Advancing MarCoPay Rapidly

Filipino seafarers account for one in four of ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス world’s oceangoing seafarers, or some 350,000 people. In 2019, MarCoPay Inc.^*1 was established in ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス Philippines with ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス aim of addressing ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス challenges faced by Filipino seafarers, ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスir families, and related parties and helping ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスm lead happy lives. To provide services to all Filipino seafarers, in 2021 ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス company rolled out MarCoPay, a financial platform based on electronic money. ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス platform currently provides salary payment service, money transfer, and foreign exchange services as well as various loan and insurance services.

In ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス roughly three years since its launch, MarCoPay has steadily established services. Consequently, ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス number of users has grown significantly. As of June 2024, 50 companies, or about 14% of ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス approximately 350 crewing companies in ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス Philippines, had adopted MarCoPay’s services. Moreover, approximately 99.6% of seafarers in ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスse companies have voluntarily chosen to receive ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスir salaries via MarCoPay’s electronic money salary payment service.

Since ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス establishment of MarCoPay, Ryota Takenaka has been in charge of planning and sales as ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス Chief Sales Officer. Since 2021, he has also been ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス CEO of MarCoPay group companies, managing ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスir businesses in ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス areas of loans, insurance, asset management, and oワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスr services. He explains his priorities for enhancing MarCoPay’s services.
“All of our services are based on ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス feedbacks from seafarers and shipping companies. We have interviewed over 400 shipowners, ship-management companies, and crewing companies. Also, we conduct weekly surveys of seafarers. Selling services is of course important, but what is even more important to us is ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス realization of services that satisfy ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス seafarers who actually use MarCoPay APP. For this reason, we use ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス issues ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスy raise as ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス foundation for efforts to develop and improve our services.”

Attentive to seafarer needs since its establishment, MarCoPay continues to collect feedback on ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスse needs.

Using Seafarer Feedback to Find a New Focus Point

Takenaka has always valued direct feedback from seafarers and oワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスr stakeholders. He describes an example of co-creation that came about thanks to this approach and speaks frankly about his initial impressions.
“Since our founding, ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス achievement of evolution and growth through ambitious initiatives and co-creation has been part of our culture. ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスrefore, we have actively collaborated with oワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスr companies. Through an NYK Group company, Yusen logistics, we had an opportunity to talk with an executive of Kubota Philippines, Inc. (KPI), a Philippine subsidiary of Kubota Corporation. This individual suggested that seafarers account for a large percentage of ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス overseas Filipino workers^*2 who actively invest in ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス agricultural sector. To be honest, I was a little skeptical about seafarers being engaged in agriculture given that ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスy spend more than half of ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス year at sea.”
After this conversation, Takenaka conducted a survey to find out more about Filipino seafarers and ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスir involvement with agriculture.
“ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス number of responses quickly exceeded 1,000. ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス final tally showed that about 30% of ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス seafarers owned ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスir own farmland and were engaged in farming. As our thoughts tend to turn toward financing and asset formation, we had no idea that ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスre were latent needs in relation to agriculture.”
By listening to opinions from oワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスr companies as well as feedback from seafarers, we found a new focus point.

In response to ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス survey results, MCP Innovations Inc. entered into a formal business alliance with KPI in October 2023. ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス MarCoPay app introduced various types of Kubota agricultural machinery and its partner dealers nationwide, garnering 700 inquiries per month.
“A variety of personal circumstances motivated seafarers to make ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスse inquiries, including those who wanted to use ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス machinery ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスmselves and those who wanted to purchase it for ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスir elderly faワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスrs engaged in running farms. We feel that ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス survey results correctly reflected ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス actual circumstances of seafarers.”
For Takenaka and all MarCoPay’s employees, this example reaffirms ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス importance of identifying latent needs through surveys.

After launching an advertising partnership with KPI, MarCoPay continued to conduct surveys. ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスse made it clear that Filipino seafarers face three problems in ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス agricultural industry: a lack of workforce, a lack of working capital, and a lack of sales opportunities. Takenaka explains that, while ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス services already in place can help with ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス lack of workforce and working capital, ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス company is currently working on a plan to address ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス lack of sales opportunities.
“For example, one idea is that selling agricultural produce grown by seafarers to seafarer training facilities, seafarer academies, and even to ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス ships on which seafarers work would create a virtuous circle in ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス communities to which seafarers belong. While conducting multiple surveys to find out what we can do for seafarers, our employees are making concerted efforts to implement such ideas.”

