Yamaguchi Financial Group Partners with UPWARD to Drive Digital Transformation in Field Sales Operations
Yamaguchi Financial Group (YMFG) has officially adopted "UPWARD," a specialized field sales support service developed by UPWARD Inc. This partnership aims to optimize outside sales operations and elevate customer engagement across YMFG's banking network.
Headquartered in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, and led by President and CEO Keisuke Mukunashi, YMFG operates three regional banks: The Yamaguchi Bank, Momiji Bank, and Kitakyushu Bank. The financial group has been actively revamping its customer relationship management (CRM) framework since March 2026 to shift from traditional "management-centric" oversight to data-driven sales enablement.
The integration of UPWARD's proprietary location-intelligence and automated logging technology is designed to address the increasingly complex and diversified needs of regional corporate and individual clients. By streamlining field visits, the group intends to free up account executives from administrative burdens, allowing them to dedicate more time to client consultations, identifying latent financial needs, and providing long-term strategic support.
Key Strategic Objectives:
- Visualization of Field Activity: Combining visit records with map data allows YMFG to transition away from a reliance on individual intuition, establishing a more standardized, data-backed approach to visiting schedules and client follow-ups.
- Enhanced Quality and Quantity of Customer Touchpoints: Systemizing daily sales routines ensures account executives can systematically identify high-priority clients, access critical data on the move, and execute tailored proposals.
- Advanced AI and Data Utilization: Following the stabilization of the core CRM system, YMFG plans to gradually incorporate predictive analytics, including Next Best Action (NBA) protocols and advanced AI functionalities, into its sales ecosystem.
"Through our sales DX initiatives, we are building a framework that enables our sales representatives to deeply understand customers and deliver optimal proposals by leveraging the collective strength of the group," stated Takanao Yamane, General Manager of the DX Strategy Department at YMFG. "The adoption of UPWARD will streamline field operations and foster an environment where our team can focus on meaningful dialogue and problem-solving to support regional economic growth."
Tokyo-based UPWARD, led by CEO Ryusuke Kaneki, will provide ongoing operational support to ensure seamless adoption across YMFG’s regional footprint in Yamaguchi, Hiroshima, and Fukuoka prefectures.
Norbert Gehrke
