Fujitsu asks 100,000 employees to buy its products

Wednesday 21st January, 07:46 AM JST

TOKYO —

Electronics maker Fujitsu Ltd has asked some 100,000 employees in Japan to buy its appliances to boost the company’s flagging performance, an official said Tuesday. President Kuniaki Nozoe recently sent an email to employees of Fujitsu and its group companies in Japan, saying, “Let’s protect our company by ourselves.”

“Buy Fujitsu,” said the email, adding, “If everyone in the group gets together, then it will become a great power.” “This is not a compulsory order,” a company spokeswoman said. “This is asking for a favor.”

The move aims to boost Fujitsu’s earnings amid weakening demand, she said.

Fujitsu is not the only Japanese company hoping to get a sales boost from its workers.

A group of 2,200 Toyota managers has decided to buy the company’s cars in an effort to help the Japanese auto giant withstand the global economic crisis, although the company said it had played no role in the initiative.

Wire reports

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Latest 15 of 26 Total Comments Show All

bobcatfish at 10:36 AM JST - 21st January

some14some - it's gone - how much money do you have to show for all of your years of earnings?

ebisen - it's a bit naive to say that if they didn't like their company they were free to leave. Do you think all the NOVA teachers thought they were working for a great comapny? I too belive Fujitsu has a very bad reputation even among its employees
Weasel at 10:42 AM JST - 21st January

Read between the lines: Buy our products or take a pay cut, maybe both!

I think that the bigger message is that it's irrelevant if they buy their own products or not, they gonna get laid off anyway 'cause Fujitsu loosing market share.
fds at 10:55 AM JST - 21st January

i wouldn't buy fujitsu products if i didn't have to, but if you're an employee, think about it. the money you spend is part of your salary...
ebisen at 01:08 PM JST - 21st January

bobcatfish - the same question for u too: are you actually employed in a manufacturing company? because if not, if you work in (public) services or whatever else, it will be hard for you to understand what I meant there. If you work for a manufacturer, you should have a bit of proud in your work, otherwise you can either leave of be fired, whichever comes first.

First Fujitsu is NOT Nova, they make products, and they employees should buy them IF they need them (especially if the company also offers employees discounts - 90% of them do). I personally always bought the products I helped making - it feels also good to use something I designed and produced...
anshin at 01:35 PM JST - 21st January

If there are "crap" products at Fujitsu like some of the employees think, then they, must be the ones making them. Nothing better than a disgruntled employee to sabotage a company.
Enterprise at 01:50 PM JST - 21st January

My take is that the reason why Fujitsu is loosing market share is because they're concentrating to their IT business and less attention to their manufacturing business where they actually pioneered some of the breakthrough technologies that we use today. I think their heading towards IBM business model which is services (IT).
solarbuster at 03:03 PM JST - 21st January

If Fujitsu was a good company it would sell to employees at cost. But obviously they don't when asking employees to buy their products, so this is just exploitation of their workers. Manager who thought up this idea should be first one sacked as it has already damaged Fujitsu's reputation just getting in the news and that is the last thing Fujitsu needs.
noborito at 03:49 PM JST - 21st January

Managers want their bonuses. Brainless workers fall in line. Buy crap so I can get my bonus.
Faderkinta at 04:21 PM JST - 21st January

Buy now! The company.
unklesam at 04:55 PM JST - 21st January

I agree, this is getting out of hand. Another serious blow for ethics and morals at Japan Inc... strong arm your employees into buying your products... which, by the way, I imagine employees already do... if the products are worth a damn.
Deepinside at 05:59 PM JST - 21st January

The boss calling one of the employers.

sukoda, yes sir? you only want to buy a headphone,,you are fired,,

sukoda: but,boss i dont have much money,,

Boss: GO to the bank and make a credit,and buy more things to help the company,,and it will help you keep your job for at least a year..

Sukoda:thanks boss your so kind,...
bobcatfish at 10:33 PM JST - 21st January

ebisen - i now understand your point, however i'm not sure what percentage of fujitsu's employees actually make their products. i had assumed it was relatively low - robotics and off-shore factories and the like.

secondly, have you seen footage of production line work? it is pretty soul destroying. sticking keys on a keyboard is a bit different from crafting wooden furniture.

i think most people do their best at work but i also think few of us think the companies we work for are especially wonderful.
motytrah at 01:50 AM JST - 22nd January

I would buy the Fujitsu Automate beer dispenser if they would sell it outside of Japan (As seen in some of the Airline lounges in NRT and at various bars).
ca1ic0cat at 03:35 AM JST - 22nd January

I would buy the Automate beer dispenser too - if they would stock it with beer for me!
kjcar11 at 07:41 AM JST - 26th January

but if you're an employee, think about it. the money you spend is part of your salary...

Thank you, Captain Obvious.