Getting started
How to Become a BeForward Sales Agent: A Step-by-Step Beginner's Guide
Becoming a BeForward agent can feel like a lot. On day one you hear words like FOB, RoRo, NZE161, grade 4.5 and CoR, and everyone around you seems to know them already. This guide puts the basic knowledge in one place, step by step, in simple words. It is written from the everyday experience of working sales agents, so you can start your journey with a clear picture.
Before you start: you don't need to remember all of this
Nobody learns this in one day. You will learn most of it slowly, while you work, one customer and one car at a time. This guide is only a path to start your journey and give you the basic picture. If you forget something next week or next month, that's completely normal. Just come back to this page and read that part again.
Step 1: Understand the company
BE FORWARD is a Japanese company that sells used vehicles from Japan to buyers all over the world, online. It was started in Tokyo in 2004 by Hironori Yamakawa. Its head office is in Roppongi Hills Mori Tower in Tokyo, and it has another office in Chofu City, also in Tokyo. The company says it has exported more than 1,200,000 vehicles to over 200 countries and regions.
The business is simple to understand:
- Buy good used vehicles in Japan, from dealers and car auctions.
- Check and prepare them for export.
- Ship them to customers around the world.
Besides cars, BeForward also sells auto parts and other items, but for most new agents the job is about vehicles.
Your job as a sales agent is to connect buyers with the right car, answer their questions honestly, and guide them until the car is paid for and shipped.
Step 2: Learn why Japan has so many good used cars
Japan has a strict vehicle inspection system called shaken (sha-ken). A new car gets its first shaken after 3 years, and then every 2 years after that. Each time, the owner pays inspection fees, a weight tax and compulsory insurance, plus the cost of any repairs. Because of this, many owners in Japan sell or replace their cars instead of paying for another shaken. A lot of these well-kept cars end up on the used market, and many of them are exported.
This is a good point to share with buyers who ask why a Japanese used car is worth it.
Step 3: Know the car makers and the main cities and ports
Buyers will often ask where a car comes from. You don't need to be a geography expert, but these basics help.
Japanese car makers and their home cities
| Maker | Home city or main area |
|---|---|
| Toyota | Toyota City, near Nagoya |
| Nissan | Yokohama |
| Honda | Started in Hamamatsu; main car factories in Suzuka and Saitama |
| Mazda | Hiroshima |
| Suzuki | Hamamatsu |
| Mitsubishi | Factories in Okazaki and Mizushima |
| Subaru | Ota, Gunma |
| Daihatsu | Ikeda, Osaka |
| Isuzu | Factory in Fujisawa |
Big cities and export ports
Main cities you will hear about: Tokyo (the capital), Yokohama, Nagoya, Osaka, Kobe, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Fukuoka and Sendai.
Cars usually leave Japan from big ports such as Yokohama, Nagoya, Kobe, Osaka and Hakata. When a buyer asks "where is the car now?", the answer is often the yard or port where it is waiting to be shipped.
Step 4: Learn the body types
Buyers often say what shape they want before they say a model. Learn these and you will understand their request straight away.
| Body type | What it looks like | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Sedan | Normal car with a separate boot (trunk), 4 to 5 seats | Axio, Premio, Camry |
| Hatchback | Small car, the back door opens upwards with the window | Vitz, Fit, Demio |
| Wagon | Like a sedan with a long roof and a big space at the back | Fielder, Wingroad |
| SUV | Higher body and more ground clearance, often with 4WD | RAV4, X-Trail, Harrier |
| Minivan | Tall family car, often with sliding doors, 7 to 8 seats | Noah, Voxy, Serena, Freed |
| Van | For goods, or many passengers in the bus version | Hiace, Caravan |
| Truck / pickup | Open back for loads | Canter, Dyna, Hilux |
| Coupe | Usually 2 doors, sporty | 86 |
Step 5: Learn the basic parts of a car
Customers will ask about the condition of different parts. Knowing the names in English makes those chats much easier.
- Outside: bumper, bonnet, doors, mirrors, headlights, back lights, tyres and wheels.
- Inside: dashboard, seats, AC, airbags, steering.
