That person wearing aloha shirts that you always see at Future Design Shibuya events. I'm sure many people will recognize him as "Mr. Matsumoto from Daikin." Kenji Matsumoto of Daikin HVAC Solutions Tokyo Co., Ltd. is known for his humorous character.
Mr. Matsumoto, who has had a long career in sales, says that he was able to gain a new sense of value through his recent work with Future Design Shibuya. Mr. Matsuzawa from the same company, who also reports directly to Mr. Matsumoto, was also present to hear his story.
The stimulation I received in Shibuya and the changes that appeared in my sales work
--First of all, let's briefly look back on your career so far...?
Matsumoto: For over 30 years since I joined Daikin, I have been dedicated to Daikin. Basically, I work on the front lines of sales of air conditioners. Among the corporate people who gather at Future Design Shibuya (FDS), there aren't many front-line salespeople, so I think I'm a bit of a different person.
——The wonderful aloha shirt that you are wearing perfectly today is a familiar sight at FDS events, and I get the impression that you are a “famous character” rather than something different (lol), but from the perspective of your subordinate, Mr. Matsuzawa, Mr. Matsumoto What kind of existence is it?
Matsuzawa: Because of his character, he is very friendly and easy to work with as a boss. It doesn't seem like a manager. In a good way.
--In a good way.
Matsuzawa: I don't think it's a good idea to simply do what the company tells me to do, and I feel like I should do something more fun.
—— Mr. Matsumoto, how did you become involved with FDS?
Matsumoto: I met Mr. Osada (FDS director and secretary general) at the international urban sports tournament "FISE". Coincidentally, in 2019, just before the Olympics, there were a lot of people involved at the venue, but Mr. Osada 's behavior and relationships with other people seemed to be distinctive, so I approached him with a sales spirit. It felt like I was trying to “attack” (lol).
At the time, we had a mission to use the Olympics as an opportunity to increase our brand value while also considering inbound tourism, and we consulted Mr. Osada on a variety of issues.
I thought that both FDS and SOCIAL INNOVATION WEEK (SIW) had a strong focus on solving social issues, so they didn't really have much to do with us. I was thinking that it would be great if I could do something like an advertisement at the SIW venue, but the initiatives at FDS and SIW are full of things that I wouldn't have been able to experience just by doing my normal sales job, so I had a lot of experience in them. I learned a lot myself, and when I returned to the company, I realized that there were almost no conversations about social issues in the workplace.
So, I really hope that not only Matsuzawa and I, but also everyone in the company, especially the younger ones, can experience this and grow in a better direction.
--Mr. Matsumoto, what changes have you seen in yourself?
Matsumoto: I realized that I couldn't compete with the people I met at FDS and SIW unless I knew exactly what I wanted to do. So I learned little by little, talked to as many people as possible, and digested what I learned within myself.I think that's how I've changed as well. It's like a ``life dojo'' that you don't get to experience in your regular sales job (lol).
Matsumoto: For example, when I look at the PowerPoint materials I use for presentations, the ones I used three years ago are completely different from the ones I use now. In the past, we would only explain the products we handled. Something like, ``This is such an efficient cooler, please buy it.'' But now that's no longer the case, and we've started talking about things like, ``What do we want to do with society by using it?'' ``How will everyone be happy as a result?'' This is because growth is growth. Well, I think that's the way to get people interested.
--I think that's wonderful.
Matsumoto: I have been watching and listening to SIW, and every year when Mr. Osada asks me, ``How was it?'', I say ``I was inspired by it.'' And when he was asked about his impressions the year before last, he also said, ``I was inspired by it.'' I was inspired by it,'' I replied. Then, I clearly remember Mr. Osada saying, "See you again?" (lol). I guess what's written between the lines is, ``Until when can I only receive stimulation from old men?'' (laughs)
--I think he's probably happy about it? (lol)
Matsumoto: It's like I'm reaching retirement age with nothing but inspiration (lol).
Matsuzawa: Without creating anything (lol).
——But that was two years ago, right?
Matsumoto: Until then, I was just a bystander listening to SIW, and I was a ``bad Kenji'' who just wanted to promote the product.
However, when I was on stage at SIW last year, I had the opportunity to talk to people from Generation Z, and I thought that ``Dame Kenji'' should try his best to think hard and make recommendations to the government about the environment, as if he were a bit of a great person. I did. Then Gen Z members will straight up say, ``From the bottom of my heart, I want to make the world a better place.'' I thought to myself, ``There are people like this out there!'' and ran around trying to tell Kenji what he could know and do what he could, and eventually Shibuya Ward accepted my proposal. I was overjoyed and thought, ``I'm actually doing something to solve social issues and change behavior!''
