Column: “The Age of Sensibility”

Mr. Takao Ogiya
Director General of APIC

Mr. Takao Ogiya

I am not so particular about most products, but I like to use one specific ballpoint pen thatis my very favorite to write with. I started using it more than five years ago after one of myfriends recommended it to me, telling me how much he liked it. Since then I have neverbought any other type of ballpoint pen!
The most attractive feature of this pen lies in the feeling of writing with it. It requires
hardly any pressure, and the perfect amount of ink comes out for writing clear, strong strokes
and letters. No matter how long you keep writing, your hand never becomes tired. The pen’s
design is smart, and its name, “Jetstream™,” evokes a nostalgic feeling in me because it is thename of the midnight radio show that I used to listen to in my youth. Until I came across thisballpoint pen, I didn’t care which kind I used—but now nothing else satisfies me. I often checkhow much ink remains in mine, and when I go to a convenience store and find that they donot have this ballpoint pen, I think the store is worthless.
It is said that there are more than 100 different kinds of ballpoint pens in Japan. And eventhough there may be others that are even more comfortable to write with, still, I like this one
best. The composition of the ink of this ballpoint pen is patented. The design and name areprotected by IP rights. But these are not the reasons that I buy this product. I buy it because
I like it.
What is the most important factor when people choose something? For example, what dopeople take into account before buying a mobile phone? The purchase price, the monthly payments, the number of usable applications, the number of camera pixels, the battery life, thefeeling of holding the device in their hand, the design, the brand, or still something else? Infact, although there are likely many other factors, I am quite sure that consumers’ final decision must be based simply upon whether they like a particular phone or not.
What will people buy with their incidental income? What will they eat for lunch? Wherewill they go on a trip with their friends? Most of these decisions are, I believe, made based
upon simple personal likes and dislikes. That is: not reason but sense.
What, then, should be the most important to those who offer products and services? It is
important for them to consider how they can incorporate ‘enjoyment’, ‘fun’, and ‘comfortableness’ within their products and services, since these are all factors that are desired by users.
We are, in my view, now living in the “age of sensibility.”
In his book, A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future, Daniel H. Pink
says that after the “information age” will come the “conceptual age” of high concepts and hightouch. He lists six senses that will generate things of high value in the coming age, which areas follows: 1) ‘design’ over function; 2) ‘story’ over argument; 3) ‘symphony’ over focus; 4)’ emIP Friends Connections March 2015 No. 9

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pathy’ over logic; 5) ’play’ over seriousness; and 6) ‘meaning’ over accumulation—all characteristics that precisely describe those companies that have recently become increasingly competitive.
I know of one Japanese company that was committed to manufacturing high-quality products and engaged in serious discussions about product development, yet it only focused on
improving product function. As a result, valuable company secrets were leaked to its competitors. This company failed to make use of its technological superiority, and its competitors
were able to access its innovative ideas. Consequently, it is now lagging behind the rest in
design and sales activities, and has ultimately lost its competitiveness.
I also know a service-providing company that depends too much on its service manual toface the customers and pay attention to their needs. As a result, it has lost business. I once
had an uncomfortable experience at a restaurant. When I was about to go out of the front
door after eating breakfast, I heard a voice saying to me, “Have a nice day!” I thought it wasvery sweet of the employee to say this to me as I made my way to work. When I glanced
back to see her face, however, she was looking in another direction instead of at me. While
the restaurant’s service manual may tell staff to say “Have a nice day” to customers after theypay their bill in the morning, no words can convey the employees’ gratitude if they do notlook at the customer. At that moment I decided I would never return to that restaurant again.
In the age of ‘sensibility’ a business heavily reliant on its manual will not achieve success.
Even without any manual customers will become loyal as long as a business offers attentive
and inspiring services that appropriately identify and respond to individual needs. Moreover,this is not limited to the business world. Now, more than ever, I think that we need “sensibility” in our daily personal relationships.
People should be considerate of others, accept others as they are without either affirmingor denying them, think from the others’ perspective about what needs to be done to makethem feel pleasant and comfortable, and then do whatever they can in this regard. This kindof consideration seems to be the key to building good personal relationships.
Different people live in different environments and have different backgrounds. Therefore,
they have different ways of thinking and hold different values. No service manual can give
you a clue to how to respond to the needs of every diverse individual. We should respond topeople individually.
The age of ‘sensibility’ may be synonymous with the time to respect every individual.

“Jetstream™”

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