Hello, this is Matsubara, CRM Evangelist.

In the first installment of this series , we explained the three-tiered structure of DX (SoR, SoE, and SoI), and in the second installment , we traced the historical trajectory of how CRM has deepened its capabilities as an SoI.

In this final installment, we will connect this theory to "practice."

How will the philosophy of CRM 4.0 and EMOROCO CRM Lite deliver the "practice of SoI" to small and medium-sized enterprises?

If you think "SoI is only for large corporations and doesn't apply to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)," then please read this article to the end. In fact, this article will show you that SMEs are the ones who can benefit most from SoI .

Why SoI becomes a "pie in the sky"

While Systems of Interest (SoI) are theoretically important, their implementation has become a mere formality in many companies. The reason for this is clear.

Reason ①: SoR and SoE data are separated.

The accounting system (SoR) contains sales data. The marketing automation system (SoE) contains customer behavior data. However, because the two are not linked, insights such as "This customer's sales have decreased because their contact frequency decreased last month" cannot be generated. The data is there, but it is not connected.

Reason ②: Only quantitative data can be handled.

We can perform rule-based analysis such as "customers who have made three or fewer purchases are at high risk of churn." However, because qualitative data such as the context of "why this customer is likely to churn"—for example, the conversation has become less engaging since the salesperson changed, or the response to the previous proposal was lukewarm—is not recorded, we cannot reach fundamental insights.

Reason #3: Data is only "viewed" and does not lead to action.

The situation is visible on the dashboard. However, the system doesn't go so far as to automatically generate actions like "So, who should I contact this week?" Even if insights are generated, if they aren't translated into action, the SoI (System of Insight) isn't working.

CRM4.0 and EMOROCO CRM Lite structurally solve these three problems.

CRM 4.0 Implements SoI: Three Core Concepts

Core Concept ① Narrative – Recording the "unarticulated depths of customer needs"

The core of the insights that SoI should generate is "customer insight"—understanding the deeper needs that customers have but haven't put into words.

CRM 4.0 implements this using the concept of "narrative."

Beyond the "explicit knowledge" (purchase data, behavioral logs, attribute information) that CRM 1.0 through 3.0 dealt with, customers possess rich "stories."

"We want to make next year's 20th anniversary a special one," "We're worried about succession issues," "We've just decided to invest in new equipment, so now is a financially cautious time"—these are examples of "tacit knowledge" that don't get entered as numerical data in the database.

However, this tacit knowledge fundamentally changes the context of the following proposal. "Narrative recording and inheritance" in CRM 4.0 is the first step for SoI to reach the customer's deepest psychology.

Implementation in EMOROCO CRM Lite: In the "Narrative Memo" field of the customer record, the agent records "the context of the conversation today, the customer's emotional state, and the next hook" each time they interact with the customer. As these memos accumulate, a "dual asset" of quantitative and qualitative data is created.

Core Concept ② Emotional Shifts – Understanding "Customer Insights" in Real Time

The essential role of SoI is to play a central role in the PDCA cycle: "Planning," "Checking and analyzing," and "Acting"—in other words, in the "Plan-Do-Check-Act" cycle.

However, if this PDCA cycle is implemented only at the frequency of "looking at the dashboard at the monthly meeting," it cannot keep up with changes in customer relationships. Customer sentiment changes daily. If a customer who was "hot" last month has become "cool" this month, it's too late if you only realize this at the end-of-month reporting meeting.

CRM4.0 aims to understand the "emotional journey" in real time and take proactive action the moment it detects a signal that emotions are beginning to cool.

To create something that customers desire but are not consciously aware of, tracking the evolution of these emotions is essential.

Implementation in EMOROCO CRM Lite: The "Emotional Temperature (Hot/Warm/Cool/Cold)" field is updated with each contact. The moment the emotional temperature changes to "Cool," the workflow automation starts and a "Follow-up Contact Task" is automatically generated. This proactive mechanism of "acting before emotions cool down" handles the "Check → Act" phase of SoI.

Core Concept ③ Sharing Meaning — Towards "Co-creation with Customers"

The ultimate goal of CRM 4.0 is to go beyond simply "making the best proposals for customers (CRM 3.0)" and create a relationship where "new value is created together with customers (CRM 4.0)."

In the CRM 4.0 era, where the concept is "from management to co-creation," it is crucial to resonate with the customer's deepest psychology. Therefore, an approach similar to psychology is necessary, which can be called "corporate psychology."

To achieve this "co-creation," it's essential that customers understand the meaning behind "why they should do business with this company."

The importance of customer insights is increasing. Simply using digital technology to streamline operations is not enough to constitute digital transformation (DX); true DX involves fundamentally changing the business model itself and setting it apart from competitors. At the heart of this DX lies a sustainable relationship created through "sharing meaning" with customers.

Implementation with EMOROCO CRM Lite: Record the customer's "values, what they cherish, and what they aim for" in custom fields. As this information accumulates, the next proposal will be delivered as "a proposal aligned with what you aim for," transforming from a "sales pitch" to an "invitation to co-creation."

EMOROCO CRM Lite delivers a System of Investor (SoI) to small and medium-sized enterprises.

EMOROCO is a customer value-driven CRM that integrates AI (artificial intelligence) with traditional CRM. It features customer-specific AI services and a learning database that extracts deep information, including personality and emotions, from customer data to enable personalization.

However, this series will focus not on the higher-end product EMOROCO, but on how EMOROCO CRM Lite , which small and medium-sized businesses can start using for as little as 1,500 yen per user per month , translates the concept of SoI into practice.

