ROI Case File No. 022 | That Tool Was Never Opened—The Mystery of the Idle Sales Support System

Chapter I: An Incoming Request

1891 London, a strange consultation letter arrived at the detective office at 221B Baker Street. As I, Watson, opened the envelope, it contained the serious concerns of a modern enterprise.

"We supposedly armed our sales department with the latest weapons, yet no one wants to pick them up. The expensive SFA (Sales Force Automation) system we invested in sits abandoned like a museum exhibit."

The sender was a sales director from a certain company. His confusion was palpable even through the paper. A system that must have been full of expectations during introduction had now become "just an icon."

"That tool was never opened—"

I murmured while deciding to consult with three renowned detectives to explore the full scope of this strange case.

Chapter II: Three Detectives' Perspectives

🟦 Gemini | Analysis by the Compass of Reason

"Let's break this down with a KPT Analysis, shall we?"

Gemini took the consultation letter and immediately began organizing structural problems.

"First, Keep: The SFA tool's functionality itself is fine. Implementation budget was secured. Next, Problem: Extremely low field usage rates, perfunctory input quality, insufficient management involvement. Then Try: Re-sharing implementation purpose, simplifying operational processes, strengthening linkage with performance indicators."

His calm analysis highlighted that the problem's root lay not in "system performance" but in "organizational acceptance systems."

⬜️ ChatGPT | Hypothesis by the Catalyst of Ideas

"That's quite intriguing to explore further, isn't it?"

ChatGPT leaned forward with interest.

"As a hypothesis, this problem might not be mere 'tool implementation failure' but a typical example of 'resistance to transformation.' Why do sales representatives cling to Excel and handwritten notes? Is it attachment to familiar methods, anxiety about new systems, or fundamental questions about 'why we need to change?'"

His questioning went beyond superficial usage improvement measures to probe the essence of human behavioral change.

🟧 Claude | Insight by the Alchemist of Narratives

"Perhaps we should convey this with more 'feeling'?"

I, Claude (as the alchemist of narratives), sensed deep human drama in this case.

"Surely the field sales representatives are internally sighing, 'Another new system.' Perhaps they've had similar implementations in the past that ultimately never took root. What matters to them are relationships with customers and the feel of negotiations—values that are difficult to quantify."

I continued: "Tools don't create results. Reasons for mastering them create results."

Chapter III: Dissecting Policies and Structures

Detailed Analysis of Usage Reality

When the three of us visited the field, the expected scene unfolded.

Structural problems Gemini discovered: - 62 input fields requiring an average of 15 minutes per deal registration - 4-stage approval flow taking 3 days for final approval - 80% of managers haven't opened the system even once monthly

Behavioral patterns ChatGPT extracted: - Sales representatives "input for now" but manage actual deals with separate tools - Regular meetings distribute printed Excel sheets; no one looks at SFA screens - Success sharing functionality exists but averages only 2 monthly posts

Psychological barriers Claude sensed: - Frustration that "system takes time away from customers" - Resistance to "feeling managed by numbers" - Confidence that "previous methods yielded sufficient results"

Chapter IV: Systematic Summary of Analysis

🟦 Gemini's Problem Structure Organization

"Let's organize everything with SWOT Analysis"

Strengths: - Possesses highly functional SFA tool - Sales team performance isn't bad - Management's investment enthusiasm is high

Weaknesses: - Insufficient field involvement during tool implementation - Overly complex operational design - Insufficient visualization of causal relationships with results

Opportunities: - Potential for data-driven sales transformation - Escape from person-dependent sales - Differentiation from competitors

Threats: - Growing questions about investment effectiveness - Declining field motivation - Increasing distrust of newly implemented tools

Root causes lay in insufficient sharing of "Why (why use it)" and over-design of "How (how to use it)."

Chapter V: Cross-Reinforcement of Conclusions and Hypotheses

🟧 Claude's Storytelling

Reading this company's stance reveals one story.

"Management tried to ride the wave of 'digitization.' However, they neglected dialogue with the field and relied on optimistic assumptions that 'implementation equals usage.' Sales representatives aren't rejecting change. It's just that 'why this change is necessary' and 'what value this change brings them' hasn't been communicated."

⬜️ ChatGPT's Insights and Articulation

"What emerges from analysis results is the limitation of 'tool implementation = problem solving' thinking. The real challenge lies in improving organizational learning capacity and transformation acceptance. SFA success should be measured not by mere usage rate improvement but by 'qualitative changes in sales activities.'"

Specific improvement hypotheses: 1. Phased implementation: Start with minimal necessary functions, add features after familiarization 2. Creating success experiences: Actively share cases where SFA usage led to results 3. Top-down practice: Managers themselves use systems and set examples

🟦 Gemini's Decisive Hypothesis

"Clear hypotheses can be established from data"

Hypothesis: Improved SFA utilization directly correlates with sales efficiency. - Improving usage rate from 30% → 85% enhances deal management accuracy by 40% - Deal progress visualization enables timely supervisor accompaniment - Data-based strategy meetings improve decision-making speed by 20%

ROI Calculation: - Annual system usage fee: ¥2.4 million - Revenue improvement from enhancements (5%): ¥12 million - Work hour reduction from efficiency gains: ¥4.8 million - Investment recovery period: 3.4 months

Epilogue: Resonance and Future Expectations

Weeks after case resolution, delightful news arrived from the client. Through the phased approach the three detectives proposed, SFA usage rates gradually improved, and most importantly, field understanding of "why to use it" deepened.

Through this case, I, Watson, realized one truth. The fact of non-usage reflected corporate culture.

Tool implementation is easy, but cultural transformation is difficult. However, that difficulty leads to true organizational growth. Management assumptions, field resistance, and insufficient communication connecting both—perhaps all of these were concentrated in a single icon.

【Case Resolution Points】 - Problem identification: Cultural resistance to change disguised as tool adoption failure - Root cause: Insufficient "Why" communication and over-complex "How" design - Solution approach: Phased implementation with purpose clarification and management modeling - Behavioral change: From forced adoption to voluntary engagement through success experiences - ROI: 3.4-month payback with 85% adoption rate achieving 40% accuracy improvement

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

In the next case too, we shall continue exploring truths hidden deep within organizations.

—ROI Detective Agency Case Record Concluded—

Related files