Fujitsu - Getting The Job Done

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When Asia-Pacific’s leading travel facilitator was looking to outsource management of its data center and operating services, where was its first port of call? And when a Thai retail operator needed a new point-of-sale system to maximize store operations and expand its business, where did it turn?

In each case, the answer is Fujitsu. Why? Because Fujitsu is a leading provider of customer-focused IT and communications solutions, with sales and support operations in more than 70 countries.

Headquartered in Tokyo, the Fujitsu Group has a track record of coming up with innovative and cost-effective products, services and solutions that optimize clients’ IT infrastructures across a wide range of industries.

All over the world, Fujitsu’s broad and diversified customer base has benefited from the company’s depth of applications expertise, its wide-ranging technologies and proven integration capabilities.

Pace-setting device technologies, highly reliable computing and communications platforms, and a corps of systems and services experts uniquely position Fujitsu to deliver solutions that provide customers with the tools to make their businesses succeed.

As the regional headquarters for the Fujitsu group of companies in Asia, Singapore-based Fujitsu Asia Pte. Ltd. provides leadership in business development, technology innovation and customer support. With access to Fujitsu’s global network of affiliates and subsidiaries, it positions itself as an indispensable partner to its customers, growing together with them as it contributes to the development of their business.

“At Fujitsu, we believe IT and business strategy should be aligned,” says Fujitsu Asia CEO Noboru Oi. “Integrating them can help management evolve and allow businesses to visualize things afresh.”

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Delivering It Solutions Across Asia - An Interview With Noboru Oi, Ceo, Fujitsu Asia Pte. Ltd.

HOW DOES FUJITSU SEE THE ROLE OF IT?

Information technology now features in our lives in all kinds of ways. In the corporate world, it has become a core part of business processes. Hence we need to be clear about its relationship with a company’s goals. At Fujitsu, we believe that IT and business strategy should be aligned. Integrating them can help management evolve and allow businesses to visualize things afresh. We are also focusing on IT as a driver of “field innovation”—a term we use to describe the act of integrating people, processes and IT to enable continuous improvement. We believe IT can bring about positive change in front-line areas such as research and development (R&D), manufacturing and sales.

WHAT IS THE IMAGE OF FUJITSU IN ASIA?

We may still be known for our PCs, notebooks or even air-conditioning here. Ultimately, we would like Fujitsu Asia to be known as a total systems integrator. Our expertise in Asia lies in technology solutions, which include the sale of IT products such as servers and storage systems, as well as our systems integration services, managed services, outsourcing services and application development. Asia is a very important market for Fujitsu.

FUJITSU IS IN THE BUSINESS OF PROVIDING “SOLUTIONS.” HOW DO YOU DEFINE A GOOD SOLUTION?

A good solution is one that provides value to the customer—say by lowering costs, shortening delivery lead times or improving quality. However, it can’t be a one-time solution. If it is not flexible or long-term, it will not contribute to the future growth of the customer’s business. You want end-to-end solutions that meet your clients’ changing paradigm and portfolio.

WHAT WOULD BE A TYPICAL EXAMPLE OF A SOLUTION FUJITSU HAS PROVIDED IN ASIA?

In the area of outsourcing, I would cite Abacus. This Singapore-based travel facilitator handles more than 10,000 agency locations in the Asia-Pacific region. We have been offering solutions and services to help manage their existing data center and operating services, which include the transfer of assets for servers, networks and switches. By outsourcing to us, Abacus is able to improve their efficiency and lower their operational costs.

IN A VERY COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT, WHY SHOULD A BUSINESS TURN TO FUJITSU RATHER THAN ONE OF YOUR COMPETITORS?

Obviously you would have to ask each of our customers why they chose Fujitsu. From our perspective, we like to think that they feel comfortable working with us. We aim to establish a relationship of trust and approach things from the customer’s perspective. Also, we’re not afraid to be honest, while avoiding being arrogant. We take a look at their business processes and see if there’s another way. If an IT solution simply follows a company’s existing modus operandi, it can be extremely costly to develop and deliver because of all the customization involved. But if processes can be standardized, this can make a difference. That’s why it’s important to align business and IT. We also work extremely hard for our customers—I call it a "roll up our sleeves and work" attitude.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE NEW FUJITSU TECHNOLOGIES THAT EXCITE YOU?

