Yoshiyuki Aikawa, Representative of SBC Medical Group (Shonan Cosmetic Surgery)

To be persuasive, it is important to always produce results

Representative of SBC Medical Group (Shonan Cosmetic Surgery) Yoshiyuki Aikawa (Yoshiyuki Aikawa)

◼️Profile

Born in Kanagawa Prefecture in 1970. Graduated from Nihon University School of Medicine. President of the Japanese Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (2015). Director of the Japanese Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Advisor to the Advanced Medical Care Physicians Association. Assistant to the President of the Japanese Society for Regenerative Medicine. Director of Passion Leaders. After graduating from university, he worked at a major cosmetic surgery clinic. In 2000, he went independent and opened Shonan Cosmetic Surgery Clinic in Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture. He currently has 118 clinics in Japan and overseas, and offers over 100 medical departments, including cosmetic medicine and regenerative medicine.

The SBC Medical Group operates 118 clinics nationwide, with a total of 5500 employees. They provide medical services not only in Japan but also overseas. How has the company been able to continue to lead the way? What does the director think about service and leadership? We spoke with Representative Aikawa, who continues to bring brightness to people's lives.

During my student days, I was completely absorbed in tennis. In junior high and high school, I played soft tennis and was ranked third in my prefecture, so I assumed that it would be easy to get into university. However, once I started playing hard tennis at university, it became more difficult to keep winning. So I set a goal of winning the individual tournament, and I began practicing and working hard every day. As a result, I was able to win in my fourth year of university. Winning gave me confidence, and I realized that hard work always pays off. It gave me the conviction that if I work hard, I can achieve my goals. Through tennis, my standards for working hard rose, and I developed the concept that I could do it if I tried. Without this, I don't think I would be working hard now.

◼️To the legendary medical group

Medical treatment can directly affect a person's life and solve their problems. I don't think there is any other job that receives such gratitude from customers. There is a hospital called the "Mayo Clinic," which is known as a legendary clinic. When I was thinking about becoming the number one in cosmetic medicine, I read a book called "Legendary Service," and this hospital was featured in that book. It said that this hospital attracts customers from all over the world. This was the moment my goal of becoming the number one in cosmetic medicine changed to a concrete goal of wanting to create a clinic like this.

At the time, in Japan, people chose their hospitals, but in America, choosing your doctor was the norm. Sensing that Japan would eventually become like this, I asked each doctor to write a blog. By having each doctor write about patients' before and after photos, I was able to create a sense of choosing your doctor. Also, when I first started offering cosmetic medical treatments, prices were high and it seemed like only the wealthy could afford them. However, because cosmetic medical treatments produce solid results, I wanted a wide range of people to use them, especially housewives who would visit once a month to maintain their beauty. So, I made prices clear by posting prices on my website and having doctors in white coats talk about treatment fees in my commercials. I advertise seasonally, and I believe this type of advertising that prominently featured prices was a first in the industry. SBC prioritizes customer satisfaction, and to that end, we conduct satisfaction surveys for each treatment. If satisfaction is low, we quantify the causes and review our treatment options. By diligently quantifying these results, we clearly identify areas for improvement.

◼️Committed to consistently delivering results

Because our work relies on doctors, it's important to create a system for attracting talented doctors and providing them with a place and training system where they can grow. Some doctors are new to aesthetic medicine, so we're creating a system that allows for thorough training even for these doctors. Going forward, we hope to expand our aesthetic medicine business beyond Japan to the rest of Asia. We also hope to expand our offerings, not only in beauty but also in fertility treatments, with male patients in mind. As a leader, I value the importance of not lying and sincerely apologizing when I'm wrong. The only thing left to do is produce results. Who says something is more important than what's being said, and the persuasiveness of a statement can vary greatly depending on who's saying it. Even if someone who hasn't achieved results is right, no one will listen, no matter how much they say. However, I believe the words of someone who has achieved results have the power to motivate others. That's why I'm so committed to producing results.

◼️Message

I like people who are cheerful, positive, and honest. I believe a cheerful, positive personality is an irreplaceable talent. People who lack honesty tend to be pessimistic and negative. Appearance can be changed, but what's inside is difficult to change. I also believe leadership is important. People who cannot take responsibility for their own lives cannot take responsibility for the lives of others. Your current income and status are determined by what you have studied and the efforts you have made. Your current body shape and appearance are determined by the lifestyle and exercise you have had. Your appearance in 10 years will also be determined by the type of exercise you have and what you have eaten over the next 10 years, and your income and status will be determined by the type of studies you have made, the people you have met, and the things you have done. Your personality is reflected in your face, and your lifestyle is reflected in your body. Manage your habits and you can manage your future. Inner beauty will be reflected in your appearance.

Student Newspaper Special Edition July 1, 2022 Issue by Daiki Shimada, 3rd Year Student at Kokugakuin University