- Mechanical: engine, battery, radiator, brakes, suspension.
Step 6: Understand chassis codes
Experienced buyers often ask for a car by its chassis code (also called the model code), not just its name. For example, "I want an NZE161" means a Toyota Corolla Axio with a 1.5 litre petrol engine and 2WD. The code tells you the engine and the drive type, so it matters a lot. A 4WD version can cost more and may be exactly what the buyer needs for bad roads.
Toyota Corolla Axio
| Code | Engine | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|
| NZE161 | 1NZ-FE, 1.5L | 2WD | Petrol |
| NZE164 | 1NZ-FE, 1.5L | 4WD | Petrol |
| NKE165 | 1NZ-FXE, 1.5L | 2WD | Hybrid |
Toyota Vitz (3rd generation)
| Code | Engine | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|
| KSP130 | 1KR-FE, 1.0L | 2WD | Petrol |
| NSP130 | 1NR, 1.3L | 2WD | Petrol |
| NSP135 | 1NR, 1.3L | 4WD | Petrol |
| NCP131 | 1NZ-FE, 1.5L | 2WD | Petrol |
| NHP130 | 1NZ-FXE, 1.5L | 2WD | Hybrid |
Honda Fit (2nd and 3rd generation)
| Code | Engine | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|
| GE6 / GE7 | 1.3L | 2WD / 4WD | Petrol (2007 to 2013) |
| GE8 / GE9 | 1.5L | 2WD / 4WD | Petrol (2007 to 2013) |
| GP1 | 1.3L | 2WD | Hybrid (2007 to 2013) |
| GK3 / GK4 | 1.3L | 2WD / 4WD | Petrol (2013 to 2020) |
| GK5 / GK6 | 1.5L | 2WD / 4WD | Petrol (2013 to 2020) |
| GP5 / GP6 | 1.5L | 2WD / 4WD | Hybrid (2013 to 2020) |
A small pattern helps: with the Honda Fit, the odd number is usually 2WD and the next even number is 4WD. Other makers have their own patterns, and they are not always this neat, so when you are not sure, check the listing or ask a senior colleague. Never guess the drive type for a buyer.
Step 7: Learn the auctions and the auction sheet
Many used cars in Japan are sold through car auctions. Japan has more than a hundred auction venues. The biggest group is USS, and TAA (Toyota's auction group) is another big one. You will also see names like JU, CAA, HAA Kobe, ARAI and LAA.
Cars sold at auction come with an auction sheet: the inspector's report with an overall grade (like 4.5), an interior grade (A to E), and codes for scratches and dents (like A1 or U2). We explain the whole sheet in how to read a Japanese car auction sheet. The sheet also uses short codes for equipment, which are good to know:
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| AC | Air conditioner |
| AAC | Automatic (climate control) air conditioner |
| PS | Power steering |
| PW | Power windows |
| SR | Sunroof |
| AW | Alloy wheels |
| TV | Television |
| 革 or カワ | Leather seats |
| AB or エアB | Airbag |
Step 8: Learn the price terms and shipping
Every price you give must say what it includes. The three terms you will use every day:
- FOB: the car plus the costs in Japan, until it is loaded on the ship.
- CNF: FOB plus the shipping cost to the buyer's port.
- CIF: CNF plus marine insurance.
Most cars travel by RoRo, where the car is driven onto a special ship and driven off at the port. Some go in a container. Many countries also need the car to be inspected in Japan before shipping. You can read more in our guides on FOB vs CNF vs CIF, RoRo vs container shipping and pre-shipment inspection.
Step 9: Know your markets
Every country has its own rules and its own favourite cars. Learning your main markets well is what makes a good agent. For each country you sell to, try to know:
- Age limit. Some countries don't accept cars over a certain age, or charge much higher tax on older cars. For example, Kenya only accepts used cars up to 8 years old from first registration.
- Steering side. Most of East and Southern Africa and the Caribbean drive on the left and use right-hand drive (RHD) cars. A few countries, like DR Congo, drive on the right and use left-hand drive (LHD).
- Port. Countries with no sea receive cars through a neighbour's port. Malawi and Zambia, for example, often get their cars through Dar es Salaam, and also through ports like Beira or Durban.
