Masahiro Aono, Senior Executive Officer of Marui Group Co., Ltd. and President and CEO of Marui Co., Ltd.

Accurately grasping the needs of the times and co-creating new customer value

Senior Executive Officer of Marui Group Co., Ltd. and President and Representative Director of Marui Co., Ltd.　Masahiro Aono(Masahiro Aono)

■ Profile
He joined Marui Co., Ltd. (now Marui Group Co., Ltd.) in 1984. After serving as head of the ladies' department and business promotion department, he was appointed director of Marui Co., Ltd. in 2011. He then served as director and store business division manager and managing director, before becoming senior managing director and Marui Group senior executive officer in 2019, and representative director and president in July 2020 (current position), and Marui Group senior executive officer in charge of retail business in April 2021 (current position).

Marui Group has established a unique business model with the "trinity" of retail, fintech, and future investment. What is the appeal of Marui Group, as seen by President Aono, who has been involved in all aspects of the company's operations since joining the company, and was attracted by the company's unique, unconventional nature? In particular, he talks about the "non-sales store" that Marui Group has been working on in recent years,®We asked about the background and strengths of "

■ Uniqueness born from "co-creation of trust"

Our core value is "co-creation of trust." This comes from our founder's words: "Trust is not something we bestow upon our customers, but something we create together with them." When we first started, our business consisted of monthly installment sales of furniture. Furniture was expensive at the time, so to make it accessible to a wide range of customers, we would provide a temporary loan for the purchase price, which would then be repaid in monthly installments. Unlike cash transactions, where the relationship ends after a one-time sale, our relationship with customers continues long after the sale, with payments extended over 10, 12, or 24 months. With regular payments, the available credit increases, and the longer the customer uses our card, the more their creditworthiness grows. It was through these relationships with our customers that we developed the philosophy that "trust is something we build together with our customers." Rather than simply granting credit based on factors such as annual income, occupation, and asset status, as in typical credit card screening, we build trust with our customers in a two-way manner through their usage history. In other words, we have consistently "co-created trust." While there is certainly a risk of default, by broadening the scope and increasing the lifetime value, it becomes a card of unbeatable value. I believe this embodies our company's mission: "Together we create an inclusive and prosperous society where everyone can feel happy." The perception of "happiness" varies from person to person. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic has restricted non-essential activities, but the things you love should not be considered non-essential. In this way, supporting each person's interests through the "co-creation of trust" is the essence of our business.

■Our goal is to create a store that offers new options

In recent years, values ​​have been changing, especially among young people, and customer needs for things like sharing and using second-hand goods are increasing. In addition, with the development of IT technology and the spread of smartphones, sales channels are also shifting to online e-commerce sites. In response to these changes in needs and channels, our company was forced to innovate the way our stores operate.
In recent years, we have been accelerating our efforts to create "non-sales stores" that provide a place for experiences.®" We provide an opportunity for customers who visit the store not to buy, but to check the design, color, feel, etc. of the products, to experience them. I think this also has a positive impact on the tenants. Generally, many people have the image of salespeople as people who "sell" things. However, they are all people who are genuinely interested in contributing and want to be of service to customers. Therefore, rather than forcing customers to buy something, we want to be a "store that doesn't sell," where customers can first experience the quality of the products and services.®This idea of ​​"customer experience" is not only beneficial for customers as it allows them to gain experience, but also allows sales staff and tenants to feel comfortable helping customers.
Until 10 years ago, our company had the same business model as a department store, where we purchased and sold goods. 7% of the sales were paid to the tenant, and 3% went to the department store. On the other hand, the current "store that doesn't sell"®" rents out space on a fixed rent basis, so it has a system in place that allows for stable income regardless of sales. I'll explain what I mean with a concrete example. We once received a request from a tenant saying, "When a product is out of stock in the store, we want it to be available for immediate purchase on the e-commerce site." We agreed to open a store after understanding the conditions, but the tenant was extremely surprised by our response. When we asked for more details, we learned that they had been turned down by department stores, shopping centers, and outlets as well. These stores were structured so that they made a profit based on the amount of sales in the store, and so they were not allowed to send customers online, which would lead to a decrease in in-store sales. In this regard, our business model is centered on rental income, which is less affected by in-store sales, so we were actually able to run a "store that doesn't sell."®" I think that can be said to be a "strength."®" We have also registered the trademark as " (laughs). By 2025, we will be a "store that doesn't sell®" and become a store that offers new options that you won't find anywhere else.

■Message to university students

While you have the time as a university student, find what you like and pursue your individuality. As a manager who has trained many subordinates, I have found that those who excel at one thing grow more than those who are all-rounders who can do everything. