ROI Case File No. 060 | Beautiful Flowers Bloom in Good Soil

Chapter One: The Confusion Called Yearning

"We want to implement AI. But... we don't know what to use it for."

That afternoon's visitor to 221B Baker Street was the earnest-looking NextFabrics Business Planning Director. His business card read "Founded 1949 - Uniform Manufacturing Specialist," carrying the weight of 75 years of history.

"The world speaks of an AI boom. We cannot afford to be left behind, so we've set AI implementation within 2025 as our goal."

His voice carried both the urgency to keep pace with the times and profound bewilderment.

"But in reality, we don't know where to begin..." he sighed heavily. "Honestly, we can't see how AI could help a traditional manufacturing company like ours."

In that candid confession, I recognized the common concern of many modern enterprises. The yearning for AI implementation exists, but no concrete vision—this was far from unusual.

Chapter Two: The Danger of Foundationless Yearning

"A fascinating modern dilemma, Watson," Holmes observed, spreading NextFabrics' workflow documentation by the fireplace. Sales and administrative expense management sheets, procurement ledgers, inventory management forms, and customer negotiation records lay stacked before him.

"Before considering 'whether AI can be used,' we must first clarify 'which tasks don't need AI,'" Holmes murmured while flipping through the materials.

The reality was more complex than imagined. Customer communications still centered on fax and Excel. Order processing depended on specific personnel, and phone responses relied on individual skills. Data was scattered, and business processes were person-dependent.

"Here we clearly see the structure requiring 'RPA before AI,'" Holmes pointed out. "Before introducing flashy AI technology, organizing and standardizing foundational operations is urgent."

I nodded deeply. Indeed, beautiful flowers won't bloom from seeds sown in unprepared soil.

Chapter Three: The Eye for True Value

"AI isn't omnipotent magic. It demonstrates true value in 'tasks worth predicting.'"

Holmes stood and pointed to an old clock on the wall. Its hands marked time with perfect regularity.

"Time follows patterns. Similarly, business contains predictable patterns."

His analysis was systematic:

Phased AI Utilization Strategy - Phase One: AI analysis of past order patterns for inventory optimization and procurement timing prediction - Phase Two: Automatic classification of inquiries and initial response automation - Phase Three: Predicting customer need changes and applying insights to new product development

"What's important," Holmes turned around, "isn't implementing AI, but clarifying what you want to achieve through AI."

I was impressed. Purpose-driven rather than technology-driven thinking—this was the true starting point of digital transformation.

Chapter Four: Soil Improvement Blueprint (KPT Deduction Method)

I opened my investigation notebook to organize this phased transformation structure.

✅ KPT Soil Improvement Framework:

"I see," Holmes nodded with satisfaction. "This isn't technology implementation—it's corporate culture evolution."

Chapter Five: The Detective's Gardening Philosophy

"AI blooms beautiful flowers only on well-prepared foundations."

Holmes gazed quietly at the disorganized business flow diagrams the client had brought.

"The true culprit in this case was 'misunderstanding of sequence.' Many companies try to leap over foundation building and implement advanced technology immediately. But that's like building castles on sand."

He stood by the window, observing the street trees.

"First 'organize,' then 'teach'—this is the proper path to implementation. No rich harvest comes without soil improvement."

I was deeply moved by that metaphor. AI implementation isn't merely a technical project, but an opportunity to fundamentally review corporate growth soil.

"A company with 75 years of history possesses that much valuable soil," Holmes continued. "Leveraging that soil while adapting to new eras—this is true DX in its fullest sense."

Chapter Six: Sowing Seeds for a Blooming Future

As evening silence settled over the office, I reflected on the client's final expression.

"I thought AI implementation was about technology. But it's actually about re-examining how we ourselves work."

That realization was this case's greatest harvest.

AI implementation isn't future magic. It's an opportunity to review past and present.

NextFabrics' challenge represented a microcosm of contemporary dilemmas facing many traditional companies. The gap between yearning for new technology and actual business operations.

Yet Holmes showed us a hopeful path. AI implementation success depends not on adopting the latest technology, but on fundamental corporate health improvement.

AI cannot grow in organizations without structure.

Conversely, with proper soil preparation, AI seeds will surely bloom beautiful flowers. Data organization, process standardization, personnel education—these diligent tasks are the true shortcut to AI utilization.

AI utilization is soil reform itself.

A 75-year-old workwear manufacturer beginning its journey toward the next 75 years—that first step starts not with flashy AI technology, but with carefully cultivating the soil beneath their feet.

Beautiful flowers bloom only in good soil. And good soil is nurtured with time and loving care.

"True transformation begins with humble foundation building and eventually becomes beautiful flowers that color the world"—From the Detective's Journal