Mitsubishi HC Capital America
“Christopher’s strategic approach to innovation and sales activation has been key to our company’s success over the years. His professional growth, adaptability and ability to drive forward-thinking strategies have transformed our team, helping us stay ahead of trends to ensure sustained growth and a competitive advantage.” — Craig Weinewuth, President & CEO, Mitsubishi HC Capital America
Christopher Johanneson’s career has been marked by a number of valuable experiences, each preparing him for his next role and phase of upward movement.
Johanneson developed complex and customized customer solutions as a system and software developer before starting his career at Navistar. While there, Johanneson gained firsthand experience and knowledge of equipment manufacturing, supply chain management, procurement, sales and pricing, dealer and distribution channels and corporate and sales strategy development.
Johanneson’s career has focused on leveraging technology to drive innovation and maximize the customer experience. Technology will never directly be a replacement, Johanneson says, but it will enhance relationships because people do business with people they know and trust.
“This job and those I’ve held in the past have opened my eyes to a broader spectrum of the industry, its untapped capabilities and its immense economic impact. My insights and experiences have been directly influenced by the colleagues I’ve been fortunate enough to work alongside, as well as leaders who have guided and shepherded my career interests and journey.”
“Christopher’s professional growth, adaptability and ability to drive forward-thinking strategies have transformed our team, helping us stay ahead of trends to ensure sustained growth and a competitive advantage,” Craig Weinewuth, president and CEO of Mitsubishi HC Capital America, says.
A DIGITAL, DATA-DRIVEN FOCUS
While leading the equipment finance sales origination strategy in a previous role at Mitsubishi HC Capital America, Johanneson led the development of the company’s first sales digital center. The team utilizes and activates data to identify likely in-market customer purchase opportunities, which are then qualified and nurtured by sales teams to expand and close more business.
Effective use of data involves transforming raw information into actionable insights that drive activity. “With the commitment of a talented and dedicated team, we executed on building an incremental origination platform for the business by leveraging data and analytics to deliver top- and bottom-line results and improve both customer retention and their experience,” Johanneson says. Inception to launch was a span of a few short months.
“We have high-performing teams that transcend across the business,” Johanneson says. “This initiative was a company-wide effort, and a true reflection of our culture and innovational spirit. We are committed to continuous improvement, developing new business channels and adapting and evolving with technology, our customers and the industry.”
EXPANDING THE TECHNOLOGY STACK
Mitsubishi HC Capital America continuously pushes to expand and enhance its technology platform, with Johanneson noting that the company’s Salesforce instances and integrations expand beyond traditional customer relationship management. “We are maximizing the platform to capitalize and execute on a comprehensive customer 360 approach to enhance the operational process and customer experience,” Johanneson says.
Most recently, Johanneson introduced robotic process automation (RPA) to the company’s technology stack to strengthen business development and customer retention. The software serves as an incremental catalyst to surface sales opportunities through its customized predictive purchase model.
Customer self-service capabilities remain a high priority for Johanneson’s digital transformation team. He was the catalyst behind Propel, Mitsubishi HC Capital America’s proprietary digital transaction and portfolio management system.
“We continue to invest in our data ecosystem, especially as it’s evolving with artificial intelligence, machine learning and automation,” Johanneson says. “We’re bringing this technology in house, gaining organizational alignment by breaking down processes to design solutions to run and operate the business, along with expanding our platform to align with our company’s strategic plan.”
INNOVATION INGRAINED IN COMPANY CULTURE
For Johanneson, the most important task for leaders who want to drive innovation is embedding innovation in the fabric of culture. It cannot be solely a digital or technology-led initiative; it must be a company-wide initiative, ingrained in the company’s values and ethos. Otherwise, Johanneson says, organizational excitement and support will be challenged.
“Change is difficult, but it also presents a tremendous opportunity,” he says. “Bringing the company and business stakeholders along on the journey, establishing how the change is going to positively impact them and their business and their deliverables, is essential. Open and consistent communication is critical to success.”
These initiatives must be met with a level of intensity that pushes, but doesn’t fracture, the organization, Johanneson says. “There’s always going to be emerging trends to follow,” he says. “Being prepared to react, respond and deliver solutions that activates those initiatives is imperative.” •
