Why Face-to-Face Meetings Still Matter in the AI Era

Why Face-to-Face Meetings Still Matter in the AI Era

AI can translate our words. Video calls can connect us instantly. Messages can cross borders in seconds.

Yet after more than 20 years in international vehicle trading, I still believe some relationships can only become stronger when people meet in person.

I am Yuichiro Watabe, President and CEO of EVERY TRADING Co., Ltd. Since 2006, we have worked with customers in more than 100 countries, exporting Japanese used vehicles, trucks, buses, farm tractors, and machinery from Japan.

Technology has made our business faster and more efficient. However, speed alone does not create trust.

That is why we still travel overseas to meet our customers face to face.

Watch the video: Why Face-to-Face Meetings Matter in the AI Era | EVERY TRADING CEO

Why We Still Travel to Meet Customers

Behind me in the video are many photographs of customers from around the world.

Some were sent to us after vehicles arrived. Others were taken when I visited customers overseas.

For me, these photos are more than memories.

They represent real relationships built over many years.

At EVERY, we call these overseas visits Face to Face Meetings.

We do not travel only to discuss a vehicle price or confirm the next order.

We meet customers to understand their businesses, hear their plans, share ideas, and learn how the vehicles we export from Japan are actually being used.

This gives us information that is difficult to obtain through email or messaging alone.

A Vehicle Purchase Is Often Part of a Bigger Business Plan

Many customers who contact us are not simply looking for transportation.

They may be expanding a logistics company, starting a passenger transport service, improving agricultural productivity, or adding equipment to a construction business.

For example, someone searching for Japanese used trucks may need more than a good price.

Payload, road conditions, body type, engine size, transmission, fuel availability, and local maintenance conditions can all influence the right choice.

A customer searching for Japanese used buses may be planning school transport, tourism, employee transportation, or public passenger services.

Likewise, buyers of Japanese used farm tractors may need a certain horsepower range, 4WD, specific dimensions, or compatibility with farm implements.

Understanding the business behind the purchase helps us give better advice.

What We Learn Through Face-to-Face Meetings

When I visit a customer in their own country, I can see conditions directly.

I can see the roads they use.

I can understand the types of vehicles operating locally.

I can learn which specifications are common and which ones may create problems.

I can also understand the customer's business more clearly.

These details matter because international vehicle trading is never exactly the same from one country to another.

Import regulations differ. Shipping routes differ. Market demand differs. Maintenance environments also differ.

For that reason, the right vehicle for one market may not be the right vehicle for another.

AI Can Improve Communication, but It Cannot Replace Trust

I see great value in AI and digital technology.

They can help us communicate faster, organize information, translate languages, improve stock searches, and support customers across different time zones.

These tools will continue to become more important.

However, technology does not automatically create a strong business relationship.

Trust comes from repeated actions.

It comes from keeping promises, explaining problems clearly, understanding the customer's perspective, and continuing the relationship beyond one transaction.

This is also reflected in the philosophy of EVERY TRADING. Our goal is not simply to pursue scale or efficiency. We place importance on understanding the background of each transaction and the business our customers are building.

Seeing the Customer's Market Changes How We Recommend Vehicles

Online stock information is essential, and today customers can search our Japanese used vehicle stock from anywhere in the world.

But a stock page cannot always explain whether a vehicle is truly suitable for a particular market.

When we understand the customer's country and operating environment, we can think beyond the vehicle itself.

We can consider road conditions, typical cargo, passenger use, business type, service access, and local preferences.

This is especially important with working vehicles such as trucks, buses, tractors, and machinery.

These vehicles often support daily income and business operations.

Choosing correctly matters.

Face-to-Face Meetings Are About the Future, Not Only the Current Deal

One of the most valuable parts of meeting customers personally is that the conversation often moves beyond today's purchase.

We can discuss where their business is going.

We can talk about future vehicle needs.

We can identify challenges in their market.

Sometimes we discover opportunities that neither side would have noticed through ordinary online communication.

That is why I see these meetings as business development, not simply customer visits.

They help both sides understand what kind of relationship we want to build over the long term.

Technology Should Strengthen Human Relationships

I do not believe companies need to choose between technology and personal relationships.

The best approach is to use both.

AI can help us work faster.

Digital platforms can give customers access to more vehicles and information.

Online communication can keep us connected every day.

Then, when possible, face-to-face meetings deepen that connection.

Technology gives us reach. Personal meetings give us understanding.

Together, they create a stronger foundation for international business.

Right Vehicle, Right Value, Right Support

After more than 20 years in this business, I have learned that good vehicle export is not simply about finding stock.

It is about understanding what the customer is trying to achieve.

For EVERY, that means continuing to focus on three things:

• Right Vehicle — a vehicle or machine that fits the customer's actual use and local conditions.
• Right Value — value based on suitability, condition, cost, and long-term usefulness.
• Right Support — professional communication and assistance throughout the international buying and export process.

AI will continue to change the way we work.

Digital tools will continue to connect people faster than ever.

But I believe lasting business still depends on trust between people.

That is why we continue to travel, meet customers, share our visions, and build the future together.

Yuichiro Watabe
President & CEO
EVERY TRADING Co., Ltd.
Niigata, Japan