ROI Case File No.377 | 'Cobalt Solutions Inc.'s 7-Year NFC Rechallenge'

Chapter 1: A 7-Year Rechallenge—But Customer Needs Are Invisible

The day after resolving Skyline Logistics Inc.'s RCD case, a consultation arrived regarding NFC technology implementation. Volume 30, "The Pursuit of Reproducibility," Case 377 tells the story of discovering customers' true jobs.

"Detective, we have a failure from 7 years ago. We considered implementing NFC technology, but technical hurdles were too high then, so we abandoned it. However, at a recent exhibition, I experienced the evolution of NFC technology. Information displays just by touching. No app required. This might solve our challenges. But what to use it for isn't clear."

Misaki Sasaki, Marketing Director of Cobalt Solutions Inc. from Roppongi, visited 221B Baker Street with an expression mixing anticipation and anxiety. In her hands were NFC implementation study materials from 7 years ago (2019 version), and in stark contrast, the latest technical proposal titled "NFC Technology Implementation Plan 2026."

"We are a commercial facility management company. 180 employees. Annual revenue of 8.5 billion yen. We operate 15 commercial facilities nationwide. But we have challenges with information dissemination. The information we send doesn't reach people except those interested."

Cobalt Solutions Inc.'s Current State: - Founded: 2005 (commercial facility management) - Employees: 180 - Annual revenue: 8.5B yen - Operated facilities: 15 facilities (shopping malls, mixed-use complexes) - Issues: Inefficient information dissemination, low app usage rate, difficult effect measurement

Deep anxiety permeated Sasaki's voice.

"Current information dissemination methods are as follows: Official app: 18,000 downloads (1.2% of visitors). Email newsletter: 8,500 subscribers (0.6% of visitors). SNS: 12,000 followers. Posters and digital signage: Installed at each facility. But all are ineffective."

Information Dissemination Reality:

Official App (Released 2022): - Downloads: 18,000 - Monthly active users: 3,200 (18%) - Main functions: Facility map, event information, coupon distribution - Development cost: 28M yen - Annual maintenance: 4.2M yen

Monthly visitors: 1.5 million App usage rate: 3,200 ÷ 1,500,000 = 0.21%

Critical Discovery: - 99.79% of visitors don't use the app - The hurdle of app installation is too high

Event Participation Rate Reality:

Case 1: Stamp Rally Event (August 2025) - Participation condition: App download required - Prize: 5,000 yen gift certificate (lottery 100 winners) - Promotion: 150 posters, 20 SNS posts - Participants: 850 (0.057% of visitors) - Cost: 2.5M yen (prizes, operations, promotion) - Cost per participant: 2,941 yen

Case 2: New Store Opening Event (November 2025) - Participation condition: None (open to all) - Prize: Novelty to first 500 - Promotion: 200 posters, 30 SNS posts - Participants: 4,200 (0.28% of visitors) - Cost: 1.8M yen - Cost per participant: 429 yen

Critical Discovery: - App-required events have extremely low participation (0.057%) - App-free events have 5× higher participation (0.28%) - But still, 99.72% of visitors don't participate

Sasaki sighed deeply.

"We want to know what NFC technology can do. Information dissemination, event management. We're considering using it for these. But we don't want to repeat the same failure from 7 years ago. What do customers truly want? We don't understand that."

Chapter 2: The Trap of Technology-First Thinking—Customers' Jobs Are Invisible

"Sasaki-san, do you believe implementing NFC technology will please customers?"

My question left Sasaki looking confused.

"Isn't that the case? I thought if information can be viewed just by touching, it would be convenient."

Current Understanding (Technology-First Approach): - Expectation: Provide convenience with NFC technology - Problem: Customers' true jobs are invisible

I explained the importance of discovering the jobs customers truly want to accomplish.

"The problem is thinking 'customers will be pleased if we implement technology.' JTBD—Jobs To Be Done. The jobs to be done. Customers don't 'purchase' products or services; they 'hire' them to 'get a job done.' What jobs do commercial facility visitors truly want to get done? By identifying these, we achieve reproducible value delivery."

