#Japan #Digital Transformation #Tokyo #Sophia University #BtoB Platform

Enhancing HR Operations with BtoB Platform

Sophia University, managed by the Sophia Educational Corporation, is making strides in digital transformation (DX) within its human resources department through the implementation of the BtoB Contract Platform by Infomart Co., Ltd. This initiative is transforming how the university handles employment contracts, particularly for its part-time lecturers and contracted employees.

Background of the BtoB Contract Platform Implementation

Historically, Sophia University's HR department was burdened with the manual process of managing approximately 1,180 employment contracts. The workload involved extensive printing tasks, content verification that took up to two days, and additional time for packaging and mailing contracts. This time-consuming method resulted in high operational costs, reaching nearly ¥600,000 annually, not including efforts spent by personnel engaged in contract management and follow-up.

Contract collection also presented significant challenges. Initially, only about 60% of contracts were returned promptly, requiring persistent follow-ups through emails to improve response rates, highlighting a clear need for a streamlined solution.

Reasons for Choosing the BtoB Contract Platform

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic served as a vital catalyst, prompting the university to explore digitalization to enable online completion of recruitment procedures. The decision to adopt the BtoB Contract Platform was primarily driven by its high cost-performance ratio and simplicity in setup. Its focused digitization of contract exchanges significantly reduces operational costs, providing an attractive pricing model that includes a fixed monthly fee plus variable charges based on usage.

Impact of the BtoB Contract Platform Implementation

1. Improved Efficiency and Enhanced Collection Rates

The introduction of the BtoB Contract Platform has drastically reduced the time required for handling employment contracts from two weeks to just half a day. Additionally, contract return rates surged to nearly 90%, relieving significant operational burdens associated with printing, assembling, and verifying paper contracts.

Initially, setting up the system required time for data mapping, but subsequent uses have resulted in a dramatic decrease in workload. What previously took two people two days to complete can now be processed in mere hours. Furthermore, the number of contracts needing reminders has halved, demonstrating marked improvements in collection speed and efficiency.

The system's centralized management of contract statuses has simplified the oversight of outstanding agreements, proving to be an invaluable asset to the HR team.

2. Reduction of Administrative Burdens and Improved Searchability

Moreover, with contracts managed digitally, the burdensome tasks associated with filing physical paperwork and maintaining records for around 1,000 employees have been significantly alleviated. Although historical paper contracts continue to coexist with new electronic agreements, the future transition to complete digitization is expected to enhance search capabilities immensely.

By streamlining contract-related operations, the HR department can now allocate more time to strategic planning and talent management initiatives, which are crucial for driving the university's mission forward.

Future Directions

As part of a broader initiative to advance digital transformation throughout its operations, the successful implementation of digital contracts marks a significant achievement for the HR department at Sophia University. There is an intention to extend the platform’s application to other types of contracts, such as those involving outsourced work and individual agreements, further enhancing operational efficiency across the institution.

For a detailed case study on the implementation, please visit Infomart's case study.

About the BtoB Contract Platform

The BtoB Contract Platform is a cloud service that allows businesses to finalize contracts online. This innovative platform digitizes the process of contract creation and management, significantly reducing the time and costs typically associated with contract administration. It features a web-based workflow system for internal approval and allows for document digitization and upload, supporting compliance with electronic record-keeping laws, thus facilitating efficient back-office operations including remote work capabilities. For more information visit BtoB Contract Platform at Infomart.

Company Overview

About Sophia Educational Corporation

• - Name: Sophia Educational Corporation
• - Director: Agustin Sari
• - Location: Kioicho 7-1, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
• - Founded: 1913
• - Industry: Educational Institution Management
• - Employee Count: 714 (as of May 2025)
• - Visit Sophia University

About Infomart Co., Ltd.

• - Name: Infomart Co., Ltd.
• - CEO: Shin Kimura
• - Location: 13th Floor, Shiodome Shibaura Building, 1-2-3 Kaigan, Minato-ku, Tokyo
• - Founded: February 13, 1998
• - Industry: BtoB Platform Operations
• - Employee Count: 809 (as of September 2025)
• - Visit Infomart