[Agenda 284] What 100-yen shops have proven is that what management needs is not AI, but a 'decisive algorithm'

"President, if you don't use AI, you'll fall behind the times. You need to adopt the success stories of other companies quickly." Are you being rushed by frontline employees or consultants, driven by a sense of impatience? You are overwhelmed with daily tasks and cannot even find time to envision the future. In my 25 years of founding and running a business, I have met many executives who spend sleepless nights just like this.

However, the words of Seria's President Kawai quietly and sharply shatter that impatience. By the time you finish reading this article, you should be freed from the pressure of "blind faith in AI" and filled with the essential excitement of polishing your company's value.

Article Summary

[Summary] Seria President Kawai, who sticks to the 100-yen uniform price, values judgments based on his "company's own algorithm" more than excessive AI utilization. Starting from point-of-sale data rather than customer attribute data, he optimizes the trends of long-tail product groups using the physical metric of "volume." While other companies are losing their way, he continues to polish the strength of "simplicity" and maintains steady store openings and growth. The essence of business lies in sensing changes quickly and tuning them decisively.

[3 Key Points]

• Value that prevents hesitation: The clear rule of "100-yen uniform price" eliminates "choice fatigue" for consumers overwhelmed by information.

• Proprietary algorithm: A sense of responsibility to tune inventory and logistics parameters yourself, rather than relying entirely on AI.

• Discerning customer data: Trusting only the facts on the ground—whether it is "actually picked up"—rather than age or gender.

The "customer pain" behind the news

Deep dive: Consumers are tired of "hesitating"

We tend to harbor the illusion that "if we have data, we can see the right answer." However, President Kawai's words, "Customers do not want to worry," express the genuine pain of consumers. In today's world, where all kinds of information are flooding in, customers harbor latent anxieties about "not wanting to fail" and "finding it troublesome to choose."

Perspective of a strategist: "Facts" on the ground are the greatest asset

When I was in the field handling complaints, what I learned most was that "customers tell the truth through their actions more than their words." The reason Seria discards age and gender data and focuses on sales data and stock-out data—what sold when something was missing—is that it is the most honest "customer will."

What an executive should believe in is not expensive analysis tools, but only the "quiet fact" that the customer in front of them put an item in their basket.

Practice: Things you can do on the ground starting tomorrow

Small steps: Start with a "word" to your employees

No budget or meetings are required. Tomorrow, try asking the members working on the front lines this question:

"When using our store (service), what do you think customers feel they can 'buy (or order) without hesitation'?"

Before looking at data, articulate the "facts" happening on the ground as a team. From there, your company's unique "rule (algorithm)" will be born.

The Kojima-style framework

Here are some tips for organizing your thoughts and reconstructing your company's value.

Bonus: Ideas for a change of pace

A shift in perspective: A rich half-day spent on 'Sunday DIY'

If I were the manager of a Seria store in town, I would create a 'Sunday DIY' corner in the store. For families who haven't decided where to go on their day off, or for business people who only have half a day off, I would propose 'DIY kits and recipes that can be completed within a budget of 500 yen'.

I would gather the finished products and necessary materials on one shelf and place simple instruction pamphlets there. The joy of completion is something customers gain by moving their own hands and minds. What I am selling is not just plastic products, but the time of 'a Sunday afternoon spent laughing together as parent and child.' Please design the moment at your storefront where 100-yen parts turn into 'seeds of creativity' that enrich your customers' lives.

A cheer from your corporate advisor

Finally, let me ask you one question.

Does your company have a refined, unique set of rules that you can confidently say, 'This is where we are the best,' even without complex tools?

Management is not a journey of constantly searching for the right answer. It is about creating a 'comfortable rhythm' where you can adjust parameters with your own hands and share the joy of small changes in the field. When you are lost, please come to Ichinomiya to see me anytime.

Let's sweat together.

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