From Order-Takers to Innovation Partners

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.

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.