Apart from sales, my main job is managing the production of original products. At our company, we weave the umbrella fabric, then sew and assemble it, so in order to manage production, I need to understand the entire process, from arranging the yarn to order the fabric, to post-processing such as UV and water repellency, and even manufacturing the umbrellas.
We handle over 300 different products, so just keeping track of how many of each pattern we currently have is a huge task.
To avoid stockouts, it is extremely difficult to analyze sales data for each product to determine which products are best-selling, and then to set targets for how much of each product should be produced while checking production volumes, thereby controlling production volumes appropriately. Even if umbrella fabric runs out, it cannot be woven immediately if the craftsman is weaving other patterns. In addition, umbrellas are made by artisans sewing together triangular cut pieces of fabric and combining various parts, so production takes time and requires careful preparation.

In addition to managing the online shop, I am also in charge of order management and shipping operations for shopping sites such as Rakuten Ichiba, Creema, and CRAHUG. The first thing I do when I arrive at work is check the orders and deliveries, and in cooperation with the planning team and delivery staff, I make arrangements to meet customer requests so that shipping operations do not get delayed. Makita Shoten's umbrellas are high-end products, so they are often given as gifts, but many customers also want to include a letter, so I work with the planning team to ensure that the letter is complete.
Other services include managing Google ads and supporting pop-up shops.

I act as the point of contact when we receive invitations to events. This year, we have a slew of large events coming up, including Aloft Ginza, Nagoya Takashimaya, Matsuya Ginza, and Shibuya Hikarie ShinQs, and while I work with the planning team to decide what kind of event it will be, I am also handling things like setup, customer service, and staffing. In recent years, we have been receiving more inquiries from people who have seen our products on Instagram or our website, so I am also handling remote meetings with new business partners.

To be honest, I'm not very good at customer service in stores, but I learn by watching how our staff, who are good at sales, sell their products. It makes me happy when our products sell. I'm often asked about sales at events, so recently I've started to value feedback within the company.

I loved Stig Lindberg umbrellas and used to customize the handles, but a customer I served told me about the appeal of MAKITA STANDARD and I fell in love with it. MAKITA STANDARD umbrellas look plain at first glance, but depending on the light, the herringbone stripes become subtly visible. I also liked the color khaki, but thanks to that customer, I started to think black was cool. It's a cool umbrella with a unique character.

I also handle inquiries about special orders from select shops like BEAMS JAPAN , as well as orders from umbrella wholesalers. Checking purchase orders and managing delivery dates is a lot of work, but by being deeply involved in sales from a production management perspective, I can confidently propose the appeal of our products. Sales often has the image of "going out and selling," but since most meetings are held online, I do most of my work within the company. I didn't want to do cold calling, so I like this style of work as it suits me perfectly.

At first, I managed everything on my own, but as the scale of our business grew, the planning team took over and the planning and manufacturing teams also worked together on delivery, so things started to run smoothly. During the busy season from April to June, we are short-staffed, so the sales team also joined in and we all worked together to handle the situation. We now have peace of mind when it comes to managing Google Ads, as the planning department creates images and text and we have experts involved.

We have an environment that allows for flexible working styles, such as the ability to take paid leave in hourly increments. The company atmosphere also makes it easy to take time off, and it's appealing that it's easy to balance work and personal life. I'm happy that Makita Shoten's umbrellas have been featured on TV and by celebrities in magazines and on social media. I also love games and anime, and I think it's amazing that Makita Shoten is collaborating with my favorite content, such as "Laid-Back Camp△" and "The Idolmaster," to develop products.

Strengthening production management. We have been implementing a planned production system for the past three years, and although we have made adjustments to avoid holding too much inventory, we have run out of stock of popular umbrellas when demand was concentrated. Because I have to deal with customers, I tend to put my own work on the back burner, but I would like to be a little more creative and manage inventory more closely so as not to cause trouble for my team. It would be a shame if we were unable to deliver umbrellas to customers who had gone to the trouble of buying one, so I would like to take on more challenges, including digital management, so that we can deliver Makita Shoten umbrellas to even more customers.