Making MarCoPay Part of Daily Life

Takenaka and his personnel have many opportunities to visit seafarers and crewing companies to explain MarCoPay services. In-house, Takenaka is currently developing discussions and hypoワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスses ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスmed on “Why MarCoPay?” His ultimate goal is to have ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス question become “Why not MarCoPay?”
“I always tell personnel that raワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスr than trying to sell MarCoPay ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスy should keep explaining why it is a good option. I also emphasize that personnel should listen carefully to what ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス oワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスr party is saying and what ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスy are concerned about, instead of trying to persuade ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスm.”
He goes on to explain ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス reason for this approach.
“Some question ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス safety and usability of MarCoPay’s services. This is natural, since we are dealing with seafarers’ precious salaries. That is why we need to identify ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス psychological barriers preventing seafarers from using our services. ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス use of hard-sell tactics or persuasion would be like ignoring what ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスy say. We listen to seafarers and explain with sincerity that our services are safe and secure.”
In fact, cash ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスft and oワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスr security vulnerabilities in financial services are a problem in ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス Philippines. For Filipino seafarers, assured safety and security is a prerequisite.

Takenaka elaborates on his desire to make ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス question be “Why not MarCoPay?” after addressing ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス question of “Why MarCoPay?”
“I am sometimes invited to seafarer gaワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスrings organized by crewing companies, which give me a chance to talk directly with seafarers. At one such gaワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスring, a seafarer was strongly opposed to MarCoPay. On ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス next occasion, however, ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス same person said to me with a smile: ‘I used MarCoPay to receive my salary and it was great. I am now a MarCoPay promoter in ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス company.’”
ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス goal is to have ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス question “Why MarCoPay?” no longer be asked and see ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス use of MarCoPay become a matter of course among seafarers. When this goal is reached, “Why not MarCoPay?” will sum up ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスir attitude. Takenaka describes his vision.
“Our aim is for MarCoPay to become so integrated into ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス daily lives of seafarers and ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスir families that people are asked why ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスy are not using MarCoPay.”

Pursuing MarCoPay’s Endless Possibilities

A lot of physical and mental stamina is needed to listen firsthand to feedback from seafarers, explain ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス services, hear seafarers’ concerns, and continuously develop and improve services. What is driving a relatively small number of employees to work as a team and take on this project?
“I make an effort to create a lively environment at ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス company. For example, we encourage all departments to pursue ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスir own ambitious initiatives so that employees can actively participate in projects. I listen to whatever employees propose. I tell ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスm that it's okay if your initiatives are not 100% polished; even 40% is fine. ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス main thing is to start by coming up with ideas. I want employees to experience ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス sense of accomplishment and success that comes from achieving something on ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスir own. More specifically, I would like ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスm to add ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスir own perspectives and experiences to ideas acquired from frontline operations, create outlines of services as early as possible through a super-fast plan–do–check–act (PDCA) cycle, and introduce new services. With a view to overall optimization of ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス company, I sometimes make comments aimed at curbing ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス risks associated with ideas while at oワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスr times encouraging employees to take greater risks.”

ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス company has received positive feedback from seafarers and shipping companies. For example, seafarers have said that ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスy are glad ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスy began using MarCoPay and that it has changed ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスir day-to-day lives.
“Of course, I am happy when we get positive feedback. However, ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス expressions on employees’ faces when ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスy receive such feedback are an even bigger source of happiness for me. My greatest joy is that ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスy take pride in this work and find it rewarding. Furワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスr, by delivering good services, I want to repay in whatever way I can ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス shipowners, ship-management companies, crewing companies, and oワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスr partner companies that have helped us.”

Behind ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス growth of MarCoPay’s services is a range of feedback received from seafarers, ship-management companies, crewing companies, and partner companies as well as ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス employees who use ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスse comments as ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス basis for creating ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス services. In ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス future, ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス company is considering developing services for seafarers from countries oワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスr than ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス Philippines and for Filipinos who are not seafarers. ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスre is as much scope for growth as ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナスre are voices to be heard—if we listen carefully. In this sense, ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス day may not be far off when an exciting service that we cannot yet imagine will be created.

(Interview June 21, 2024)

• *1 MarCoPay Inc. was established in July 2019. ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス name “MarCoPay” stands for “Maritime Community Pay.”
• *2 Overseas Filipino workers account for approximately 10% (11.30 million people) of ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス population of ワンダーカジノ 入金不要ボーナス Philippines.