What motivated you to challenge the WTGP at the time?
What effort did you make to win the prize?
Were there any effects in your job after you win the prize at the WTGP? Please introduce us the episode of the positive effects to your professional attitude and others.
Let us know the activities or services your shop doing to go beyond the expectation of the customers if any.
When do you find your job rewarding.
What do you want to challenge or be passionately at work from here on?
Please give a message for the 2016 WTGP participants to cheer them up.
2002
Takuya Takahashi
Dealer: YSP Fussa Higashi Country: Japan
Q1What motivated you to challenge the WTGP at the time?
I wanted to see the level at which my technical skills would pass muster in the outside world. I also believe that aftercare service is the most important factor in gaining the trust of customers, and one of the major elements for ensuring this is maintenance skills.
Q2What effort did you make to win the prize?
It was a long time ago and difficult to remember in detail, but there is no doubt that I took part in the national competition that was held in Japan prior to the 1st World Technician Grand Prix that I entered. I remember revising with the use of the textbooks that were used during the lectures while looking back over the experiences I gained, and training for the practical skills that I expected would be needed while painstakingly studying the service manuals.
Q3Were there any effects in your job after you win the prize at the WTGP? Please introduce us the episode of the positive effects to your professional attitude and others.
Unfortunately I didn't win and instead came in second. But, this allowed me to confirm the fact that my technical skills were of a sufficient level to pass muster in the world, and ever since then I have worked hard to support customers in a wide range of situations based on the former president's policy of "aftercare service is the most important factor in gaining the trust of customers." I particularly feel that I have a stronger sense of confidence and pride in my work.
Q4Let us know the activities or services your shop doing to go beyond the expectation of the customers if any.
However, I believe that it is more important to continue providing commonplace services rather than special services. For example, we always wash and wax the bikes that customers bring in for regular inspections, and we always use silicone wax on black resin and other such parts and polish them until they sparkle. This is noticeable at a glance from the customer's point of view, and they can easily recognize the difference in comparison to before we started working on the inspection. It is the fundamental elements such as this that I intend to continue in consideration of always placing the customer first.
Q5When do you find your job rewarding.
I guess the smiling faces of my customers give me the greatest satisfaction. Not only the smiling faces I get to see during touring and attending events, etc., but also the smiling faces I see when I successfully deliver a repaired bike on the agreed date, when I solve problems for customers who come in after unexpected accidents, and when I hand over a new bike, and it is these smiling faces that make my job seem worthwhile on a daily basis.
Q6What do you want to challenge or be passionately at work from here on?
Product technology is evolving by the day, and I believe that it is necessary for us to continue brushing up our knowledge and skills in alignment with this. It is my intention to continue working as hard as I can to provide customers with the aftercare services that match up with their requirements to ensure that the next time they change bikes, they will be sure to choose a Yamaha from this store.
Q7Please give a message for the 2016 WTGP participants to cheer them up.
The thing that remains firmly in my mind about the time when I took part in the Grand Prix is the fact that I was extremely nervous. I hope everyone will be able to relax so that they can bring out their true skills in order to accept every challenge that the tournament throws at them. I will be rooting for everybody as a Yamaha colleague, but in particular I hope the Japanese team will be able to pick up the trophy.
