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The Ofuna Branch of Sumitomo Group’s Izumi Securities Co., Ltd. mainly serves Kamakura’s sole proprietors and small and medium-sized business owners. Even near closing time, a steady succession of gray-haired men and women can be seen coming into and leaving the branch’s offices. The way the employees deal with each customer one-by-one and the way so many of the customers leave smiling creates a strong impression.
“At this branch, we place a lot of importance on communicating with our customers and doing business face to face,” says branch manager Kosuke Hara. “Many of our customers are well-to-do, reflecting the overall character of this area. As you can see, many are in their 60s, so they have both spare time and spare money. Even so, they hold their funds long-term and patiently grow their assets. For customers such as these, we emphasize providing useful information that will assist them in reaching their goals."
All sales people at the branch are financial planners. While providing investment services and the timely investment information that Izumi Securities produces, these sales people also build relationships of trust with their customers.
As one would expect for a securities house, the branch is located in the thick of the financial district. Hara’s 12 employees work hard every day in the face of neighboring competition. But even amid their hectic daily schedules, say staff members, just taking a glance toward Sagami Bay off the Shonan coastline is enough to bring a sense of calm to the midst of turmoil.
“Our town attracts a lot of visitors,” says Hara. “During the tourist season, the roads are often jammed and we frequently get caught in traffic on the way to meetings with clients. Even with that kind of stress, though, something about just looking out at the sea is enough to bring a sigh of relief.” Even viewed through an office window, says Hara, the sea can bestow a feeling of spacious openness and restore one’s energies. Indeed, the same sea that once served as part of a natural fortress for the Kamakura Shoguns brings a sense of well-being to the town’s modern inhabitants and helps to recharge them. |
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| Kamakura-bori—“Kamakura carving”—is a traditional local craft. Numerous delicately decorated items, such as trays, boxes for sweets, and mirror casings, fill shop windows. |
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