SmileWorks
Affordable and User-Friendly Digital Transformation for SMBs

In Japan, small and midsize businesses (SMB) constitute a staggering 99.7 percent of companies, employing 66 percent of the total workforce in the country. Despite their overwhelming presence, the value generated remains low.

Empowering SMBs with advanced digital tools like robust ERP solutions will increase their competitiveness and contribute to the country's economic growth. It will allow SMBs to effectively utilize resources, reduce costs, minimize errors, and offer customers fast delivery of products.

SmileWorks, a cloud-based ERP solution provider, prioritizes the growth and productivity of SMBs. By consolidating data and processes within a unified platform, it allows clients to access real-time information, collaborate seamlessly across departments, and make datadriven decisions with confidence. This streamlined approach plays a vital role in improving operational efficiency, minimizing errors, and enabling a swift response to market demands.

“Our cloud-based ERP system, SmileWorks, serves as a powerful catalyst for a seamless and agile digital transformation of SMBs. It eliminates the need for complex on-premises hardware and software installations, allowing businesses to quickly adopt and deploy the system with minimal disruptions,” says Tsuneyuki Sakamoto, president and CEO of SmileWorks.

Streamlining the Business Workflow

SmileWorks realizes that SMBs often resort to using single-function software packages and individual cloud services, leading to manual workarounds for software integration. While this approach may offer some convenience to individual users, it falls short when it comes to improving a company's overall productivity. At the same time, large companies that invest heavily in ERP systems enjoy significantly higher operating profit rates, up to 2.4 times more than SMBs.



SmileWorks offers a flexible pricing model where SMBs pay only for the functions they need. Users can start with basic functions and add modules as required. For example, a company can start with the sales management function for ¥10,000 per month and add financial accounting and payroll calculation functions in subsequent years.

It will help digitize back-office operations and bring automation to streamline the workflow. Clients can use it for their outbound operations, such as trading with external companies. They can frictionlessly send and receive quotations and invoices and directly connect with banks for money transfers and settlements.

Helping Improve Labor Productivity and Profit Margin

Transaction DX, or electronic trading, is a key feature of SmileWorks that revolutionizes the integrated management of service operations in the cloud, allowing SMBs to monitor and optimize their performance. It automates the management of process like making quotations, order taking, delivery, placing orders and procurement. Sales and Purchase data is automatically generated in accounting journals, and electronic data interchange (EDI)—based on UN/CEFACT norms—is provided for sales management functions.

Through real-time management indicators and comprehensive visualization capabilities, SMBs can achieve productivity levels on par with large enterprises for a fraction of the cost. Clients can also improve labour productivity and profit margin.

“Our commitment to client success is not limited to isolated pockets of transformation. We optimize workflows across all departments, including indirect functions. This is crucial for achieving ultimate digital transformation goals and ensuring customer satisfaction,” says Sakamoto.
It also solves another significant challenge facing SMBs; securing qualified human resources. With Japan's working population steadily declining, it is becoming increasingly difficult for companies to attract and retain talent. SmileWorks bridges this gap by offering a user-friendly system that can be used by staff without confusion, eliminating the need for specialized expertise.

Deploying the SmileWorks system is hassle-free. There is no need for an expensive overhaul of the existing tech stack. It also runs on multiple operating systems, including Windows and Mac.

Offering Robust OEM Channels

Positioning SmileWorks as a game-changer for SMBs worldwide is its expansive OEM channel for service distribution.

An integral part of its distribution strategy is collaboration” forged through OEM distribution agreement” with ten major banks in Japan, including Mizuho Bank and Fukuoka Bank. In addition, it has agreements with major carriers such as NTT to distribute SmileWorks.

An independent survey conducted jointly by Japans bank Association , Finance Ministry and SMB Agency revealed that companies that use SmileWorks witnessed an average of 73 percent reduction in back-office working time compared to conventional workflow. The company has also won the award as The Best Service Provider of the Back-office SaaS System by Nikkei BP Publications Inc. for 5 years in a row.

Here’s what Keisuke Murakami, Director General, Digital Agency, Cabinet Office, has to say about SmileWorks, “In order for SMBs to proactively cultivate new business partners, the digitization of transactions, including support for EDI and digital payments, is important.

Sakamoto of SmileWorks is one of the leaders in this field and has always provided valuable advice and contributions.”

In one instance, a company that was struggling to manage data safely and securely in the cloud sought help to accelerate data exchange and safeguard it during emergencies. SmileWorks deployed its ERP system to automatically and securely store every piece of information. It streamlined their data exchange process, allowing multiple employees to access data when and where needed.

Enabling Businesses to Tap into New Possibilities

SmileWorks is reinventing the wheel for the distribution of its cloud-based ERP Solution through a comprehensive white label OEM channel. For its partners, like Mizuho and Fukuoka Bank, SmileWorks integrates the ERP system with their internet banking platforms to deliver a comprehensive and tailored digital experience to customers. This strategic collaboration optimizes banks' service offerings and internal operations, creating a winwin scenario for them and their customers.
Kazuhiro Nakamura, e-Business Sales Director, Mizuho Bank, says, “We deployed Mizuho ERP as an OEM of SmileWorks’ cloud ERP. Currently, Japanese SMBs are faced with the issue of improving productivity due to the difficulty of securing human resources and also achieving legal compliance, such as compliance with standard invoices and with the Electronic Book Storage Act. By linking the backoffice operations of these SMBs with bank payment services, the bank will support the realization of more effective digital transformation, and at the same time, provide new, value-added services that they have not been able to provide so far.”

SmileWorks will strengthen new financial collaboration functions and plans to expand this program to about 30 banks nationwide in the next five years.

Its fully-integrated cloud-based ERP system, with the most competitive prices and user-friendly interface, has ushered in an era of growth and efficiency for SMBs. It has enabled them to expand and tap into new possibilities by connecting business partners and ordering operations with EDI, managing income and expenditure for each project, and handling the entire workflow through a smartphone.

“With a relentless focus on innovation and customer-centricity, we drive users toward extraordinary business outcomes,” says Sakamoto. “We are redefining the boundaries of success and shaping the future of SMB excellence in the digital age.”