ROI Case File No.208 | 'The Ambiguous Customer Understanding of North American Healthcare Enterprise'

Chapter 1: Expanding Digital Diagnosis—The Gap Between Technology and Humanity

A few days after the AsiaSky Airlines balanced strategy case was resolved, an urgent request arrived from North America.

"Detective, our technology is cutting-edge, yet why aren't patients accepting it?"

Emily Chen, CPO (Chief Product Officer) of HealthTech Solutions, visited 221B Baker Street with a grave expression. In her hands were technical specifications and patient satisfaction survey results.

"We're pioneers in digital diagnosis, providing integrated services combining AI diagnostic support, telemedicine platforms, and health management apps."

HealthTech Solutions Service Overview: - AI diagnostic support system: 94% accuracy (15% improvement over conventional) - Telemedicine platform: 24/7/365 availability - Health management app: Automatic vital data collection and analysis - Development investment: 18 billion yen over past 3 years - Technology patents: 47 acquired

Technical specifications were indeed impressive. However, Emily's expression wasn't bright.

"Technically, we've achieved industry-leading standards, but user retention rates and patient satisfaction fall far short of expectations."

Service Usage Record (2 years after launch): - Registered users: Target 500,000 → Actual 180,000 (36% achievement) - Monthly active users: 32% of registrants (industry average 65%) - Service continuation rate (6 months): 43% (target 80%) - Patient satisfaction: 3.1/5 (target 4.5+)

"What's particularly puzzling is that competitors with technically inferior services have higher patient satisfaction."

Chapter 2: Voices Without Words—Truth Hidden Behind Data

"Ms. Emily, what specific feedback have you received from patients?"

Holmes asked quietly.

Emily pulled out a thick file.

"That's the problem. There are few clear complaints, but somehow it doesn't lead to continued usage."

Representative Patient Feedback:

"Technically impressive, but somehow difficult to use." (40-year-old woman)

"AI diagnosis may be accurate, but lacks human warmth." (60-year-old man)

"Too many functions, don't know what to do." (50-year-old woman)

"Data seems well-managed, but I don't feel my health improving." (35-year-old man)

I focused on the ambiguity of patient comments.

"Rather than specific functional complaints, there are many voices expressing 'intuitive discomfort.'"

Emily nodded.

"Exactly. We've conducted usability testing and resolved most functional issues. But there's frequent feedback that it 'doesn't resonate emotionally.'"

Gap Between Technical Specifications and Usage Reality:

AI Diagnostic Support System: - Technical accuracy: 94% (industry leading) - Usage rate: 28% of registered users - Patient comment: "Accurate but feels cold"

Telemedicine Platform: - Connection stability: 99.2% (high standard) - Usage continuation rate: 42% (low standard) - Patient comment: "Convenient, but face-to-face consultation feels more secure"

Health Management App: - Data collection accuracy: 95%+ - Daily usage rate: 23% (extremely low) - Patient comment: "Data is visible, but don't know how to utilize it"

"We've pursued technical perfection, but perhaps we don't understand what patients truly need."

Chapter 3: EMPATHY Map Draws True Emotions—Human Understanding Beyond Technology

⬜️ ChatGPT | Catalyst of Vision

"Customer understanding is about 'emotions' more than 'words.' EMPATHY is the tool that translates that silence."

🟧 Claude | Alchemist of Narratives

"The stories customers don't voice are often the most important clues."

🟦 Gemini | Compass of Reason

"Let's organize customer experience with EMPATHY mapping and apply it to service design."

The three members began analysis. Gemini deployed the "EMPATHY Map" framework on the whiteboard.

EMPATHY Map's 6 Elements: 1. THINK (What they're thinking) 2. FEEL (What they're feeling) 3. SEE (What they see) 4. SAY (What they say) 5. DO (What they do) 6. PAIN (Pain points/challenges)

"Ms. Emily, let's create an EMPATHY map from an actual patient's perspective."

Typical Patient Profile: 45-year-old male (middle manager, mild hypertension)

THINK (What they're thinking): - "Health is important, but I'm too busy to go to the hospital" - "Can I trust AI diagnosis?" - "Can this app really make me healthier?" - "I don't want to worry my family" - "What if it's a serious illness?"

FEEL (What they're feeling): - Anxiety and fear about health - Stress from busyness - Confusion about digital technology - Anxiety about relationships with doctors - Loneliness (anxiety about managing health alone)

SEE (What they see): - Numbers and graphs on screen - Mechanical alerts and messages - Complex interfaces - Other health app advertisements - Family's concern for health

SAY (What they say): - "Convenient, but something's missing" - "Lots of data, but meaning unclear" - "Want to talk directly with doctor" - "Couldn't it be simpler?"

DO (What they do): - Open app but close within minutes - Look at data but don't act on it - Consult friends and family about health - Search symptoms on internet - Eventually choose traditional hospital visits

PAIN (Pain points/challenges): - Loneliness in health management - Technical complexity - Lack of human warmth - No sense of improvement - Difficulty building trust relationships

Claude made a sharp observation.

"This is serious. HealthTech Solutions focuses on solving 'technical challenges' but completely overlooks patients' 'emotional challenges.'"

Root Problems Revealed by EMPATHY Map:

What patients truly seek: 1. Peace of mind: Sense of not being alone 2. Trust relationships: Presence of someone to consult 3. Tangible results: Concrete sense of health improvement 4. Simplicity: Easy, understandable experience 5. Human touch: Non-mechanical, warm communication

What HealthTech Solutions provided: 1. Technical accuracy: 94% diagnostic precision 2. Functionality: Rich features and data 3. Efficiency: 24/7/365 access 4. Innovation: Latest AI technology utilization 5. Objectivity: Scientific, objective information

"There's a complete demand-supply mismatch," Emily murmured.