- Inspection. Whether the country needs a pre-shipment inspection, like Tanzania and Kenya do.
- Time difference. East Africa is about 6 hours behind Japan, Southern Africa about 7 hours, and the Caribbean about 13 to 14 hours. Message customers when they are awake.
- Currency, phone code and popular banks, so you understand the customer's situation.
Rules change, especially taxes and age limits. Make your own notes for each country, but always check the current rules with the country's official sources or your company before you promise a buyer anything.
Popular cars, from our own sales experience
This isn't official data, just what we see buyers ask for most often:
- Tanzania: Toyota IST, Noah, Harrier, Alphard, Premio, Rumion
- Malawi: Honda Fit, Nissan X-Trail, Toyota Axio, Mazda Demio, Toyota Ractis
- Zambia: Toyota Allion and Premio, Axio, Vitz, Hiace, Mitsubishi Canter
- Zimbabwe: Honda Fit and Vezel, Toyota Wish, Axio and Fielder, Nissan Note
- Caribbean (Guyana, Jamaica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis): Toyota Aqua and Vitz, Honda Fit and Vezel, Suzuki Swift
- Papua New Guinea: Toyota Hilux, Land Cruiser Prado, Hiace
Prices change every day with the year, mileage and condition of each car, so learn prices from the live website, not from a list. The best way to know the latest prices is to ask your colleagues who are selling cars in that region. They see what buyers are paying right now, and in this business, that is worth more than any price list.
Step 10: Know how payment works, and keep customers safe
Customers pay by bank transfer (TT) to Japan. Scammers sometimes pretend to be BeForward and send fake bank details, so this part matters a lot. BeForward's own Security Notice says payments go only to BE FORWARD CO., LTD. at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, that the only official website is www.beforward.jp, and that customers can call the Tokyo office to check if anything looks unusual. Read the full Security Notice once, and tell your customers: never pay to any other account name, even if a message says the account has changed.
Step 11: Find your buyers, and contact them the right way
All this knowledge only helps if you have buyers to talk to. When you start, you probably don't have a list of customers or car dealers yet, so your first real job is to find them. These are the best places to look:
- Online business directories. Many countries have directories that list car dealers and importers with their email addresses and phone numbers.
- Car dealer groups on Facebook. These are one of the richest sources of serious buyers. Many big dealers and importers are active in them, posting what they sell and what they want to buy.
- WhatsApp car communities. Join car trading groups and communities in your markets. Dealers and buyers share their contact details there and often say exactly which cars they are looking for.
Email first, phone number second
When you find a buyer, try to get their email address first. When you enter a buyer's email in BeForward's system while preparing a proforma invoice (PI), you can see useful details about them, such as whether they are already registered with BeForward and how active they have been. That helps you understand who you are talking to before you start.
If you can't find an email, but the buyer clearly has a strong presence on social media, like an active dealer page or regular car posts, then contact them by phone number on WhatsApp instead.
Whichever way you reach them, be respectful. Follow each group's rules, introduce yourself properly, and don't send the same message to hundreds of people at once. If someone says they are not interested, thank them and move on. Agents who are polite and helpful get remembered, and the ones who spam get blocked.
Step 12: Write your own first message
Your first message to a new customer sets the tone, so don't copy someone else's. Write your own intro message, in your own style, one that makes buyers want to reply. A good intro usually:
- says who you are and which company you work for
- tells the buyer, in one or two lines, how you can help them
- asks them to save your number, so they can see your offers
- invites them to tell you what car they are looking for
- stays short, polite and easy to read on a phone
Try a few versions and keep the one that gets the most replies. Buyers get messages from many agents, so a message that sounds like you, and not like everyone else, helps you stand out.
After that, promote cars well and quickly. Our guides on writing promotions that get replies and the first hour after new stock arrives will help.
Remember: it's a journey
That's a lot of information, and again, you don't need to remember all of it today. Every agent you admire once had to ask what FOB means or what NZE161 is. You will pick it up one customer at a time. Keep this page saved, and whenever you forget something, come back and read that step again. That's exactly what it's here for.