Deano and Kobe Shimbun Co-Host Workshop on Enhancing Corporate Customer Engagement for 'Kobe Shimbun NEXT Corporate Course'

Deano Co., Ltd. (Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Daiki Ota, hereinafter 'Deano') held an in-person workshop on July 3, 2026, with eight marketing and sales staff from Kobe Shimbun Co., Ltd. (headquartered in Chuo-ku, Kobe; hereinafter 'Kobe Shimbun') responsible for the digital service 'Kobe Shimbun NEXT Corporate Course.' The theme was 'Achieving Expanded Usage After Initial Contracting.' The session provided a collaborative space to discuss how best to propose and deliver value so that contracted corporate customers can fully utilize and benefit from the service.

Background of the Workshop

For B2B services, it is just as important to ensure customers actively and effectively use the service after initial contracting as it is to secure the contract itself. If time passes without customers fully leveraging the service, even a valuable offering fails to serve its purpose.

Kobe Shimbun aims to support more corporate customers by leveraging its strength in providing localized, primary information. To achieve this, the workshop was organized as a platform to refine tailored proposals for each client and to strategize effective post-contract engagement approaches.

Workshop Overview

### Key Discussion Points

During the workshop, three critical perspectives for ensuring long-term, effective customer usage were discussed, contextualized to Kobe Shimbun’s operations.

First, carefully identifying the value that can be delivered to each customer. Rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach based on company size, participants emphasized the need to thoughtfully assess, on a case-by-case basis, where and how the information could directly benefit the customer’s work. For example, credit unions visiting local business partners or companies seeking insights into regional developments were identified as customers who could directly benefit from Kobe Shimbun’s unique local intelligence.

Second, communicating in a way that helps customers visualize how the service applies to their own work. Even with the same service, the potential use cases vary by industry and job function. By tailoring communication to the customer’s specific work context and making practical application clear, participants can foster more positive consideration.

Third, establishing contact points through reliable and appropriate methods. Instead of relying solely on phone calls, the group discussed combining approaches such as sharing useful information in advance and arranging face-to-face meetings to listen directly to customer needs. The participants shared the philosophy of building relationships by first providing value, rather than starting with a sales pitch.

Additionally, the group emphasized collaborative engagement—rather than leaving decisions solely to customers after a product explanation, they discussed jointly identifying customer pain points and exploring how the service could address them. The importance of in-person interactions, such as workshops and site visits, over purely online communication was also highlighted. The workshop itself exemplified this collaborative, face-to-face approach.

Q&A Session Highlights

Participants raised numerous practical, field-based questions during the session. Key exchanges included:

Q: What should we do when we don’t know who the key decision-maker is at a client company?

A (Deano): It’s effective to first speak with someone familiar with that person to identify them before approaching. By considering in advance who would benefit most from your message, miscommunication can be minimized.

Q: How can we practically deliver useful information to customers in advance?

A (Deano): One method is to curate and deliver articles and expertise from Kobe Shimbun tailored to topics the customer is interested in. By providing valuable information before requesting contact details, you can position yourself as a trusted information source.

Q: After a customer has signed a contract, how should we engage to encourage greater usage?

A (Deano): It’s helpful to demonstrate specific use cases or create opportunities to jointly review how the service works in practice. Engagement that continues beyond delivery—accompanying customers through adoption—leads to higher satisfaction.

Other in-depth questions covered list qualification methods, tailoring proposals to customer industries, and balancing in-person visits with phone outreach. Discussions extended beyond the scheduled time, offering participants numerous actionable insights relevant to their daily sales challenges.

Feedback from Kobe Shimbun (Including Survey Results)

'How to expand usage after contracting has been a long-standing challenge for us. This workshop helped us organize, with concrete examples, who we should target, what value to deliver, and how to communicate it. Post-workshop surveys showed the highest satisfaction ratings, with many participants commenting that the advice was precise and the key points were clearly summarized. We hope to continue collaborating and thinking together in the future.'

About Deano

Deano Co., Ltd. supports clients in launching and revitalizing their sales operations. The company assists in delivering valuable services to the right audiences. Deano regularly conducts workshops like this one. For organizations offering B2B services who face challenges in customer outreach or post-contract engagement, please feel free to contact us.