from now on, the focus will be on combined sales rather than single item sales, so I would like to replace the "store" part of SBM with "solutions" and evolve into a conference that proposes solution-based sales methods. want to go. The key to increasing the unit price per customer is how to sell it as a solution.
－－Specifically, what kind of proposal do you make?
Tsuji: For example, in the past, the television sales floor was a sales method in which a large amount of sales floor area was allocated and many products were displayed there. However, we can't allocate a lot of space to the TV sales floor, so we'd like to focus on where Sony's strongest categories are, and hold exhibitions that can increase the unit price. Again, the network will be an important point of contact.
For Sony, about 40% of 40-inch and larger TVs are already connected to the network. One approach is to propose how to connect to the network and enjoy it. In addition, we would like to focus on sales of bar speakers to enjoy the sound quality of televisions. With the advent of flat-panel TVs, picture quality has improved dramatically. It can be said that we, electronics manufacturers, have sold "high image quality" through flat-panel TVs.
However, on the other hand, there is still a problem in the sound proposal. It has been pointed out that the sound quality is poorer than that of CRT TVs due to the thinning and narrowing of the frame. It is also said that the balance between image quality and sound quality is not achieved. In other words, there is a demand for sound quality proposals that are optimal for high image quality.In other words, there are business opportunities for speakers. It is necessary to display speakers at three levels of prices in places where many people pass by in the TV sales floor, so that visitors can experience the quality of the sound while comparing them.
In addition, digital cameras, for which demand is expanding, are products with great opportunities, and sales of accessories also have opportunities.
--What kind of tricks do you have in selling digital cameras?
Tsuji: It's a misleading way of saying it, but in the case of digital cameras, we've been successful in selling without talking about the specs (laughs). Since three years ago, we have worked to promote sales of digital cameras by declaring that "the age of cameras is coming," or that "cameras are synonymous with Sony." is gradually accumulated, and the results lead to this kind of selling method.
| Approach to a wide range of people by proposing "enjoying photography" |
Selling a digital camera is, so to speak, a way for people to enjoy photography. So, the first thing I worked on was to create galleries in stores nationwide. Until now, we have prepared sales promotion materials in the form of sample photos in binders, but only people who are really interested in digital cameras will open those binders. As a result, it is difficult for many people to know how good it is.
Therefore, we asked employees to take pictures of the scenery near the store with the latest digital camera, and in order to display it without making a hole in the wall, we prepared an easel and a cork board and pasted the photos. I got it. Then, a conversation with the store clerk begins with the photo as a trigger, such as "How did you take this picture?" This may lead to sales of digital cameras. At the moment, about 200 stores are exhibiting "photographs" in the same way.
In addition, we also have this mechanism. A superball scooping event will be held near the digital camera store, and children are free to scoop the superballs here. Then, give the mother a NEX series digital camera and have her photograph the child scooping up the super balls. I can shoot with a really good expression (laughs). The photographed data will be printed out in A4 size using a printer installed in cooperation with Epson and handed over. Then, "I can print out a photo with such a good expression and high quality in this size" (laughs).
| "NEX-F3" targeting women |
Actually, even the mass retailers were not good at cameras. However, the story becomes different when you can make proposals using photographs as a starting point. We are also working on a mechanism to accumulate and share such sales know-how.
■ The point of the 2012 summer sales season is "machine gun type"
－－Sony Tablet and accessories will be important products in the future.
Tsuji: As for the Sony Tablet, about 10 people sat in pipe chairs at the store. We are making proposals for seminars that can be easily done in about 10 minutes. In a close distance, let them see the actual product and learn about the convenience, benefits, and how to use the tablet. It is also effective in terms of changing conventional customer service methods and patterns.
Also, in the case of accessories, there was an example that the sales volume of accessories increased dramatically after setting up an accessory corner for smartphones in the smartphone sales floor. Until now, it was difficult to persuade customers to purchase Sony accessories because the products and accessories were often exhibited in separate locations. However, these small reforms to create a sales floor can make a big difference in sales.
Also, when we exhibited a microphone together with the release of karaoke software for PlayStation 3, this suddenly started to sell. The producers of the microphones naturally had their sights set on joint development with this kind of software, but it was difficult for them to make proposals that were linked to each other, partly because the sales floors were originally different. I think it will become more and more important to develop sales support that utilizes wisdom such as knowing the attitude of manufacturers and how to reflect it in the field.
－－What are the key points for the 2012 summer sales season?
Tsuji: I think that the "machine gun type" business that sells peripheral devices, accessories, and small products will become the mainstream in the future, instead of the "cannon type" that sells large screen TVs with a bang. increase. At that time, we will be able to make proposals with a broad perspective, make proposals with a flexible sense, and demonstrate our strengths in knowing networks.
Currently, we are building an e-learning system to share new sales know-how within the company. In May, we started producing a series of 5 case studies related to digital cameras, and we would like to expand this lineup over the next six months. Through this, we would like to share with dealers that ``this is the direction we are headed.''
I have a sales target for the summer sales season, but first of all, I would like to prioritize creating many successful cases in the new era.
| BRAVIA HX850 Series |
On the other hand, in areas other than television, we will work with the goal of a proper share. In particular, Blu-ray recorders, digital cameras, tablets, etc. will be priority products. For Sony Tablet, we will focus on maintaining the top market share in Android devices, and we would like to promote proposals on what the Sony Tablet can do. Again, we would like to collect many examples of successful sales methods and use them to create sales proposals for the year-end sales season. It can be said that how to establish a proposal-type business is a major point of this summer's sales season.
