Salesforce.com scores big contract with Japan Post

Salesforce.com has won a contract to provide CRM (customer relationship management) applications to Japan Post, the world’s largest financial institution by assets, Salesforce.com CEO Marc Benioff announced Thursday in Tokyo.

[ Video: Salesforce CEO in Japan to announce biggest win yet ]

The initial agreement covers 5,000 users, making it the largest deal Salesforce.com has done in Japan to date. Financial details were not disclosed, however more importantly, the deal with Japan Post will likely boost Salesforce.com’s business in the country.

“It offers validation as well as credibility that Salesforce.com is a significant company in Japan, offering significant solutions and can automate even the largest of the corporations here,” said Benioff.

Traditionally, companies in the world’s second biggest IT market tend to favor domestic vendors for major contracts.

“We believe that this initial agreement with Japan Post will become a hallmark to many Japanese companies to realize that if Japan Post has made this important decision that they can make this important decision to go to on-demand computing as well.”

For many foreign companies, winning deals in Japan from major corporations requires a lot of work, skill, and time. In the case of Salesforce.com’s win with Japan Post there was also a little luck involved. Kazuhiko Yoshimoto, an executive vice president at Japan Post, was previously a top manager at Salesforce.com-customer Mizuho Financial Group, so he was already familiar with the system.

On Thursday the company also said that Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking had signed a 600-user deal.