Financial Institutions Outreach Department—Creating New Experiences with Financial Institutions

This Professionals series showcases talented experts who support PayPay Group’s operations.
In this issue, we got to talk with three of the top performers in the Financial Institutions Outreach Department of the Finance Business Promotion Division. We discussed their mission, their vision for the future, and their motivation for work.

Shift to Quality in Relationship from Quantity of Connections

What are the duties and mission of the Financial Institutions Outreach Department?

Jinguji:
Our department is responsible for all operations related to PayPay top-ups. Specifically, our work includes managing and controlling PayPay top-up costs, analyzing user trends, finding new financial institutions that accept PayPay top-ups, managing relationships with financial institutions and gateways we are already connected with, planning and drafting new services, troubleshooting, and the list goes on.

Our mission until now has been to connect with as many banks as possible, but we are now shifting to pursuing relationship quality rather than the number of banks we are interconnected with. In January 2021, you could top-up from 83 financial institutions, but now that number has grown to 768. We expect that number to exceed 1,000 this year, which means that we will be connected with most of Japan’s financial institutions.

What is required going forward is a cooperative relationship, not a confrontational one. For example, the current trend in the finance industry is to reduce the number of branches. But by leveraging PayPay’s platform of 55 million users, we can provide services that solve the business challenges of financial institutions. I want to discover issues that banks are facing, then plan and propose new services.

What made you join PayPay?

Jinguji:
When I was assigned to Shanghai during my time at the megabank, I was impressed by the fact that I could shop, call a cab, use financial services, and do all sorts of other everyday things through the services of a major online service provider. I was convinced that sooner or later, traditional financial services would be replaced by these service providers that could collect data. I switched companies afterwards and helped launch an online bank in Taiwan, but due to travel restrictions caused by Covid, I was away from the “front lines,” which made me look for places where I could take up new challenges. That’s when I found an opening in PayPay’s CEO Office, so I applied for the position because I thought I could work closely with management and would be able to handle many critical issues. Indeed, I have been involved in all sorts of projects until now, so I’m convinced that I made the right choice.

Nose:
I mainly dealt with products and services for corporate clients at my previous workplace. But I began to yearn to be involved in something new and more familiar to me, which is why I changed companies. I also wanted to promote cashlessness in Japan after my assignment overseas. Out of all the companies, I joined PayPay because I thought the company had the most momentum and potential to change society.

Niwa:
At my previous job, I was only able to work within a limited scope, so I wanted to change careers in order to make more impactful decisions and be involved in a wider variety of tasks. I chose PayPay because it offered the growth environment I wanted and the WFA (work from anywhere, anytime) system was rather appealing.

Please tell us about your team

Niwa:
You might imagine a stiff atmosphere since most of the members come from banks, but actually, the atmosphere is friendly, and we are genuine with each other. It’s really peaceful, and everyone is kind and affable people. I’m the youngest in the team, but I don’t have any difficulties because of the age difference, and everyone is very nice to me.

Nose:
Many in our team are rather unique in a good way, and I find it very stimulating to be exposed to different ways of thinking.
Having said that, we have a strong sense of unity, and when someone has a problem, we all immediately work together to solve it and proceed with our tasks. I would say it’s an extremely comfortable workplace.

Surrounded by Respectable People in a Workplace Requiring Greater Responsibility

What motivates you to work?

Jinguji:
The fact that I can gain knowledge not only from within my department but also from talented folks in the company. I learned SQL and Python skills after I joined PayPay. Even members from the business departments can access BigQuery every day and analyze data, and if they don’t understand something, they can ask top-notch engineers to teach them. This environment really motivates me because it satisfies my intellectual curiosity and helps me hone my skills as a business person. Also, the evaluation system pushes me to bring my A-game, as it is performance-based.

Nose:
I am driven by the fact that I am engaged in the growth of a service that attracts a lot of attention and is used by more than 55 million people. My scope of responsibility is not restricted, and I can be involved in various tasks from start to finish, so the work here is quite fulfilling.

Niwa:
PayPay is a place where I can work with a lot of freedom while being surrounded by experts. At PayPay, once we agree on the final goal, each member can voice their opinion on how to achieve it. Thanks to that, I feel at ease, and that also motivates me to do better.

What do you value most in your work?

Jinguji:
If I may borrow from PayPay 5 senses, “Be sincere to be professional.”
I spend most of my waking hours working and preparing for work, so for me, working almost equates to living. If I am insincere in performing my tasks and attitude towards my job, I would be living a lie. That is why I never compromise and always try to exceed expectations by delivering 120% results. That is what I think means to be “professional” and in line with PayPay’s values.

Nose:
I think for me, it’s “Ego is not welcome, communication is necessary.”
I feel that communication is the foundation for achieving the other four in the 5 Senses. We communicate daily and closely with all stakeholders so that we can work speedily through to the end.

Niwa:
As a service provider, I believe that putting users first is the most important thing, and I feel that PayPay’s appeal lies in the thoroughness with which that mindset is put into practice.
So, if I had to pick out of the five, I will go with “Be sincere to be professional” and “Speed is our bet on the market.” I believe that a professional, responsible, and quick reaction is in the best interest of the users and the company.

What is PayPay like for you?

Jinguji:
I see it as a gym of sorts where you work out every muscle! You can train your skills in planning, analysis, legal, sales, language, marketing, management, and all other aspects of doing business. The only thing that bothers me is that I can’t choose the “weight.”

Nose:
It’s a place where I can provide convenient services to users with a user-centric approach and experience personal growth.

Niwa
I can grow here. I’m surrounded by kind members I admire, so I can dare to try new things with peace of mind.

Creating New Financial Experiences

What do you hope to accomplish as a department in the future?

Jinguji:
Our goal is to develop financial services in Japan similar to those offered by major online service providers overseas. If users can buy products from various financial institutions on PayPay, they will be able to purchase the most attractive products regardless of location. So even local banks will have the chance to get users from all over Japan to buy from them. If we can help financial institutions make a profit by doing so, we can have them waive fees for PayPay top-ups and keep our costs low compared to our competitors.

Do you have a message for potential candidates?

Jinguji:
Managing top-up costs, one of the largest expenses for PayPay—which in turn is one of the fastest growing businesses—is an extremely rewarding job. You can experience this only in PayPay, as there are no similar roles at other companies. Also, since we are close to management, you can experience first hand the vigor of the company.
I believe that PayPay is a workplace for people who can take the initiative and are responsible, and can keep their heads whirring and hands moving at all times. I sincerely want to work with people who have the ambition to change the world and give shape to their own ideas. Let’s revolutionize Japan’s financial industry!

Nose:
PayPay allows you to work in multiple tasks of your choice. We are involved in various operations, including data analysis and liaison work, so you can acquire a diverse skill set. You can thrive here if you are someone who likes to take on new challenges.

Niwa:
It is a very rewarding place to work for people who are willing to try new things and move forward.
I would certainly recommend working here if you want to engage in projects in their entirety (not just in planning or sales) and broaden the scope of your work.

*The recruitment status is current at the time of the interview.

Special Thanks: Yuki, Hazuki, Natsuko / Author: Danata / Editor: PayPay Inside-Out Editorial Team / Photographer: Tak
*Employees’ affiliations are as of the time of the interview.