Interview participants (from right to left):
Art Nature Co.
Mr. Takuya Suda, Deputy General Manager, Information Systems Department
Mr. Daiki Ebisawa, Senior Manager, Information Systems Department

Challenge: Limitations of on-premise operations and the need to revamp the infrastructure.

-What challenges did you face before adopting Ariel?

Mr. Suda:
Before introducing Ariel, we had been using another company's groupware on-premise for more than 10 years. As the number of users increased and the servers aged, the operation of the system became sluggish, and we always felt a burden in terms of operation. In addition, the old groupware only utilized basic functions such as e-mail and file management, and there were also issues as an information sharing infrastructure. We took this opportunity to consider renewing to a product that could achieve more, and decided to compare multiple products, including Ariel.

-What were the deciding factors in your decision to implement Ariel?

Mr. Suda:
There were three main reasons: first, the future potential of free version upgrades; second, we felt that we would be able to use the product while making our own innovations, rather than leaving it up to the vendor; and third, we had been using the product since that time. The third was the compatibility with the human resource system we had been using at the time. In addition, it was also significant that we were able to visit companies that actually use Ariel and hear their case studies, which gave us an image of how we could use Ariel at our company. As a result of our comparative study, we decided that Ariel was the best fit.

However, since Ariel was the first cloud-based system we had implemented, we had to carefully consider security and other issues at the beginning. We proceeded with the implementation while gaining the understanding of all parties involved, taking into consideration the advantages of the cloud, such as performance and reduced management burden. As a result, we feel that Ariel was the first step for our company in utilizing the cloud.

-Do you have any difficulties or challenges in the process of migration from the old system?

Mr. Suda:
The implementation period was about six months, and after pilot and parallel operations, we went into full-scale operation. One of the things we had to work on was the internal messaging function (message function). Since the usability of the system was different from the old system, it took some trial and error to adapt it to our on-site sensibilities. However, as we continued to operate the system, it gradually took root and is now being used in daily operations at the worksites, including daily reports.

Effectiveness: Improved operational efficiency through the establishment of an information sharing platform

-Please tell us about the effects of Ariel and how it is being utilized.

Mr. Suda:
Ariel is now our main system for information sharing. We use it for a wide range of purposes, including workflow as well as groupware functions, and it is very close to our core system. Even though we use multiple systems, we can now access them from Ariel, which has helped us to organize the lines of communication and improve efficiency in terms of management. The elimination of duplicate management of master and workflow settings due to personnel transfers has also reduced the operational burden.

We also make good use of Ariel's task management function in our daily work. Since the old system did not have a task management function, we had no choice but to manage the progress of tasks individually.

Mr. Ebisawa:
Ariel has been used on a daily basis since I joined the company, so it is now like an infrastructure. Just like electricity and water, I feel that it is an indispensable system because we take it for granted.

-How about the impact on paperless and decision-making speed?

Mr. Suda:
Before we introduced the system, we had many paper applications, which took a lot of time for application and approval. Since we started using Ariel for workflow applications and approvals, the number of paper applications has been reduced to almost zero.

Mr. Ebisawa:
According to our internal calculations, the digitization of various applications and audit forms has resulted in the elimination of a cumulative total of 12,600 forms. This is a figure for a single department, so I think the effect would be even greater if we looked at the entire company.

Mr. Suda:
In addition to these paperless effects, a particularly significant change has been the speed of circularization for approval. It used to take two to three weeks for the president's approval, but now there are an increasing number of cases where the approval can be obtained in about one week. Not only has the lead time been drastically reduced by eliminating the processes of mailing and stamping, but Ariel's notification function has also eliminated the need for phone calls to request and remind approvals. Even though the mail is sent by secure mail, there is no zero risk, so we have peace of mind in this regard.

-What are some other examples of how you have used Ariel's features?

Mr. Ebisawa:
We have been displaying AI FAQs on the portal since around October 2024. By consolidating frequently asked questions from the field and preparing answers, we have been able to streamline our response to routine inquiries. The number of accesses to the portal has been increased by devising a new route, and now the portal is used approximately 5,000 times a month. We feel that the system is now firmly established as a system that is used on a daily basis at the site.

Mr. Suda:
The survey function is also utilized in each department, and in addition to gathering opinions at the time of Ariel implementation, it is also useful for gathering feedback on new initiatives. The link in the message is also useful in that it allows the recipient to immediately access the necessary information.

Future Prospects: Promoting internalization of business operations through the use of Ariel

-What are your future plans for the use of Ariel?

Mr. Suda:
Currently, there are many tasks that are exchanged by attaching Excel files on Ariel, so we would like to utilize the application and increase the number of tasks that can be completed within Ariel in the future. As we hear about other companies' applications at the user committee, we feel that there is still room for Ariel at our company to be utilized more. We also have a vision of using Ariel as an information sharing platform to deliver information that is useful to the field in an easier-to-understand manner. We would like to further expand the scope of Ariel's use through a system that displays sales information when logging in and through integration with CRM.

-Please give a message to companies that are facing similar issues or are considering implementing the system.

Mr. Suda:
I think Ariel is very suitable for companies that want to manage multiple systems centrally while linking them together. As long as you know how to develop applications, you can make improvements in-house. This sense of speed is also appealing, so I would like companies with similar issues to consider Ariel.

*This article is current as of December 2025
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