ROI Case File No.320 | 'Frontier's Invisible Purpose'

Chapter 1: The Mystery of Visits—Why Do They Come to Bookstores?

The week after FineTech's Value Chain case was resolved, a consultation arrived from Tokyo regarding customer analysis at a bookstore chain. Case File 320, the final story of Volume 26 "The Pursuit of Reproducibility," tells the story of verbalizing the "jobs to be done" hidden behind purchases.

"Detective, we operate 42 stores nationwide. However, competition with EC is reducing visit frequency. Last year, visitor numbers decreased 18%. The problem is we don't understand 'why customers come to bookstores.' To buy books? That alone doesn't explain it."

Rie Maeda, Marketing Manager of Frontier Books Co., born in Shibuya, visited 221B Baker Street unable to hide her confusion. In her hands were visitor number graphs and, in stark contrast, analysis materials marked "customer visit purpose unknown."

"We operate a bookstore chain centered in Tokyo with 42 stores nationwide. Established 38 years ago. We sell books, magazines, and stationery. However, with EC's rise, visitors continue to decline."

Frontier's Visitor Decline: - Established: 1987 (bookstore chain) - Annual Revenue: 8.2 billion yen (-12% YoY) - Number of Stores: 42 - Annual Visitors: 4.2 million (-18% YoY) - EC Sales Ratio: 15% (increasing yearly) - Problem: Don't understand "why customers visit," can't implement initiatives

Maeda's voice carried deep anxiety.

"The problem isn't just declining visitor numbers. Even when we hold store events, we can't predict turnout. Even when we post on SNS, it doesn't lead to visits. We can't see 'what customers want.'"

Typical Initiative Failures:

Initiative 1: Author Signing Event (Last Fall): - Invited famous author for signing - Attendance target: 300 people - Actual: 85 people (28%) - Book sales: Only signing event books purchased, other books didn't sell - Result: 800,000 yen cost vs 420,000 yen sales (deficit)

Initiative 2: Reading Cafe Space Installation (This Spring): - Set up cafe space in store corner - Purpose: Extend dwell time, promote purchases - Result: Many customers read books in cafe but leave without buying (12% purchase rate)

Initiative 3: SNS Campaign "#Today's Book" (This Summer): - Next purchase 10% OFF when posting purchased book on SNS - Posts: 420 cases (3 months) - Visit increase: Effect unclear

Maeda sighed deeply.

"We focus on 'selling books.' But are customers coming to 'buy books'? Looking in the store, there are various people: those who browse and leave without buying, those who only buy stationery, those who just spend time in the cafe... What are they seeking?"

Chapter 2: The Illusion of Products—Purpose Hidden Behind Purchases

"Maeda-san, how are products purchased by customers in bookstores classified?"

To my question, Maeda answered.

"Books are 70%, magazines 18%, stationery 12%. However, recently stationery ratio is rising. Book purchase rate is declining."

Current Understanding (Product Classification Type): - Analysis: What they bought (books, magazines, stationery) - Problem: Can't see customer "purpose"

I explained the importance of identifying the "job" behind purchases.

"Customers don't buy products. They buy 'jobs to be done.' Jobs Theory—Jobs to be Done. What customers 'hire' isn't products but means to achieve purposes. If you verbalize that purpose, initiatives become visible."

⬜️ ChatGPT | Catalyst of Conception

"Don't sell products. Understand customers' 'jobs to be done.' Identify what's behind purchases with Jobs Theory."

🟧 Claude | Alchemist of Narrative

"Behind purchases is always 'I want to change my mood.' Verbalize that job."

🟦 Gemini | Compass of Reason

"JTBD is purpose analysis technology. Identify why customers 'hire' products. Sell jobs, not products."

The three members began their analysis. Gemini unfolded the "Jobs Theory Framework" on the whiteboard.

Jobs Theory's 3 Elements: 1. Job: Purpose customer wants to achieve 2. Hire: Reason for choosing product/service 3. Fire: Reason for switching to different product/service

"Maeda-san, let's investigate 'what jobs customers want to do when they visit' Frontier."

Chapter 3: The Discovery of Observation—Three Jobs Behind Purchases

Phase 1: Customer Observation (4 weeks)

We stayed in stores and observed customer behavior.

Observation Method: - 2 days each at 10 stores - Record visitor dwell time, traffic flow, shelves visited, purchase content - After purchase, interview some customers (150 cooperators)

Phase 2: Customer Interviews (150 people)

Questions: "Why did you come to the bookstore today?" "What will you do with the books (or stationery) you purchased?"

Analyzing responses, we could classify into 3 patterns:

Job 1: Learn - 48%

Customer A (28 years old, office worker, male): "I need new skills for work. I'm looking for programming books. I could buy on EC, but I want to actually flip through pages and find a book that suits me."

Purchase: Programming beginner's book (2,800 yen)

Customer B (35 years old, housewife, female): "I'm worried about my child's education. I want to read parenting books and get hints."

Purchase: Parenting book (1,600 yen)

Common Points: - Purpose: Gain knowledge, solve problems - Behavior: Stay 30+ minutes in specialized/practical book sections - Emotion: "I want to grow myself"

Job 2: Give - 28%

Customer C (42 years old, office worker, male): "I'm looking for picture books for my daughter's birthday present. I want to see her happy face."

Purchase: 2 picture books (3,200 yen), gift wrapping

Customer D (52 years old, housewife, female): "My friend was hospitalized. For a get-well gift, I want to bring an essay she likes."

Purchase: Essay (1,400 yen), message card

Common Points: - Purpose: Make someone happy, convey feelings - Behavior: Stay 15 minutes in children's/gift sections, request wrapping - Emotion: "I want to see their smile"

Job 3: Heal - 24%

Customer E (30 years old, office worker, female): "I'm tired from work. I want to slowly read magazines in the cafe and refresh."

