[Topic 280] It is not 'product strength' that locks in customers. Learning from ASICS: The true nature of the 'Running Ecosystem' companion business
Last night, I happened to look at a marathon finisher's medal on my desk and thought: 'Running' is merely a single 'point.' However, it is the story before and after that event that truly moves people's hearts.
By the time you finish reading this article, you will have graduated from the perspective of viewing your company's services as mere 'points' and will be drawing up a blueprint for an exciting business that supports the 'plane' of a customer's life.
Article Summary
ASICS has introduced the Japanese version of 'Run Concierge,' an AI-powered platform to support runners. By providing centralized information on courses and aid stations, they are attempting to lower the barrier to entry for runners. They are building a 'Running Ecosystem' that engages with the entire customer experience—from practice, travel, and lodging to the run itself and post-run care—rather than just selling shoes. By viewing the race as a 'plane,' they aim to lock in customers and lay the groundwork for reaching 1 trillion yen in sales. (Source: Nikkei MJ, May 8, 2026)
3 points you can practice starting tomorrow
Inventory of the 'plane': Write down what kind of preparations customers make and what emotions they feel before and after using your product.
Consolidation of information: Consider whether your company can use AI or lists to proactively solve the frustrations customers feel when they think 'it's a hassle to look up' information while using your service.
Experience design: Co-create what kind of 'personal enjoyment' (such as hot springs or souvenirs for family) awaits the customer after they use the product.
The 'customer pain' behind the news
The essence of 'Run Concierge' is not just the convenience provided by AI. It is a service designed to address the pain that every human being carries: the loneliness and anxiety of taking on a new challenge..
Many companies compete on 'product specs,' but from the customer's perspective, that only has the value of a 'point.' However, ASICS has declared that they 'view the race as a plane.' They have defined everything—travel, lodging, meals, and even the sense of fulfillment after crossing the finish line—as their scope of responsibility.
'How far can we accompany the customer's life after the sale?'
Only companies that step into this territory can escape the swamp of price competition and become an 'indispensable partner' to their customers.
Practice: What you can do on the front lines starting tomorrow
You don't need special AI. Start by imagining the 'before and after' of the services your company provides.
A word from the CEO to employees tomorrow
'Can you think of any small improvements that would allow customers who used our product to tell their families afterward, "I'm glad I did that"?'
Kojima-style: Customer Experience Map Creation Framework
Pre-stage (Removing anxiety): What are the 'invisible walls' customers face before deciding to purchase?
Actual performance (Improving the experience): Is there anything they think 'I wish it were like this' while using it?
Post-stage (Expanding the story): How can you stage the 'seeds of a story' (souvenirs, memories, sense of achievement) that customers will want to share with family and friends after using it?
Bonus: Ideas for a change of pace
The real thrill of a marathon lies in the sense of liberation after crossing the finish line. What I would like to propose is an experience design where 'the event isn't over until you get home'.
If I were a marathon event planner, I would incorporate a service that uses AI to provide real-time recommendations for 'hot spring maps to soothe post-race fatigue' or 'must-visit local shops on the way home (souvenir list)'. Alternatively, a feature that matches participants heading in the same direction as 'post-race celebration buddies' would also be interesting.
The organizers should provide the narrative of 'a reward for your hard work.' If they do that, runners will definitely return to that event again.
A cheer from the CEO's advisor
Does your current service end as just a 'product' for the customer? Or have you become part of their 'story'—their memories?
Management is like a marathon; it is lonely. But you always have your employees by your side, and above all, your customers. Let's start running alongside them, sweating together and becoming a part of the customer's story.
#CEOAdvisor #OwariIchinomiya #NewBusiness #SMEmanagement #MarathonEvent #CustomerExperience #ManagementStrategy #ASICS #AIUtilization #RunningEcosystem