Management’s Point of View ~ Turning Clients into Fans ~

June 23, 2026

Eight years ago, when I began taking management more seriously, I decided to formalize TOPC Potentia’s corporate policy and communicate its fundamentals to all of our staff members. Even if you have a vision for the kind of company you want to build, it won’t happen unless you can effectively share that vision. I didn’t just focus on what kind of company we were; I also wanted to consider what kind of company we should become. We held a series of informal gatherings called “Beer Bash,” where we exchanged ideas freely and began to establish what would later be known as the TOPC Axis—the company’s guiding principles—consisted of technology, service, team, time, sales, and ownership axes. We mapped 33 specific items onto these six axes. After sharing them in greater detail with employees during subsequent Beer Bash sessions, I infused my own vision into the content and published it externally as a newsletter titled From Management’s Point of View.

Of the 33 items, the one I never managed to write about fully was “Turning Clients into Fans.” This particular item stemmed from a discussion with the staff during a Beer Bash, where we talked about what truly excellent customer service would look like in practice. But to be honest, we haven’t yet reached the point where we can claim to have turned many clients into fans. This is simply due to a lack of ability and effort.　No doubt we are still far from achieving this objective of fan creation in various respects, but we hope our clients will view our aspirations as a journey into the future. In any case, some of the following insights may have practical applications in your work, and we appreciate your continued support and patience as we inch closer to our goals.

Trust is built through the consistent performance of simple tasks

Take payroll processing, for example. In any company, staff in the HR or accounting departments handle this task regularly to ensure payments are made on time. At the same time, there may be nothing more important to a company than the certainty that salaries are paid correctly every month—that this seemingly simple task is carried out reliably. I believe trust is accumulated through the unfailing performance of these routine tasks.

Understanding the customer

The sense of reassurance that “this person (or company) really understands me” is a unique potential strength of the service industry. The deeper our understanding of a client’s industry, products, culture, and vision, the more valuable the services we can provide.

Continuously thinking beyond the boundaries of existing services to identify where the client’s true needs lie -- I believe that maintaining this mindset leads to long-term trust.

Sincerely wishing for the client’s growth

Our mission is “To Strengthen People and Companies.” This is not just a catchphrase; it means taking our clients’ growth as our own personal responsibility and continuing to strive for it. A company that sincerely prioritizes its clients’ growth transcends the role of a mere service provider and becomes a true partner. I believe it is crucial to keep our clients’ success in mind as we build that kind of relationship.

Fans of products and services versus fans of the company

For example, when people pick up a product that meets their needs or appeals to their sensibilities, they might say, “This is a great product.”

However, true fans are those who have gone a level further and think, “I want to buy from this company.”

This is probably the result of consistently encountering what seems like a simple truth— “every product I’ve bought from this company has been a good choice”—or perhaps it’s because there was a product or service that left a particularly lasting impression. We must continue our efforts through such repeated experience until customers become fans of the company itself.

Crisis response — Are we there when they really need us?

When a customer faces a crisis, the true value of our company is tested by whether we can be there for them and how much support we can provide. There is nothing more trustworthy than someone who is there when you really need them.

Before seeking help when you’re in trouble, learn how to support others when they’re in trouble. People and organizations like that naturally attract fans without even realizing it.

Our internal culture is directly conveyed to our clients

This was a comment from a staff member who is a fan of a certain musical idol group. She said she loves that group because the members have built a relationship in which they cooperate with one another no matter what, and she loves that culture.

A company’s culture inevitably influences clients without anyone noticing. I continue to publish a monthly newsletter to help our staff reaffirm the culture we’re building and to let our clients know what we’re striving for. And if each of us can more fully embody the TOPC Axis, surely, we will be able to do better at winning over more clients as fans.

During the Beer Bash where we discussed these things, a staff member shared a story about Akira Takata, the president of Japanet Takata, a TV and radio shopping network.

In 2004, Japanet Takata, which is famous for TV infomercial marketing in Japan, suffered a data breach involving the personal information of over half a million customers. Within just two hours of the breach being discovered, President Takata decided to suspend broadcasts, halting the company’s shopping programs on TV and radio for 48 days. The company reportedly lost 15.4 billion yen in revenue during that period. It was a life-and-death decision for the company. As a result of the suspension, that year marked the first time the company had seen a decline in revenue since its founding.

However, the following year, in 2005, Japanet Takata’s sales reached 90.6 billion yen, achieving a remarkable recovery with a year-on-year increase of 24.3 billion yen. Furthermore, in 2006, the company reached 108 billion yen in sales, becoming the first company in Nagasaki Prefecture (where it is headquartered) to surpass the 100-billion-yen mark.

How did this happen? President Takata explains, “We prioritized regaining our customers’ trust over sales.” Rather than shifting the blame for the accident onto someone else, he declared, “It is my responsibility,” and threw himself into the fray. That sincerity and integrity spoke more eloquently than anything else to the nature of Japanet Takata as a company. Customers saw this. I believe that customers, who felt this company wouldn’t run away when things got tough, became fans.

Of course, it would be best if such crises never occurred. But there is no doubt that this kind of resolve on the part of management served as the driving force propelling Japanet Takata to the next level as a company, turning clients into fans. As I write this column, I feel deeply the weight that even just a few words can carry.