Hello, this is Matsubara, CRM Evangelist.

"Why offer a service with enterprise-grade features for small and medium-sized businesses at just 1,500 yen per month?"

I often receive questions like this from people who have used EMOROCO CRM Lite.

Indeed, when you see this CRM, which includes features such as customer and project management, map integration for route sales, workflow automation, security role management, and on-premise compatibility, it's understandable to wonder, "Why is it aimed at small and medium-sized businesses?"

This article will directly answer that question. It is a strategic "deliberate" decision, rooted in the essence of CRM.

As a premise, EMOROCO CRM Lite is not a "cut-down" tool.

First, we need to clear up some misunderstandings.

EMOROCO CRM Lite is not a tool that has had its features removed from an enterprise CRM to create a "cheaper version."

Arcus Japan, the developer, is a leading CRM company with over 20 years of experience in the CRM field, specializing in CRM implementation and consulting for large corporations.
This product condenses that track record and know-how, and was designed with "continued use in the field as the top priority."EMOROCO CRM Lite.

• Fully compatible with no-code workflows
• Map integration for route sales (features for field sales)Standard equipment）
• Workflow Automation
• Dashboard & Graph Analysis
• Security role management
• An infrastructure platform capable of handling big data
• Supports both cloud and on-premises environments.

These are features that are perfectly suitable for enterprise use. So why offer them to small and medium-sized businesses for just 1,500 yen per month? There's a deeper strategic intention behind it.

Reason ①: The markets where CRM hasn't reached are precisely the places that need the most transformation.

There are approximately 330 million small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Japan. However, the vast majority of them still rely on Excel spreadsheets or the memory of individual employees for customer management.

Why? The reason is simple.

Because there was no usable CRM available.

Salesforce costs tens of thousands of yen per month and requires an IT specialist. kintone requires significant setup time. Other CRMs either lack sufficient functionality or are difficult to use. In this situation, small and medium-sized business owners were forced to assume that "CRM is only for large corporations."

What Arcus Japan has observed over the past 20 years, while providing CRM support to large corporations, is the reality that "there are countless small and medium-sized enterprises that rely on individual efforts to build customer relationships, without being able to benefit from CRM."

To realize the philosophy of CRM 4.0 (Creative CRM), which emphasizes "treating customers as co-creation partners and leveraging those relationships to create a competitive advantage," the companies that need the most support are not enterprises, but small and medium-sized enterprises.

Reason #2: To solve the "CRM problem of not being used in the field," this was the only place we could start.

There is a major contradiction inherent in enterprise CRM.

The more advanced a product is, the less likely it is to be used in the field.

Many companies in Japan that have implemented CRM systems face the problem of "the system is in place, but the field staff aren't inputting the data." Why? Because the tool doesn't fit the workflow of the field staff, data entry is time-consuming, and training is required to use it effectively.

As a result, many companies end up implementing expensive CRM systems, but the data isn't entered, isn't utilized, and ultimately they revert to Excel—this is a pattern of failure that has been repeated by many businesses.

One of the reasons EMOROCO CRM Lite targets small and medium-sized enterprises is that it allows us to purely pursue a design that "users on the ground will want to use."

CRM systems for large corporations prioritize accommodating the complex organizational hierarchy, permissions, and approval flows. However, for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the primary focus can be on simplicity and adaptability to existing business processes.

The concept of developing a no-code solution tailored to your specific business needs stems from a design that prioritizes ease of use in the field.

Reason ③: Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the size that best enables the "co-creation" aspect of CRM 4.0.

The "treating customers as co-creation partners" approach outlined in CRM 4.0 is actually structurally easier for small and medium-sized enterprises to implement.

Large corporations have a vast number of customers, making it difficult to deeply engage with each individual. Their strategies inevitably become mass-oriented, and building relationships with individuals takes a backseat.

Meanwhile, in small and medium-sized enterprises:

• The person in charge knows the customer's face, challenges, and values.
• Fast decision-making and flexible responses tailored to each customer.
• Close relationships with customers naturally foster a foundation for co-creation.

These are all strengths that directly contribute to the "resonance and co-creation with customers" that CRM 4.0 aims for.

However, this strength currently exists only in the minds of individual employees. Designing, accumulating, and sharing it as an organizational "system"—that is the essential value that EMOROCO CRM Lite brings to small and medium-sized enterprises.

Reason ④ The mission to "raise the overall level of CRM in Japan," starting with a small-scale launch.

As a company that has been involved in the popularization of CRM for over 20 years, Arcus Japan has a strong sense of mission.

To raise the overall CRM literacy level in Japan.

Through our continued support of CRM for large corporations, we've come to realize that no matter how high-functioning a tool is, it's meaningless if there isn't a "culture of mastering" CRM.

Where does a culture of mastering CRM originate? It starts with each individual on the front lines accumulating experiences where they realize that "using CRM makes work easier" and "deepens relationships with customers."

Our long-term strategy at Arcus Japan is to spread this "CRM culture chain" throughout Japan: employees who start using EMOROCO CRM Lite at small and medium-sized enterprises take that experience with them when they change jobs, or their businesses grow and they migrate to enterprise CRM.

The price of 1,500 yen per month is the result of a decision to "maximize the number of people we can reach."

The road to the Enterprise starts here.

There's one more thing I'd like to tell you honestly.

EMOROCO CRM Lite is designed not as an end goal for small and medium-sized businesses, but as a starting point.

As your business grows, your customer base expands, and your organization grows, you can continue using EMOROCO CRM Lite, but there is also a seamless upgrade path to EMOROCO CRM. Through integration with EMOROCO DWH (Data Warehouse) and EMOROCO AI, you can gradually transition to enterprise-level CRM utilization.

Starting with small and medium-sized enterprises and growing together—this concept of "nurturing CRM" is embodied not only in product design but also in the relationship between Arcus Japan and its users.

Summary — The essence of "deliberately starting with small and medium-sized enterprises"

There are four reasons why EMOROCO CRM Lite, while possessing features suitable for enterprises, is starting out with small and medium-sized enterprises.

1. Markets where CRM hasn't reachedThat's precisely why it's the place that needs the most change.
2. To solve the **"CRM not being used in the field"** problem, a design that prioritizes simplicity is necessary.
3. Small and medium-sized enterprisesBecause it's the scale that best allows us to realize the "co-creation with customers" aspect of CRM 4.0.
4. Raising the overall CRM literacy level in JapanBecause we have that mission

It's not simply "cheap and therefore for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)." It stems from the conviction that "CRM for SMEs is where we can address the most fundamental challenges."

Enterprise-grade design at a price accessible to small and medium-sized businesses. This deliberate choice encapsulates the strategy and philosophy behind EMOROCO CRM Lite.

First, try our 30-day free trial to experience our design philosophy.
EMOROCO CRM Lite Product Page

Related article: [Why EMOROCO CRM Lite is a winning formula for small and medium-sized businesses in the CRM 4.0 era]

Related article: [What can you do for 1,500 yen a month? The full scope of business efficiency improvements that can be achieved with EMOROCO CRM Lite]