UPWARD’s series “Redesigning the Last Mile of Financial Sales” was featured in the *Financial Economy News* (Part 4: Maiko Mihara, Head of the Customer Success Division)
The fourth installment of UPWARD’s series, “Redesigning the Last Mile of Financial Sales,” was published on page 5 of the July 13, 2026, issue of the *Financial and Economic News*.In this series, members from various departments at UPWARD take turns writing each installment. For the fourth installment, Maiko Mihara, Head of the Customer Success Division at UPWARD, wrote an article titled “Transforming Financial Client Relations: From ‘ log ’ to log.’”
In Part 4, the discussion focuses on the burden log financial institutions’ external sales operations. From a customer success perspective, it explores how combining location-based technology with AI can transform log ” into log ” through on-the-ground design.UPWARD is an AI agent specialized for field sales (outside sales) equipped with patented dynamic geofencing technology and AI-generated meeting minutes, supporting transformation in sales operations across various industries, including financial institutions.
Please see this issue for details on the concept of using AI to reduce the reporting burden in financial institutions’ external sales and to support the accumulation and handover of up-to-date primary information.
* This article is from the print edition of the *Financial and Economic News* (it is not available online; it is published here with permission to reuse the print edition image).
Click here to read the article (page 5 of the *Financial and Economic News*, July 13, 2026)
About the Series
“Redesigning the Last Mile of Financial Sales” is a series published by UPWARD that explores the transformation of sales operations at financial institutions. Each installment is written by a different member of UPWARD’s diverse team—including the Vice President, Data Scientists, Customer Success specialists, the CEO, and the CFO—who discuss the “last mile” of financial sales from their respective areas of expertise.
Series Part 1 (Vice President Masaki Ishida): https://upward.jp/info/20260609-1/
Series Part 2 (Data Scientist Richard Rodriguez): https://upward.jp/info/20260615/
Series Part 3 (Director and CFO Hiromasa Shimono): https://upward.jp/info/20260623/
Introduction to the Authors of the 4th Edition
UPWARD Co., Ltd.
Executive Officer
Head of Customer Success Division
Maiko Mihara
Graduated from Hyogo Prefectural University. After working at a health tech company, he gained experience launching new businesses at a real estate tech company.
Joined UPWARD in 2019. After working in sales, he led efforts to strengthen customer success (CS) during the COVID-19 pandemic. While supporting enterprise clients, he oversaw the development of the organization’s foundation and the establishment of a scalable CS framework.
About the *Financial and Economic News*
The *Financial and Economic News* is a specialized newspaper published every Monday that focuses on finance and the economy. It provides in-depth coverage of developments across the financial sector, including regulatory activities by the Financial Services Agency, the Ministry of Finance, and the Bank of Japan, as well as news on megabanks, city banks, trust banks, regional banks, credit unions, labor credit banks, agricultural cooperatives, securities firms, life insurance companies, property and casualty insurance companies, credit card companies, consumer finance companies, and more.
Source: Kinkei Shimbun Official Website https://www.kinkei-press.co.jp/
▼Learn more about UPWARD
Product page for "UPWARD," an SFA/CRM system specialized for field sales: https://upward.jp/
ABOUT UPWARD CORPORATION
Guided by its purpose to “unlock the creativity of field workers and accelerate the growth of businesses and society,” UPWARD, Inc. provides AX services specifically designed to address the challenges faced by field workers who visit client sites and create value through in-person interactions with customers. By leveraging technology to create an environment where workers can perform their duties using just a mobile device, the company aims to build a world where people can thrive regardless of their location or circumstances.
Company Profile
Company name UPWARD Co.
Location 26F Marunouchi Eiraku Building, 1-4-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Representative Ryusuke Kaneki, CEO and Representative Director
Year Established July 2016
Capital 100 million yen
Business Activities: Development and provision of the field sales AI agent "UPWARD"
Press contact
UPWARD Co., Ltd. Corporate Headquarters, PR Team
Tel: 03-6897-3683
Mail pr@upward.jp
The names of the companies mentioned in this document are the registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective owners.
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