Kenji's motto is, "When people see someone in a desperate patch (*), they want to support them," and he has changed to "Aloha Kenji!" by acting on the "desperate patch" himself. It is!
*Matsumoto's note: "Desperate Patch" is a Kansai dialect term that refers to someone working hard regardless of their pretense.
——Aloha shirts were proof of change!
Matsumoto: However, I am very grateful to have been able to gain this kind of experience, and I am very happy that I have been able to meet a wide variety of people through this experience.
A new sense of value and a circle of co-creation starting from SIW
——What does your company have planned for this year's SIW?
Matsumoto: Currently, this company called Daikin is also working on various environmental issues, and I really feel like introducing them, or should I say, show them to Shibuya.
As part of Daikin's industry-academia collaboration initiative, we had a collaboration agreement with Osaka University, and I gave a presentation to them. After talking about our work with FDS and, in particular, Shibuya City's Smart City Promotion Organization, I suggested, "Would you like to join us in urban development as an air conditioning company?" I even got a round of applause!
Matsuzawa: You said it was the peak of your life.
Matsumoto: I'm already 55 years old. From there, we asked the professors to come to Shibuya and discuss the current challenges, what Daikin wanted to do, and what we could actually do to address them. I am preparing hard.
——This time, we will have a talk session with Professor Minoru Eito from Osaka University, Mana Saza from SWiTCH, an organization working to build a sustainable society, and Daikin's Air Conditioning Sales Division Deputy Director Matsuda. Isn't it?
SIW2023｜November 9th (Thursday) 13:00 – 13:40
Conference “How to cool the air in Shibuya in 2050?” How to live summer in Shibuya? ”
https://social-innovation-week-shibuya.jp/timetable/event/cf30/
Matsumoto: Among the various initiatives we are working on, this year we would like to highlight a project that creates various solutions by ``visualizing the air.'' In collaboration with everyone at Osaka University, this is becoming an interesting initiative to let people see the "air" through cutting-edge technology such as AI technology.
Additionally, Daikin is working to address environmental issues on a global scale. Using this SIW as a starting point, I will now be responsible for "matching" our environmental solutions with Mr. Saza of SWiTCH, who is also working on environmental initiatives from a global perspective. I'm thinking of going.
--Daikin is involved in a wide variety of businesses, not just selling air conditioning equipment, but is there one thing you're also doing? Could you please introduce that?
Matsumoto: That's right. For example, in the context of the Olympics and sports that I mentioned earlier, we need to not only deal with the air in closed spaces such as homes and small offices, but also create solutions for the air in large spaces such as sports tournament venues. there is.
Also, in the field of medical equipment, there is a department that handles concentrated oxygen equipment, and by reversing the oxygen concentrating technology, it is possible to create a low-oxygen space. Then, it could be used for low oxygen fitness in sports and training fields.
Air exists in every place, so I think it's interesting that we can be involved in so many different ways, even at the level of a city.
——It would be great if you could highlight your multifaceted nature and breadth of aspects at FDS and SIW, and encourage more co-creation with various companies and organizations.
Matsumoto: That's right.
Matsuzawa: I always say, ``I want to make everyone happy'' by working with various companies through various matchings.
Matsumoto: One of the keywords is happiness through co-creation.
Over the past few years, working towards carbon neutrality has become an important internal policy for our company, and there is also a momentum internally to co-create such solutions with companies, schools, organizations, etc. It's increasing a lot.
When our office recently moved to Yaesu, we are currently working on a communication space that will foster co-creation with cutting-edge companies and startups. I think this idea will spread within the company, and I really want to use the power of Shibuya to support it.
That's why I talk to many people within the company about SIW. For example, people come from all kinds of departments, such as the service department (the department that repairs air conditioners, data collection, and analysis *), and other departments because they find it interesting. Daikin is also planning to exhibit at COP28, and the person in charge of it also gave us some advice. It's really interesting to see all kinds of people come to me with interest.
-- Mr. Matsumoto, this is not the time to sell air conditioners (lol).
Matsumoto: The other day, Tokyu Land Corporation Manager Ozawa also told me this. I said, ``Mr. Matsumoto, you don't sell air conditioners because you do that all the time.'' (laughs)
--I think I understand.
Matsumoto: But I can't help but find it interesting. Ah, I have to make a new aloha...
■ INFO ■
At SIW, there will also be a presentation session by Mr. Matsuzawa.
SIW2023｜November 10th (Friday) 15:20 – 15:40
Idea Session “Updating learning with air!? “School of the future” with Daikin”
https://social-innovation-week-shibuya.jp/timetable/event/is35/
*Matsumoto's note 2: "Service Department" = Daikin's service system AirNET is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.
