Supporting SMEs in Kanagawa Prefecture with "EC x AI x Management" through partnership with Yokohama Shinkin Bank

Meets Consulting Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Yuta Ito; hereinafter referred to as "the Company"), which specializes in consulting that integrates the three areas of e-commerce, AI, and management, has concluded a business alliance agreement with Yokohama Shinkin Bank (Headquarters: Naka-ku, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture; Chairman: Takashi Kasuga; hereinafter referred to as "Yokohama Shinkin"). Yokohama Shinkin is a regional financial institution with 63 branches in the Kanagawa and Tokyo areas, celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2023. Through this alliance, we will provide business matching support to Yokohama Shinkin's client companies, jointly promoting the growth and development of regional SMEs.

■ Background of the Business Alliance — An Era Demanding Collaboration Between Regional Finance and Specialized Consulting

In recent years, the management challenges faced by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have diversified. There has been a rapid increase in situations requiring specialized knowledge, such as entering e-commerce and digitalization for sales expansion, utilizing AI for operational efficiency, and reconstructing management strategies for sustainable growth.

On the other hand, regional financial institutions have the strength of deeply knowing their client companies and building trusted relationships. However, it has become difficult for individual financial institutions alone to cope with rapidly changing business environments and provide specialized support in new areas such as e-commerce and AI.

Yokohama Shinkin Bank is a financial institution with 63 branches in the Kanagawa and Tokyo areas, having built deep trust with regional SMEs for over 100 years. Meanwhile, our company is a specialized consulting firm that has supported over 200 SMEs in the aspects of e-commerce, AI, and management.

For example, a long-established company in Kanagawa Prefecture achieved a 158% year-on-year sales growth within one year of starting initiatives by combining full-scale entry into e-commerce with support for new product development. We judged that by partnering our company, which has such achievements, with Yokohama Shinkin, which has over 100 years of history, we could provide more comprehensive and practical support to regional SMEs, leading to this business alliance.

■ Content of the Business Alliance — Providing "Encounters" and "Growth Opportunities" to SMEs through Business Matching

In this alliance, we will primarily proceed with cooperation in the following forms:

① Introduction of Business Matching to Yokohama Shinkin Client Companies

Based on the needs of client companies identified through Yokohama Shinkin's daily transactions, we will implement business matching utilizing our company's network and corporate information. We will provide optimal matching opportunities for companies aiming to cultivate new business partners and expand sales channels.

② Introduction of Meets Consulting's Consulting Services

We will introduce our company's consulting services according to the management challenges faced by Yokohama Shinkin's client companies, such as e-commerce entry, e-commerce improvement, AI implementation, and management improvement. Our specialized consultants will respond to consultations such as "I want to start e-commerce but don't know where to begin" or "I want to improve operational efficiency using AI."

③ Joint Hosting of Seminars and Workshops

We will jointly host practical seminars and workshops on themes such as e-commerce utilization, AI implementation, and management improvement for Yokohama Shinkin's client companies. By delivering practical know-how, we will contribute to improving the competitiveness of regional SMEs.

■ Comment from Mr. Kei Jinna, General Manager of Sales Department, Yokohama Shinkin Bank

"Labor shortage is a serious issue for SMEs, and the use of e-commerce and AI is a very beneficial breakthrough. We strongly hope to support and encourage managers who want to change but find it difficult to do so. As a financial institution in a limited area, our bank has a mission to contribute even more to the region. We have high expectations for this alliance not only in e-commerce but also in management support, and since Meets Consulting's hands-on consulting is highly reputed among our clients, we look forward to even greater success in the future."

Yokohama Shinkin Bank, General Manager of Sales Department, Kei Jinna

■ Comment from Representative Director and President Yuta Ito

"Collaboration with regional financial institutions has the potential to greatly expand support for regional SMEs. Yokohama Shinkin Bank has built deep trust with businesses in the Kanagawa and Yokohama areas, and by combining it with our company's 'EC x AI x Management' tripartite support, we are confident that we can deliver value to companies that previously could not consult with specialized consultants. As General Manager Jinna mentioned, we will continue to provide hands-on support that leads to concrete results, accompanying managers who 'want to change but cannot'."

Meets Consulting Co., Ltd., Representative Director and President, Yuta Ito

■ Future Outlook

For our company, this alliance with Yokohama Shinkin Bank is our third business alliance with a financial institution. While steadily accumulating a track record of collaboration with regional financial institutions, we will continue to expand our network nationwide.

In partnering with financial institutions, our company is further strengthening its information management system for client companies and has established a reliable system from the perspective of compliance and security. As a consulting firm with expertise in e-commerce, AI, and management, we will closely align with the trusted relationships that regional financial institutions have cultivated with SMEs over many years, supporting corporate growth from multiple angles.

We are always accepting consultations regarding our consulting services.

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