Sansan Inc. , which provides digital transformation services that change the way people work, is pleased to announce that it has signed a partnership agreement for its invoice management service “Bill One” with Awa Bank Co., Ltd., the largest financial institution in Tokushima Prefecture. This is the first time that Bill One has signed a partnership agreement with a company headquartered in the Shikoku region. Going forward, Awa Bank will introduce Bill One to its clients, thereby supporting accounting digital transformation at regional companies, mainly in Tokushima Prefecture, and contributing to work style reform and resolving labor shortages.
Background to the contract
According to population estimates published by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications in April 2024, Tokushima Prefecture’s population is declining at a faster rate than the national average of 0.48%, with a 1.27% decrease in one year. This is a serious labor shortage. Furthermore, in rural areas, there are few people with specialized knowledge, and digital transformation is not progressing, which is an issue. In fact, a survey published by our company in January 2024 revealed that 48.3% of companies in the Tokyo metropolitan area and three prefectures responded that they “mainly receive invoices on paper,” while 67.5% of companies in other regions responded that they do so. Given this situation, regional companies are in urgent need of digital transformation to compensate for labor shortages, including accounting work.
Sansan provides the invoice management service “Bill One,” which allows all invoices, including paper invoices sent by mail, to be received and digitized online, and is supporting the digital transformation of accounting work in companies. We have bases in various regions, such as Kansai, Chubu, and Kyushu, and have supported regional companies in promoting digital transformation and resolving issues. Tokushima Prefecture is now focusing on DX promotion. In 2010, Sansan opened a satellite office called “Sansan Kamiyama Lab” in Kamiyama Town, Tokushima Prefecture, which was rare at the time and has been used as a place to embody new ways of working. In addition, Sansan has supported the opening and operation of “Kamiyama Marugoto College of Technology” and sponsored naming rights for the “2024 Awa Odori,” a symbol of Tokushima. This is a region with which our company has deep ties.
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Awa Bank is the largest financial institution in the prefecture, with 105 branches (83 branches in Tokushima Prefecture and 22 branches outside the prefecture) mainly in Tokushima Prefecture. The bank has set a sales policy of “eternal transactions,” which aims to continue long-term transactions with customers across generations and contribute to their sustainable development, and aims to realize a rich local community by solving the problems of its business
partners. In its activities, the bank also focuses on supporting the promotion of DX, which is an issue for local companies, by providing IT consulting.
The two companies believe that by partnering together, Sansan will be able to provide Awa Bank with the knowledge it has cultivated about promoting digital transformation and promote the introduction of Bill One, accelerating digital transformation for local companies, particularly in Tokushima Prefecture, which is why they have concluded this agreement.
SOURCE: PR TIMES
