World’s first Java-based video system
Hitachi Maxell, Ltd.
How a sales support system has promoted the use of IT in sales activities
– Development and introduction of “maxell Link’ll Port” based on Java programming –
Since July 2000, Hitachi Maxell, Ltd. (President: Norio Akai) has been working with Aoyama Planning Arts, Inc. (President: Akifumi Onaka) to develop a new sales support system (maxell Link’ll Port) that provides support in sales activities and business strategy analyses. Hitachi Maxell has its sales reps carry laptop computers with this system installed in order to speed up and streamline their sales process, push forward the sales activity reform and promote the use of IT.
This jointly developed sales support system, maxell Link’ll Port, is an epoch-making system based on Java programming. It is intended to address two major challenges: 1) accelerating internal information distribution and making effective use of such information and 2) accumulating internal information assets. The system is used as an IT network in which even the sales process is computerized.
Sales reps can quickly retrieve in-depth data from a comprehensive range of contents from the database of all Maxell products to market information such as consumer trends, sales information, promotion information including ads, public relations and advertising activities and novelty goods, marketing analyses, order history, etc. The retrieved information is provided to customers correctly in a timely manner.
Moreover, having been developed with pure Java programming, the system allows information to be updated on a daily basis via the internal network. This makes it possible to offer the latest contents to sales reps directly, thus eliminating opportunity losses in sales activities and enabling quick responses to be made.
By using this maxell Link’ll Port system, Hitachi Maxell intends to improve the sales negotiation capabilities of its sales reps and streamline the sales-related clerical work, among other things, in order to build a sales framework appropriate for the information age and promote the use of IT in its sales team.
Technology overview
The use of Java programming enables all kinds of information, including JPEG movies, still images, text, databases and Internet linked information, to be aggregated in a single interface screen. By linking these information sources organically, information can be communicated faster and information assets can be accumulated. Furthermore, since those applications and data written in other programming languages that are used in intranets and elsewhere can be retrieved as well, it is also possible to make use of existing accumulated data.
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