Business Overview 4. DX Regional Collaboration Project Signpost's DX and Regional Collaboration Project started in March 2022 with the establishment of the DX and Regional Collaboration Division. It aims to provide products and services that contribute to regional collaboration by collaborating with local financial institutions nationwide, utilizing its own DX technology and open innovation. In August 2022, it began working with Oita Made Co., Ltd., which was established with the investment of multiple companies in Oita Prefecture, including Oita Bank, to sell original products made in Oita Prefecture to both domestic and overseas markets and to match local companies and Signpost's products and services in order to promote the revitalization of Oita Prefecture's economy. In addition, in April 2024, it started offering DX support services for medium-sized and small businesses. As the first effort, it supports the creation of DX declaration by (The) Fourth Hokuriku Bank, Ltd. (Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture) to deploy DX declaration support services to the market. Furthermore, it will realize new solutions by commercializing its own technology and open innovation and promote regional collaboration through innovation.
2. Service Contents
(1) System Service
Prody Light <5580> has independently developed the cloud PBX "INNOVERA" by applying the cloud technology, which is one of the great paradigm shifts in technological innovation, to PBX. This is a system that fundamentally changes the way fixed phones are used, eliminating the burden of on-site work such as location occupancy by PBX and terminals, maintenance, etc., and customers can enjoy various benefits as a result. In terms of product structure, the operating income of 100-300 billion yuan products is 401/1288/60 million yuan, respectively.
One of the benefits is that you can use the functions of fixed phones such as outgoing and incoming calls and internal calls, regardless of location, with smartphones and PCs. Because the constraints of calling locations, which were the weakness of conventional telephone systems such as fixed telephones, have been eliminated, it is also possible to support office workstyle reforms such as telework and free addresses. Because it is cloud-based, there is no need for equipment when introducing it, and there is no need for a place to install PBX, so it is space-saving and can always be used in the latest environment without the hassle of installation, operation, maintenance, and so on. In cases where changes to the telephone environment are necessary, such as outgoing and incoming numbers and automatic voice response settings, conventional PBX systems required both the company operating them and experts to have specialized technical and knowledge but it is not necessary for this system, and settings can be easily changed from a web browser. Of course, there are no mechanical failures like conventional PBX, so there is no need for field maintenance or repair work.
Furthermore, it is highly expandable with easy addition of functions such as full call recording, step-by-step ringing guidance settings, and text transcription of calls by AI, and API* linkage with other services. One of such expandable optional functions is "INNOVERA Outbound," which allows the complete calling sequence from outgoing calls to information input and confirmation to be completed with just one mouse click on a simple and clear calling screen. This makes it easy for even operators who are not good at PC operations to operate, and anyone can become an immediate asset in call centers. By using the company’s unique telephone line "IP-Line" mentioned later, it is possible to use about 40 different area codes including major cities, and it is possible to switch from a fixed line to an IP line while maintaining the same phone number. It is also possible to obtain a new number, of course. Because it can be integrated with any system, it is possible to expand services simply by connecting to external systems currently in use through APIs. Currently, API linkage with major companies' sales support systems, such as Salesforce (Salesforce) and kintone (Cybozu <4776>), is possible. In addition, they have started offering AI technology-based optional services such as "Speech Posting," which delivers conversation content with text, and "INNOVERA Emotion," a work management solution.
※API (Application Programming Interface): Sharing a part of another company's software or application function such as sales support systems. By linking APIs, application functions can be expanded.
(2) Circuit Service
The company provides IP telephone circuit services that can be directly accommodated in "INNOVERA" on the cloud, such as providing "IP-Line" circuits in partnership with Alteria Networks, Inc.*, which engages in telecommunications business. In conventional phones, it was necessary to run telephone lines from the outside to the inside at the time of installation, but with "IP-Line", the voice calls can be made via the Internet by directly accommodating in the cloud-based "INNOVERA," so there is no need to install telephone lines. Because physical telephone lines are unnecessary like this, it is possible to use the telephone even in the event of a disaster as long as it is connected to the Internet, making it an effective measure for BCP.
*Delisted on October 18, 2023 due to a public tender offer by Marubeni <8002> and Secom <9735>.
The feature of the line service is in the company's unique IP phone line. There is no distinction between local and long-distance calls because the Internet is used, and calls can be made at a uniform national rate. The advantage of the company's "IP-Line" is that it covers not only Tokyo 03 and Osaka 06 but also the area codes of major cities throughout the country. For this reason, it may be possible to introduce a cloud PBX that had to be abandoned because it did not cover the whole country using other companies' systems. In addition, it is possible to migrate from a fixed-line telephone line to an IP phone line without changing the current telephone number. Approximately one quarter of Japan's calls are said to be completed within 90 seconds. On the other hand, normal IP phone lines often incur charges of 180 seconds just for being connected. The company adopts a "90-second billing" that is not available from other companies, so it is theoretically possible to reduce call charges by up to 42.5% just by switching to the company. Although there is a perception that IP phones have poor sound quality, "IP-Line" provides clear voice that does not interfere with normal conversations. It also supports international calls and is limited to countries and regions where incoming and outgoing calls can be made, making it safe to use, and it achieves industry-leading low prices. Free-ProLine, which allows the use of incoming call charge numbers 0120/0800 without burdening the caller with call charges, is also available.
*1 There are some numbers that are not covered by the service area.
*2 Some areas may not be available for service.
*3 Depending on the communication environment.
(3) Terminal sales The company sells SIP phones that can be used under an Internet environment in combination with cloud PBX. It has entered into a general agency agreement for SIP phones in Japan with China's Yealink, the world's top SIP phone provider, and is responsible for sales, support, and the development and operation of Japanese firmware. Yealink's SIP phones, backed by its high technological capabilities and quality management, are superior in terms of product failure rates, static electricity resistance, and lightning resistance, and can also be used in conjunction with Microsoft Teams, making them widely used in Europe and around the world. Although it can be used with cloud PBXs made by companies other than "INNOVERA", the company also sells terminals separately, but its future plans include the introduction of an app to encourage the use of personal smartphones. In addition, the company also sells large-scale displays for web conferences called "MAXHUB", which come with a 12 million-pixel camera for 4K display and high-performance speakers. The "MAXHUB" has presentation and whiteboard functions as well as web conferencing functions and is used in various business scenes to run meetings efficiently. It is also being introduced as an electronic blackboard for education sites where IT is advancing.
(Author: FISCO guest analyst Nobumitsu Miyata)