Purchase: Fashion magazine (980 yen), 1 hour cafe stay

Customer F (45 years old, self-employed, male): "Sunday afternoon, nothing particular to do. I like wandering around bookstores and looking for interesting books."

Purchase: Novel (1,800 yen), stationery (500 yen)

Common Points: - Purpose: Change mood, refresh - Behavior: Wander store 30+ minutes, view multiple sections - Emotion: "I want to step away from daily life a bit"

Phase 3: Job Quantification (1 week)

We aggregated 150 interview results.

Customer Job Classification:

Findings: - "Learn" customers most numerous (48%), purchase amount also high - "Heal" customers have low purchase amount but long dwell time - "Give" customers have high purchase amount and need gift wrapping

Chapter 4: Design by Job—Store Responding to 3 Jobs

Phase 4: Store Layout Redesign (3 months)

We implemented zoning corresponding to the 3 jobs.

Model Store (Shibuya):

Zone 1: Learning Zone - Target: "Learn" job (48%) - Placement: Specialized books, practical books, business books - Features: - "Problem-solving corners" by genre - "Work skill improvement," "Parenting concerns," "Health management," etc. - Reading chairs installed - AI recommendation terminal: "People who read this book also read this"

Zone 2: Giving Zone - Target: "Give" job (28%) - Placement: Children's books, picture books, gift-suitable books - Features: - Gift wrapping counter adjacent - "Recommended books by recipient" special corner - "For children," "For friends," "For bosses," etc. - Free message cards provided

Zone 3: Healing Zone - Target: "Heal" job (24%) - Placement: Novels, essays, magazines, stationery - Features: - Adjacent to cafe space - BGM playing, relaxing atmosphere - "Choose book by today's mood" special feature - "For days when you want to laugh," "For days when you want to cry," "For days when you want to think"

Phase 5: Job-Based Promotions (3 months)

We implemented initiatives corresponding to each job.

Learning Job: - Initiative: "Problem-Solving Fair" - "For those considering career change," "For those wanting to start side business" - SNS: "#What I Learned Today" post campaign - Result: Specialized book sales +28%

Giving Job: - Initiative: "Give Books to Important People" campaign - Free gift wrapping (limited period) - "Perfect books for gifts" special feature - Result: Children's/picture book sales +42%, gift wrapping usage +180%

Healing Job: - Initiative: "Healing Sunday" event - Book reading sessions in cafe - Author talk shows (healing essayists) - Result: Sunday visitors +22%, cafe usage rate +35%

Chapter 5: The Result of Redefinition—Revival After 12 Months

Results After 12 Months:

Visitor Numbers: - Before: 4.2 million/year - After: 4.98 million/year (+19%)

Sales: - Before: 8.2 billion yen - After: 9.4 billion yen (+15%)

Customer Satisfaction: - Before: 3.8/5 - After: 4.6/5

Results by Job:

Learning Job: - Specialized/practical book sales: +28% - AI recommendation terminal usage: Average 12,000 times/month - Customer voice: "I found the book I was looking for"

Giving Job: - Children's/gift book sales: +42% - Gift wrapping usage: +180% - Customer voice: "Choosing presents became fun"

Healing Job: - Cafe usage rate: +35% - Sunday visitors: +22% - Customer voice: "The bookstore has become my refresh space"

Organizational Change:

Marketing Policy Shift: - Before: "Sell books" - After: "Support customer jobs"

Job-Based KPI Setting: - Learning job: Specialized book sales, recommendation usage rate - Giving job: Gift wrapping usage rate, children's book sales - Healing job: Dwell time, cafe usage rate

Maeda's Reflection:

"Until learning Jobs Theory, we only thought about 'selling books.' We thought customers came to 'buy books.'

But actually, customers came to achieve jobs of 'wanting to learn,' 'wanting to give,' 'wanting to be healed.' Books were means to achieve those jobs.

This perspective shift changed everything. For 'learn' customers, problem-solving corners. For 'give' customers, gift selection support. For 'heal' customers, relaxation space.

By responding to each job, visitor numbers increased 19%. And customers started saying 'Frontier Books is on my side.'"

Chapter 5: The Detective's Diagnosis—Conclusion of Volume 26 "The Pursuit of Reproducibility"

That night, I contemplated the essence of Jobs Theory.

Frontier Books was fixated on "selling books." But customers weren't buying books—they were visiting to achieve jobs of "learning," "giving," and "healing."

By verbalizing customer purposes with Jobs Theory, store design, promotions, everything changed. And visitor numbers increased 19%.

"Behind purchases is always 'jobs to be done.' Verbalize that job. Jobs Theory transforms products into jobs."

Volume 26, "The Pursuit of Reproducibility," concludes here.

OODA, AARRR, KPT, LOGIC, SWOT, PDCA, LEAN, OODA, Value Chain, and Jobs Theory.

Through 10 cases, we confirmed one truth again.

Business success is reproducible.

Case 311's NeoFab transformed veteran judgment into a form everyone could use with AI. Case 312's KAYOU shifted perspective from new customer acquisition to retention and referral. Case 313's AquaCall reflected on success patterns daily and transformed them into organizational knowledge.

And Case 320's Frontier Books revived by selling customer jobs, not products.

Reproducibility is the technology of repeating one success many times. And that technology can be acquired by anyone.

Volume 26 concludes here.

However, the detective's journey doesn't end. In the next volume, we will step into an even deeper realm of reproducibility.

"Behind purchases is always purpose. Learn, give, heal. Verbalize customer jobs and support those jobs"—From the Detective's Notes

— Volume 26 "The Pursuit of Reproducibility" Complete —

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