IDEC Engineering Insights #7, part 1: a global technical support team leader who never stops learning

Our global HQ is in Osaka, Japan. IDEC employees worldwide look to our Japanese teams as the authority on product information. HQ teams often provide the technical data and files that regions share with their customers and distributors.

Shingo Morimoto, a team leader in our Global Technical Support Department at IDEC HQ, is the main point of contact for almost everyone seeking this information. We interviewed him for insights into the daily demands of the role and how he effectively supports local team members.

Part 1 of our interview is below – you can find part 2 here.

It’s been 18 years and 9 months [at the time of writing]. I joined the company after graduating from university.

When I was a university student, I decided that I wanted to work for a manufacturer that offered the leading product in their industry.

One day, I was watching TV and I saw IDEC featured on the news. I saw that IDEC was a manufacturer, and they were based in Osaka, and I was in Osaka too, so I thought “this is the one!”

When I was first given an office tour, it already felt familiar and comfortable. I had the sense that I was making a good decision.

My career path could’ve been different – I was asked if I wanted to work in the design department or the technical department.

I had a part-time job in customer service, so I thought I could use that experience. I enjoy working with many different people, and I feel like that kind of work suits me and plays to my strengths. I chose the technical department for that reason.

There are 2 things I’ve always enjoyed: the people, and the products.

I’m glad that I work with a lot of good people every day – it’s a big reason that I’ve stayed for so long.

And as IDEC releases new products regularly, every product launch is an opportunity for me to learn something new. I feel like I’m constantly growing as a professional.

It was mainly ‘on the job’ training. I was used to being in a support position, but I learned more about IDEC products and services over time.

While I was still learning, people explained things to me in a way that was very easy to understand. I try to pass my knowledge on to others in the same simple way.

My role has become more global facing over time.

In the beginning, I mostly handled inquiries from Japan, APAC, and south-east Asia teams. Today, I answer questions from all global IDEC teams.

The difference being in-house at IDEC is the number of products we offer, and that we need to provide technical support for.

Including discontinued items, there are easily tens of thousands – maybe even hundreds of thousands – of product codes, depending on the region.

The IDEC technical support team takes pride in the ability to respond to questions about any of these products. We want our customers to use every IDEC product with total peace of mind.

Yes, usually shortly before the launch date.

I take the time to imagine that I’m experiencing the product from the customer’s perspective. I think about how customers will use the product, what questions they may have about it, and how I’d answer them.

“Can you please share (a specific document) with me?”

Some product-related documents, such as the 3D CAD data files, are constantly in demand.

It’s often that people want even more information: about products that aren’t featured in the main global catalog, or about suitable replacements for discontinued products.

Sometimes, I find out that a document is worded in a way that’s hard to understand, or that something was lost in translation. In those cases, we work with the team that created the documents to try and improve accessibility.

First, it’s important to fully understand what the customer’s really asking.

A good example is: “can I install this emergency stop switch outside?” We can’t just say ‘yes’ or ‘no’. We can’t guarantee safe use without more details, such as the work environment, the installation position, and the unit specifications.

If I need to, I’ll ask follow-up questions. Sometimes I also seek advice from the design team and other coworkers before answering.

I use diagrams in my explanations where possible, to avoid issues with the language barrier. Diagrams are also helpful for people who are newer to their teams and need simple explanations.

We want everyone to feel confident that the tech support team will work to answer any question they have, and give them accurate, up-to-date information. It’d make me happy to know that they feel that way.

IDEC team members in every country have a lot in common – they take their work seriously, and they do their best to communicate clearly. We all keep customers and their safety front of mind.

Of course, there are cultural differences between regions. That can sometimes make communication more difficult, but we work together to get around it. We each try to put ourselves in the other person’s shoes, to better understand their thinking and adjust our own communication style in response.

I receive a wide variety of questions every day, so that mix is interesting. There’s always something new I can learn, even after many years.

I’ve also provided technical support on some projects that won internal awards. That level of recognition and appreciation naturally motivates everyone who worked on the project, including myself.

There were customer projects involving touch panel integration that left a strong impression on me. Through those experiences, I feel like I’ve actively contributed to increased trust in the IDEC brand globally.

I was grateful for the designers on each project – teamwork helped us win the customers’ business, and I learned more about design/drawing techniques in the process.

Also, I worked with Vijay and the IDEC India team to secure a safety interlock switch order in their region. We brought features and specifications required for that local project back to the Japan market, based on how successful it was.

(Editorial note: we previously interviewed Vijay for the IDEC Engineering insights series. You can read our article about him here.)

How would the tech support team at IDEC describe our strengths? Where will advances in technology continue to lead us? And how is AI likely to affect customer support in niche areas of expertise? Read part 2 of this interview to find out.