Situation
Ajinomoto is a global B2B leader in food ingredients, known for its innovations in the food, health and wellness industries.
Close collaboration with its clients is key to success for Ajinomoto, to ensure product innovations align with evolving customer needs.
Ajinomoto North America’s (ANA) sales interactions had been trending towards transactional, focused on fulfilling product orders and maintaining existing relationships. The business’s innovation function in North America recognised an opportunity to develop a more consultative approach, empower the sales team to collaborate more closely with client R&D teams, and develop strategic partnerships allowing ANA to anticipate and proactively support client innovation needs.
To help deepen client relationships and advance a more client-centred approach, they sought a training solution to equip their sales team with more strategic, empathy-driven skills.
Solution
Treehouse Innovation identified True & North’s Client-centred Thinking methodology – which uses design thinking, neuroscience and behavioural economics – as an ideal solution for this challenge.
ANA’s sales team, senior executives and innovation leaders came together for a full-day workshop, facilitated by True & North, in St. Louis, Missouri.
The session included practical exercises, role-playing scenarios, and interactive discussions, allowing the team to develop empathy and understand customer challenges on a deeper level.
The results
Strong Delegate Engagement
8.8 out of 10 overall workshop rating
9.3 out of 10 facilitator rating
“The presenter was engaging and the content was extremely relatable” – attendee
Applicable Skills
81% agrees that they felt confident that the workshop would have a positive impact on their work.
Tony Hundt
Director, Sales – Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition North America, Inc.
