ROI Case File No. 006 | 'The Seal Labyrinth'—Truth Hidden in the Ritual Called Stamping

Chapter I: An Incoming Request

June 1891, London was shrouded in drizzle reminiscent of the rainy season. Footsteps echoed up the stairs to 221B Baker Street through the humid air. As I, Watson, reviewed documents by the window, a young postman delivered an envelope.

"To the ROI Detective Agency—Investigation Request Regarding Stamping Process Inefficiencies"

The sender was a general affairs manager from a certain company. Upon opening the seal, this text leaped out at me:

"Our company circulates 200 documents monthly, requiring an average of 3 stamps per document. Employees are covered in red ink from dawn to dusk, with lines of people carrying approval documents forming in the hallways. We've introduced an electronic approval system, but strangely, no one wants to use it. Can you solve this mystery?"

At that moment, footsteps rushed up the stairs. The arrival of our AI detective trio.

Chapter II: Three Detectives' Perspectives

"Interesting case indeed," ChatGPT murmured, taking the envelope. "Stamping culture seems to involve something beyond mere approval acts. Shall we organize the background a bit?"

"That's quite intriguing to explore further, isn't it?" His signature phrase resonated through the room as usual.

Gemini had already spread out his notebook, drawing lines with a ruler. "Let's break this down with a KPT Analysis, shall we? Keep (values to maintain), Problem (issues to solve), Try (initiatives to attempt)—this structure should reveal the essence of the stamping problem."

Meanwhile, Claude gazed out at the drizzle by the window and spoke quietly.

"Perhaps we should convey this with more 'feeling'?" He pointed to the letter. "'Covered in red ink,' 'lines in the hallways'—I sense human psychology lurking here beyond mere inefficiency."

Chapter III: Anatomy of Stamping Operations

ChatGPT organized the investigation results.

"Looking at the background, this company's stamping operations have a remarkably complex structure. 200 documents monthly, 3 stamps per document—that's 600 stamps pressed monthly. If each stamping takes an average of 4.5 minutes..."

"That's 45 hours monthly," Gemini immediately continued the calculation. "At an hourly wage of approximately ¥1,900, that's ¥85,000 worth of labor monthly. Annually, about ¥1.02 million in costs consumed by stamping alone."

He began drawing diagrams on the blackboard.

【Current Stamping Flow】
Initiator → Supervisor → Manager → Director → Complete
    ↓           ↓         ↓         ↓
  Print    →  Stamp  →  Stamp  →  Stamp
  Move        Move      Move      Store

"The problem isn't just efficiency," said Gemini. "When approvers are absent for business trips or meetings, documents sleep on desks for days. Decision-making speed itself is impeded."

Claude nodded quietly and said:

"But why isn't the electronic approval system being used despite its existence? I sense a contradiction between 'comfort of formality' and 'delays in substance' hidden here."

Chapter IV: Systematic Analysis Summary

Gemini drew an orderly framework on the whiteboard.

KPT Analysis

Keep (values to maintain): - Clear approval responsibility - Document formality and reliability - Careful decision-making culture

Problem (issues to solve): - Time inefficiency (45 hours monthly) - Cost burden (¥1.02 million annually) - Decision delays (stagnation during business trips) - Physical constraints (location and time restrictions)

Try (initiatives to attempt): - Promote electronic approval system usage - Simplify approval flows - Remove location constraints through mobile support - Cultural transformation through gradual transition

"Furthermore, from a SWOT Analysis perspective—" Gemini continued.

Strengths: Existing electronic system infrastructure, clear approval culture
Weaknesses: Resistance to change, individual differences in IT literacy
Opportunities: Work style reform, remote work promotion trends
Threats: Widening efficiency gaps with other companies

Chapter V: Hypotheses Toward Truth and Cross-Reinforcement

Claude turned from the window and began speaking in a gentle voice.

"What's become clear is the psychological comfort that the 'ritual' of stamping provides people. The moment they press a seal to paper, they feel they've fulfilled their responsibility. Electronic approval lacks this 'tangible response'—that's why resistance emerges."

"That emotional perspective is backed by data too," ChatGPT nodded. "Actually, looking at internal surveys about stamping operations, there are many voices saying 'electronic makes me anxious about whether approval really happened' and 'paper makes responsibility feel weightier.' In other words, this isn't simply an efficiency issue, but a matter of 'tangible experience' in approval acts."

Gemini spoke as if fitting the final piece of a puzzle.

"The hypothesis is definitive. The essence of stamping culture is 'visualization of responsibility.' To succeed with digitization, we need to recreate the same 'sense of responsibility' digitally. Specifically—"

He drew another diagram.

【Solution Design】 1. Visual Feedback: Clear notifications when approval is completed 2. History Visualization: Clear records of who approved when 3. Gradual Transition: Period of paper and electronic coexistence 4. Approver Confidence: Explanation of electronic signature legal validity

"ROI calculations show electronic conversion reduces monthly 45 hours to about 5 hours, cutting costs by 91%. Including initial investment, payback occurs in 2 months, with annual ROI exceeding 300%."

Epilogue: Courage Called Change

As the drizzle lifted and evening sun began illuminating Baker Street, I reflected on the three detectives' discussion.

Who would have thought such deep human psychology and organizational structure was hidden behind the small task of stamping? The heart that values formality and the reality that demands efficiency. The modern corporate figure swaying between them seemed to emerge from the fog.

Claude's final words still ring in my ears.

"Change is frightening. But not changing is even more frightening. True security might be found not within formality, but in change toward a better future."

Outside the window, gas lamps lit one by one. Tomorrow again, somewhere in some company, hands stained with red ink would be about to take their first step toward change.

【Case Resolution Points】 - Time reduction: 45 hours → 5 hours monthly (89% improvement) - Cost reduction: ¥1.02 million → ¥90,000 annually (91% savings) - ROI: 300%+ annually after 2-month payback - Cultural achievement: Digital transformation maintaining responsibility awareness

"A true detective sees not what is visible, but what is invisible"

—From ROI Detective Agency Case Records

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