⬜️ ChatGPT | Catalyst of Concepts

"Don't implement technology. Identify customer jobs with JTBD, and use NFC as a means to get those jobs done"

🟧 Claude | Story Alchemist

"Customers always come 'to get something done.' Focus on the job, not the technology"

🟦 Gemini | Compass of Reason

"Analyze JTBD's 3 elements. Functional job, emotional job, social job"

The three members began their analysis. Gemini displayed the "JTBD Framework" on the whiteboard.

JTBD's 3 Elements: 1. Functional Job: What to accomplish 2. Emotional Job: How to feel 3. Social Job: How to be perceived

"Sasaki-san, let's first identify the jobs visitors truly want to get done."

Chapter 3: Phase 1—Identifying Customers' True Jobs with JTBD

Step 1: Visitor Interviews (2 weeks)

Subjects: - Weekday visitors: 30 (housewives, seniors, remote workers) - Weekend visitors: 40 (families, couples, young people) - Total: 70

Question Design: 1. "Why did you come to this facility?" (Visit motivation) 2. "What do you want to do at the facility?" (Jobs to accomplish) 3. "Have you had any difficulties at the facility?" (Unsolved jobs) 4. "What information would make you happy?" (Information needs)

Interview Results Analysis:

Functional Jobs:

Job 1: "Want to find target stores" (52, 74%) - "First time at facility, don't know where restaurants are" - "Took 10 minutes to find restroom" - "Don't know where children's clothing stores are"

Job 2: "Want to know deals" (38, 54%) - "If there's a today-only sale, want to know" - "If there are coupons, want to use them" - "Want to know in advance about double point days"

Job 3: "Want to participate in events" (28, 40%) - "If there are children's events, want to participate" - "But downloading an app is troublesome" - "Want to participate quickly on the spot"

Emotional Jobs:

Job 4: "Don't want to waste time" (45, 64%) - "Wandering around looking for stores is stressful" - "Opening multiple apps to search for information is troublesome" - "Want to check quickly and act quickly"

Job 5: "Want to make new discoveries" (35, 50%) - "Want to find unknown stores" - "Want to know recommended products" - "But don't like pushy ads"

Social Jobs:

Job 6: "Want to spend enjoyable time with family/friends" (42, 60%) - "Want to participate in events children enjoy" - "Want friends to say 'you know good places'" - "Want experiences I can brag about on SNS"

Step 2: Job Prioritization (1 week)

Evaluation Axes: - X-axis: Importance (respondent percentage) - Y-axis: Unsolved level (current solution satisfaction)

Evaluation Results:

Critical Discovery: - Top priority job: "Find target stores" (74%, 85% unsolved) - Current facility maps (paper/app) don't solve it - Especially strong need for "know quickly, on the spot"

Chapter 4: Phase 2—Solving JTBD with NFC

Step 3: NFC Solution Design (2 weeks)

Solution for Job 1: NFC Tag Smart Map

Placement: - In front of elevators on each floor: 15 locations - Main entrance: 3 locations - In front of restrooms: 12 locations - Total: 30 locations

Functions: - Touch smartphone to NFC tag → Display facility map in browser - Show route from current location to destination - Display store hours and congestion in real-time - No app download required

Technical Specifications: - NFC tags: NFC Forum Type 2 (ISO 14443A) - URL: https://cobalt-map.jp/floor/{floor_id}/tag/{tag_id} - Read distance: Within 5cm - Compatible devices: iPhone (iOS 13+), Android (NFC-compatible models)

Solution for Job 3: NFC Tag Stamp Rally

Placement: - One NFC tag per store (20 participating stores)

Functions: - Touch NFC tag → Acquire stamp - Display stamp count in browser - Collect 5 → Display lottery screen - No app download required

Prizes: - 5 stamps: 500 yen coupon (usable immediately) - 10 stamps: 1,000 yen coupon - 15 stamps: 3,000 yen gift certificate (lottery 100 winners)

Months 1-2: Pilot Implementation (1 facility)

Implementation Facility: Roppongi Hills Store - Visitors: 120,000/month - Floors: 5 floors - Tenants: 85 stores

