Hello, this is Matsubara, CRM Evangelist.

"What is your company's most valuable asset?"

Many business owners answer this question with "It's our relationship with our customers." However, when asked further questions such as "What is the appraised value of that asset?", "Where is it stored?", and "Is it transferable?", very few business owners can answer.

While many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) claim that customer relationships are their "most valuable asset," that asset is often "unmanaged," "unappreciated," and "easily lost." This is the reality for many SMEs.

In the previous article (" Theory of Relational Information Generation "), we discussed the process by which relational information is generated from dialogue with customers. In this article, we will explain the theory and practice of "relational assetization," which involves **accumulating, evaluating, managing, inheriting, and utilizing that relational information as a "management asset."**

What are "relational assets"? — The most important intangible assets

In the previous article, I argued that Society 5.0 is a "human-centered society where intangible assets are dominant." Among these intangible assets, the most valuable and most easily lost are "relational assets."

Definition of relational assets

Relationship assets are **"the future revenue generation capability that arises from the history of trust, resonance, and co-creation accumulated between a company and its customers."**

The accumulation of these four types of capital creates the highest form of relational asset: "irreplaceable relationships."

The "Two Deadly Problems" with Relationship Assets: Why So Many Companies Lose Them

Problem ① "Personal Value" - Assets that depend on individual memory will disappear.

The biggest weakness of relationship assets is their "personal dependence."

If 10 years of trust, context, resonance, and co-creation exist only in the memory of a specific person, then the relationship assets disappear the moment that person leaves the company. Economically, this is an abnormal situation where "intangible assets that do not depreciate disappear overnight."

However, this happens on a daily basis in many small and medium-sized enterprises. The experience of "Our business with company XX has been halved since that person in charge left" is actually a direct example of "the loss of relationship assets."

Problem ② "Invisibility" - Assets that cannot be seen cannot be managed.

The second weakness of relationship assets is their "invisibility."

Physical assets (factories, equipment, inventory) are recorded in the books and can be valued at any time. However, relationship assets such as "the depth of trust with Company A" or "the rich contextual understanding possessed by the person in charge at Company B" are not recorded anywhere and cannot be valued.

Invisible assets cannot be managed. Assets that cannot be managed cannot be increased, protected, or passed on to future generations.

The "5 Processes" of Turning Relationships into Assets

To utilize relationship information as a "management asset," five processes are necessary.

Process ① "Visualization" - Making invisible assets visible

Process ② "Accumulation" - Intentionally increasing relationship assets

A design is needed to "increase" the visualized relationship asset score.

Process 3: "Protection" – Preventing the loss of relationship assets.

The biggest risk of relationship assets is "loss due to personal dependence." Protection should be designed with a three-tiered approach.

Process ④ "Succession" - Passing on relationship assets to the next generation

For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), "business succession" is one of the biggest management challenges. At its core, however, lies the "transfer of customer relationship assets."

Process 5: "Utilization" – Using accumulated relationship assets for business decisions.

Relationship assets are not just something to "protect," but something to "use." There are four ways to utilize them.

Incorporating "Relational Assets" into Management Indicators: A Proposal for a New Balance Sheet

In current financial accounting, customer relationship assets are not recorded on the balance sheet. However, in reality, relationship assets are the most decisive factor in determining future profits.

In CRM 4.0-style management, we advocate having a "relationship asset balance sheet" in addition to financial indicators.

By reviewing this balance sheet on a monthly basis, you can manage the "overall health of customer relationships" as a key performance indicator.

Summary — The meaning of transforming "invisible assets" into "manageable assets"

This is the key reason why CRM 4.0 is designed to address a "human-centered society where intangible assets are paramount."

Tangible assets (factories, equipment, inventory) depreciate, but properly managed relational assets increase.

When a single interaction with a customer is properly recorded, integrated, passed on, and utilized, it enhances the quality of subsequent interactions, deepens trust, strengthens resonance, and fosters co-creation. This positive spiral is the "compounding effect of relationship assets."

EMOROCO CRM Lite is a System of Investment (SoI) that designs this "compounding of relationship assets" as an organizational structure.

Starting today, from just ¥1,500 per user per month, you can begin your journey to transform "invisible assets" into "manageable assets."
EMOROCO CRM Lite Product Page

Previous article: [Relational Information Generation Theory - How customer interactions are transformed into "organizational knowledge" in CRM 4.0]

Related article: [What's the difference between customers with high LTV and those with low LTV? — CRM 4.0 reveals the differences between customers]

Related article: [What are companies that will still be chosen in 10 years doing now? — Common characteristics of CRM 4.0 management]