EMOROCO CRM Lite is a CRM designed for small and medium-sized businesses by Arcus Japan, a global CRM leader, from the ground up to implement SoI (Systems of Employment) . It utilizes Microsoft Azure infrastructure to ensure enterprise-level security and availability while implementing three SoI functions.

SoI Practical Function ① Integrated Management of Quantitative and Qualitative Data

By integrating these two types of data into a single customer record, insights are generated that combine not only "this customer's purchasing data" but also "this customer's story and emotional state."

SoI Implementation Function ② Workflow Automation — "Transforming Insights into Actions"

It's not enough for SoI to simply generate insights. Unless those insights are automatically translated into actionable steps like "who should I contact today?", then SoI isn't functioning effectively.

The role of SoI in the PDCA cycle of EMOROCO CRM Lite:

EMOROCO CRM Lite automatically runs this PDCA cycle, ensuring that the "insight → action → record → improve" cycle becomes ingrained in the organization without requiring conscious effort from the person in charge.

SoI Implementation Function ③ Dashboard — "Executive Insight Interface"

The ultimate output of SoI is "improvement in the quality of management decisions."

The EMOROCO CRM Lite dashboard functions as an interface to deliver insights as a System of Investor (SoI) to executives and managers.

This is a state where "data makes decisions" rather than "data is simply viewed." By simply reviewing the dashboard for 5 minutes each morning, executives can gain insights into "who they should meet with this week and why."

Why SMEs can implement SoI: The reversal of scale

I will clearly answer the question, "Isn't SoI only relevant to large corporations?"

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have an advantage over large corporations when it comes to implementing SoI (Systems of Investment).

The reason lies in the "proximity of the distance."

Business owners and managers of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are in a position to communicate directly with their customers. They are in a position to understand their customers' faces, emotions, and changes in values ​​with a depth that large corporations simply cannot achieve.

The challenge for large corporations is "deepening relationships with each individual customer despite having a vast number of customers." This is structurally difficult. However, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have a more manageable number of customers, making it possible to "share stories" with each individual.

The problem is that this "sharing of narratives" relies on individual memories and is not structured as an organizational mechanism.

EMOROCO CRM Lite is a System of Infrastructure (SoI) designed to transform the deep customer engagement that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) culturally possess—such as hospitality, empathy, and a sense of obligation—into an organizational structure.

Starting today: Practicing SoI (Systems of Interest) – 3 starting points

When you start implementing SoI, you don't need to design a complete system from the beginning.

Starting Line ① (Today): Write a "Narrative Memo" about one customer.

Choose your most important client and write down "the story of your three-year relationship with this client" in EMOROCO's memo field. Include details such as why they chose your company in the first place, the challenges you've overcome together, their current concerns, and what you hope to achieve next year—just this alone will dramatically improve the quality of your next visit.

Starting Line ② (This Week): Set "Emotional Temperature" for all customers.

We assign an emotional temperature of "hot/warm/cool/cold" to all of our current customers. When doing this, we are forced to consider "what state this customer is in right now." That act of thinking itself is already an example of SoI (State of Interest) in practice.

Starting Line ③ (This Month): Set up one workflow: "Emotional Temperature Cool → Follow-up Task"

Set up a workflow that automatically generates follow-up tasks when the customer's emotional temperature turns "cool." This activates SoI's core function of "acting before customers' emotions start to cool down."

The moment these three elements are present, EMOROCO CRM Lite begins to function as a System of Employment (SoI).
EMOROCO CRM Lite Product Page

Summary of the DX and CRM series: The overall picture of SoR, SoE, SoI and CRM 4.0

[Part 1: Understanding the Three-Layer Structure] DX has a three-layer structure: "SoR (System of Record)," "SoE (System of Engagement)," and "SoI (System of Information)." The most important SoI bridges the gap between SoR and SoE, generating "knowledge for the next action." CRM is the only business system that can fulfill this role of SoI.

[Part 2: The Evolution of CRM and the Deepening of SoI Capabilities] The history of CRM from 1.0 to 4.0 is a history of deepening insight capabilities, moving from "recording static customer information" to "designing deep psychology, sense of purpose, and co-creation relationships." CRM 4.0 possesses dual quantitative and qualitative data, reaching the highest point of SoI.

[Part 3: Practicing SoI with CRM 4.0 and EMOROCO CRM Lite] Three core concepts—narrative, emotional transformation, and shared meaning—are implemented in the fields, workflows, and dashboards of EMOROCO CRM Lite. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are best positioned to deeply implement SoI due to their "close proximity," and they can start today from three starting points.

The essence of DX lies not in "the introduction of technology," but in "designing relationships with customers."

The core of its design lies in driving SoI—a system of insights. CRM4.0 and EMOROCO CRM Lite are the means for small and medium-sized businesses to implement this core concept starting from just 1,500 yen per user per month.

Previous article: [DX and CRM Series, Part 2: Why Only CRM Can Handle SoI—Evolution from CRM 1.0 to 4.0 and "Deepening Insights"]

Previous article: [【DX and CRM Series Part 1】Don't talk about CRM without knowing the "three-tiered structure" of DX—SoR, SoE, and SoI are changing the design philosophy of management]

Related article: [What is CRM 4.0? — The latest CRM philosophy and practices that realize "co-creation" with customers]

Related article: [EMOROCO CRM Lite: A complete guide to what you can do, starting from just 1,500 yen per month]

Related article: [Is customer data an "asset" or a "liability"? The difference between CRM that simply accumulates data and CRM that actually utilizes it]