Palm vein biometrics is one. PalmSecure is a biometric security technology that reads the vein pattern in the palm of the hand, making it extremely hard for anyone to fool the system. Another would be our work on steganography, which allows data that can’t be seen with the naked eye to be embedded in images and extracted electronically. In Japan, we’ve also done some interesting work with the Mitsukoshi department store. When customers walk through the entrance, radio frequency identification tags alert sales staff, enabling them to greet customers by name and check their shopping preferences using data collected by point-of-sale terminals on their previous visits.

HOW HAS THE COMPANY CHANGED IN THE YEARS YOU’VE BEEN AT FUJITSU?

The focus on finding IT-based solutions is fundamentally the same. Technology, however, is evolving all the time, and with the advent of the Internet there is more open technology available. Some technologies can now be commoditized, so we are always competing in the marketplace, always innovating.

ON A PERSONAL NOTE, WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT WORKING AT FUJITSU?

I’ve been with Fujitsu for 30 years and I like its non-bureaucratic culture. This is a company that treats every individual as an asset—always supportive, professional and nurturing—and I think you can see that reflected in the way that the company has grown.

AS THE CEO OF FUJITSU ASIA, WHAT’S YOUR PHILOSOPHY OF DOING BUSINESS?

Be a farmer, not a hunter. Sow the seeds, nurture the plants, and then harvest the crop.

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Operation Outsourcing

Leading travel facilitator Abacus International uses IT extensively to provide airline partners, travel vendors and travel agents throughout Asia with fast and reliable travel booking solutions.

However, keeping abreast of the latest advances in IT, while meeting the needs of users, was becoming a challenge with its IT operations managed in-house.

ABACUS’S EXISTING DATA CENTER AND OPERATING SERVICES ARE NOW MANAGED BY FUJITSU ASIA

To improve efficiency while reducing operational costs, the Singapore-based company, whose partners include Singapore Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, China Airlines and EVA Airways, decided to outsource its data center and operating services to a tried-and-tested IT services provider—Fujitsu Asia.

Not only did this allow Abacus to reduce its IT costs and increase efficiency, it also allowed the company to concentrate on its core business—providing travel information and reservations throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

Abacus’s existing data center and operating services are now managed by Fujitsu Asia. The deal also included the transfer of assets for servers, networks and switches, as well as 13 IT staff, from Abacus to Fujitsu. In addition, Fujitsu Asia assigned dedicated resources—such as servers and rack space—to provide capacity on demand.

Developed in Asia for Asian companies, Fujitsu’s outsourcing model emphasizes adding value and reducing the total cost of ownership. Through Fujitsu Asia, Abacus is now able to provide the highest quality solutions in all aspects of its travel business.

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FUJITSU FACTS

• The third largest IT services company in the world, with U.S.$40.6 billion in revenue.
• Among the world’s top five providers of servers and PCs, together with Fujitsu Siemens Computers.
• Customers include over half the FORTUNE Global 500® list of companies.
• Innovations have garnered over 32,000 patents.
• The global R&D operation integrates the work of 1,500 research scientists at Fujitsu facilities in Japan, China, the U.S. and the U.K. with applied technology and product development undertaken by more than 14,000 development engineers at Fujitsu locations around the globe.
• Spent U.S.$2 billion on R&D in the 2005 financial year.
• Employs around 158,000 people (Fujitsu Group worldwide as of March 2006).
• Received a worldwide integrated ISO14001 certificate for its environmental management system in March 2006.
• Key business segments are: Technology Solutions (system platforms, services), Ubiquitous Product Solutions (PCs, mobile phones, hard disk drives, others), and Device Solutions (LSI devices, electronic components, others).
• Key product lines include: PRIMEQUEST (a new standard for business critical computing in Linux or Windows), PRIMERGY (entry-level server), ETERNUS (advanced architecture data storage), Systemwalker (middleware that allows integrated management of heterogenous systems), and LifeBook (advanced notebook PCs, from powerful desktop replacements to ultraportable notebooks).