Growing Professionally and Finding Purpose in Sales and Business

At LIXIL, the sales division plays a vital role in connecting customers with the company’s wide array of products and services. Sales is often seen as a demanding profession, but for Yusuke Kodama, who has spent 13 years in the field, its appeal lies in becoming a true partner to customers and helping their businesses thrive. With LIXIL’s flexible work arrangements, including flextime, he not only finds meaning in his work but also pursues his personal passions, like kickboxing, in his free time.

Starting out at LIXIL

Yusuke joined LIXIL for three main reasons. First, he was intrigued by a well-known commercial with the catchphrase “Do you know LIXIL?” Second, the scale of LIXIL’s global operations appealed to him as an ambitious young professional. And third, having just been formed through the merger of four domestic companies, LIXIL offered the chance to help shape a new brand identity.

His first posting was in Sapporo, where he worked as a hybrid sales representative handling both water-related and metal products. At the time, it was a new role created in the wake of the merger. After five years, he transferred to Saitama, first managing existing accounts through route sales before moving into account sales three years ago, promoting LIXIL products directly to remodeling companies.

The rewards of working in sales

Since joining the company, he has consistently worked on the front lines of sales, directly engaging with customers. “The real satisfaction comes when a customer chooses LIXIL products, becomes a fan, and values us as a business partner,” he says. “When I can feel that I’ve made a contribution to their success, that’s when the job is most rewarding.”

Building long-term relationships is central, but so is creating new ones. “Some first-time customers know little about LIXIL and can even be quite critical. But when you communicate openly, build trust, and develop a genuine rapport with clients, that is when you really feel the progress in your work.”

Cultivating communication skills

Yusuke places great importance on fostering good relations. “I make a conscious effort to refine my communication skills, thoroughly learn LIXIL’s products, and convey to customers, in my own way, the aspects I find most compelling,” he explains. ”Doing so often helps customers see the products as appealing as well.”

Many of his clients are in their 60s or 70s—generations he had little contact with before. “Thanks to their feedback, I’ve expanded my conversational toolkit. I feel very grateful for the way they’ve engaged with me.”
Technology also plays a part. LIXIL develops advanced sales tools that competitors can’t easily match. Yusuke uses these daily, whether it’s AI to streamline tasks or apps that train employees in customer psychology. “I always feel I’m working at the forefront of the industry,” he says.

Yusuke says he also strives to turn customers into LIXIL fans by making effective use of the company’s unique services and tools. LIXIL provides a wide range of customer-focused sales resources and develops advanced software and services that competitors simply cannot match. By leveraging these tools, he works to improve efficiency in daily sales activities using AI, while also studying customer psychology through training apps—all to provide services and support that truly benefit customers. “As a LIXIL employee, I constantly feel that I am working at the forefront of the industry,” he said.

Overcoming challenges

Like many professionals, Yusuke sometimes questions his decisions. In such moments, he looks to LIXIL’s Purpose and Behaviors for guidance. “My favorite principle is Do the Right Thing. I once had a senior colleague in Sapporo who I hold in high respect and embodied this. Even now, I ask myself how that person would act when I’m facing a tough situation.”

Balancing work and life

Sales has a reputation for being demanding, but LIXIL provides flexibility. “With telework, I don’t need to commute to the office every day, and I can manage appointments at my own pace. Flextime lets me finish early to meet friends or spend time with colleagues outside work.”

Despite the need to visit clients and lead proposal sessions, he usually gets home around six or six-thirty. Evenings often include kickboxing practice. “Switching between work and personal time is easy here—that’s one of LIXIL’s strengths as a workplace.”

Future ambitions

“My mid-term goal is to become a salesperson who can explain and provide all of LIXIL’s products and services to our customers,” Yusuke says. Currently, sales staff specialize in either water-related products (Water Technology) or housing products like windows and sashes (Housing Technology). “But customers expect any LIXIL representative to know the whole range,” he says.

“Rather than being limited to a specific product category as I am now, I want to become a salesperson who can cover all of LIXIL’s products and services—from water-related fixtures to windows, exterior structures, and wall materials. My goal is to build a team within the company that can work together as an account team to engage with customers holistically,” Yusuke says.

Advice for future colleagues

Thirteen years into his career, Yusuke still finds LIXIL a place where he can pursue his goals. “At LIXIL, there is a diverse range of talented and engaging people across all departments and business areas. As a salesperson, I have many opportunities to collaborate with different teams and divisions. In particular, I’ve built a close relationship with the showroom staff, and I can always count on them for advice and support,” Yusuke says.

He credits his longevity at LIXIL to the opportunities the company provides. “The reason I’m still here is that the company continues to offer the environment and chances I need to grow into the person I want to be. If you have the drive to try new things and take on challenges, LIXIL is a workplace where you can make it happen.”