NFC Tag Installation: - For smart map: 30 locations - For stamp rally: 20 stores

Initial Cost: - NFC tags: 50 × 800 yen = 40K yen - Web system development: 1.8M yen - Design and installation: 400K yen - Total: 2.24M yen

Month 3: Effect Measurement

KPI 1: Smart Map Usage Rate - Touches: 8,500/month - Visitors: 120,000/month - Usage rate: 7.1%

Comparison: - App usage rate: 0.21% - NFC tag usage rate: 7.1% (33× higher)

KPI 2: Stamp Rally Participation Rate - Participants: 2,400 - Visitors: 120,000/month - Participation rate: 2.0%

Comparison: - Traditional (app required): 0.057% - NFC tags: 2.0% (35× higher)

KPI 3: Impact on Store Sales - Stamp rally participating stores' sales increase: Average +18% - Coupon usage rate: 78% (1,872 of 2,400) - Average purchase amount with coupon: 3,200 yen

KPI 4: Customer Satisfaction - Survey conducted (500 NFC tag users) - "Convenient": 427 (85%) - "Want to use again": 445 (89%) - "Easier than app": 462 (92%)

Months 4-6: Deployment to All 15 Facilities

Deployment Plan: - Smart map NFC tags 30 per facility - Stamp rally NFC tags 20 per facility - Total: 750 tags

Investment: - NFC tags: 750 × 800 yen = 600K yen - Web system expansion: 3.2M yen - Installation and operations: 1.8M yen - Total initial investment: 5.6M yen

Annual Effects (All 15 facilities, annualized):

Traditional App Development/Maintenance Cost Reduction: - Traditional plan: New app development 32M yen, annual maintenance 6M yen - NFC implementation: Initial 5.6M yen, annual maintenance 1.5M yen - Reduction: 32M - 5.6M = 26.4M yen (initial) - Reduction: 6M - 1.5M = 4.5M yen/year (maintenance)

Sales Increase from Stamp Rally Effect: - Participants: 2,400/month × 15 facilities = 36,000/month - Coupon usage rate: 78% - Average purchase amount with coupon: 3,200 yen - Monthly sales increase: 36,000 × 78% × 3,200 yen = 89.85M yen/month - Annual sales increase: 89.85M × 12 months = 1,078.2M yen/year - Profit increase (25% gross margin): 269.55M yen/year

Advertising Effect: - SNS posts (#NFCStampRally): Average 850/month - Reach: Estimated 1.2M people/month - Advertising equivalent value: 5M yen/month (60M yen/year)

Total Annual Effects: - Development cost reduction: 26.4M (initial) + 4.5M/year (maintenance) - Profit increase: 269.55M/year - Advertising effect: 60M/year First year total: 360.45M yen Following years: 334.05M yen/year

ROI: - (360.45M - 1.5M) / 5.6M × 100 = 6,331% - Payback period: 5.6M ÷ 358.95M = 0.016 years (6 days)

Chapter 5: Detective's Diagnosis—Discovering Customers' Jobs

That evening, I contemplated the essence of JTBD.

Cobalt Solutions Inc. had technology-first thinking: "customers will be pleased if we implement NFC technology." However, interviewing 70 customers revealed their true jobs.

Top priority job: "Find target stores" (74%, 85% unsolved) Second job: "Don't waste time" (64%, 80% unsolved) Third job: "Participate in events" (40%, 90% unsolved)

NFC technology was "hired" as a "means" to get these jobs done. Find stores with smart maps, easily participate in events with stamp rallies. No app download required, just touch.

What's important is focusing on jobs, not technology. NFC tag usage rate was 33× the app, stamp rally participation rate was 35× higher. And annual sales increased by 1,078.2M yen, ROI of 6,331%, payback in 6 days.

"Don't implement technology. Identify customer jobs with JTBD. Understand functional, emotional, and social jobs, and hire technology as a means to get those jobs done. This creates reproducible value delivery."

The next case will also depict the moment of discovering customers' true jobs.

"JTBD—Jobs To Be Done. Identify customer jobs. Functional jobs, emotional jobs, social jobs. By focusing on jobs rather than technology, true value emerges"—From the Detective's Notes

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