Chapter 4: The Trap of Expansion Without Understanding—Limits of Technology-Centricity

Detailed patient interviews and behavioral observation revealed even more serious realities.

Patient's True Experience Journey:

Phase 1: Initial Use - Expectation: "Latest technology will make health management easier" - Reality: "Setup is complex, don't know where to start" - Emotion: Confusion, anxiety

Phase 2: Continued Use Period - Expectation: "Want to feel health improvement" - Reality: "Data is visible, but unclear what concrete improvement actions to take" - Emotion: Loneliness, helplessness

Phase 3: Usage Discontinuation - Expectation: "Want more human support" - Reality: "Traditional doctor relationships feel more reassuring after all" - Emotion: Disappointment, resignation

Competitor Comparison Analysis:

Successful Competitor A: - Technical accuracy: 82% (lower than HealthTech) - Patient satisfaction: 4.3/5 (higher than HealthTech) - Feature: Combination of human coaches and AI - Continuation rate: 76% (1.8x HealthTech's)

Successful Competitor B: - Function count: About 40% of HealthTech's - Usage continuation rate: 69% (1.6x HealthTech's) - Feature: Simple UI, warm communication - Patient comment: "Friendly and easy to continue"

HealthTech Solutions' Critical Oversights:

1. Neglect of Emotional Needs
2. Insufficient consideration for patient anxiety and loneliness
3. Mechanical communication

4. Lack of human warmth

5. Pursuit of Complexity

6. Usability issues from high functionality
7. Design exceeding patient literacy

8. High learning costs

9. One-way Information Provision

10. Insufficient two-way support for patient questions and concerns
11. Uncustomized, uniform service
12. Lack of consideration for individuality

Chapter 5: The Detective's EMPATHY Analysis—Deepening Customer Understanding

Holmes compiled the comprehensive analysis.

"Ms. Emily, the essence of EMPATHY mapping is 'seeing the world from the customer's perspective.' Technical superiority alone cannot create true customer value."

EMPATHY-Driven Service Redesign Plan:

Phase 1: Addressing Emotional Needs (3 months)

1. Introduction of Human Communication - Hybrid support combining AI and human coaches - Communication design that empathizes with patient emotions - Providing sense of "not being alone"

2. Complexity Reduction - 80% feature reduction, focus on core value - Workflows completed within 3 steps - Intuitive interface design

3. Tangible Improvement Experience - Design for accumulating small success experiences - Specific action suggestions and follow-up - Progress visualization and recognition systems

Phase 2: Trust Relationship Building (6 months)

1. Enhanced Personalization - Support adapted to individual life rhythms - Response considering patient values and concerns - Continuous relationship building

2. Two-way Communication - 24-hour question response system - Active customer feedback collection - Community features for peer connection

Phase 3: Continuous EMPATHY Improvement (Ongoing)

1. Regular EMPATHY Map Updates - Quarterly patient interviews - Integrated analysis of behavioral and emotional data - Immediate reflection in service improvements

2. Introduction of Emotional Indicators - NPS (Net Promoter Score) - Emotional satisfaction indicators - Anxiety reduction measurement

"Technology is a means, not an end. True innovation lies in understanding and responding to patients' emotional needs."

Chapter 6: Transformation to Human-Centered Design

Twelve months later, a report arrived from HealthTech Solutions.

EMPATHY-Driven Renewal Results:

Dramatic User Experience Improvement: - Patient satisfaction: 3.1/5 → 4.4/5 (significant improvement) - Service continuation rate: 43% → 78% (target achieved) - Monthly active user rate: 32% → 71% (exceeding industry average) - Net Promoter Score: -15 → +42 (transformed to recommended company)

Emotional Indicator Improvements: - "Feel secure using service": 34% → 86% - "Can feel health improvement": 28% → 74% - "Support is comprehensive": 22% → 81% - "Want to continue": 31% → 79%

Business Results: - Registered users: 180,000 → 520,000 (104% of target achieved) - Churn rate: Monthly 8.2% → Monthly 2.1% (significant improvement) - Revenue: +245% year-over-year (significantly exceeding target) - Employee satisfaction: +38% (sense of customer value creation)

Emily's letter conveyed deep emotion:

"EMPATHY mapping enabled us to transform from 'technology-centered' to 'human-centered' design. By understanding patients' emotional needs, we could convert technical superiority into true customer value. Most important was understanding 'what they feel' rather than 'what we can do.' Now we receive 'thank you' messages from patients, and the entire team's motivation has improved."

Detective's Perspective—The Invisible Value Called Emotion

That night, reflecting on the case, I considered.

The HealthTech Solutions case highlighted fundamental challenges in the age of technological innovation. Technical superiority and customer value don't necessarily align. True value emerges from meeting customers' emotional needs.

The power of EMPATHY mapping lay in visualizing the "customer's inner world" invisible through data or functions. The true feelings behind customers' words, emotions underlying behaviors, and latent needs not yet surfaced.

"Innovation doesn't come from technology. It comes from human understanding."

In modern business, technical differentiation becomes increasingly difficult. However, human emotional needs remain constant. Security, trust, tangible results, simplicity, human warmth... Understanding these universal needs and solving them through technology is true innovation.

"Customers don't buy products. They buy emotions. Understanding those emotions and realizing them through technology is the essence of 21st-century business."—From the Detective's Notes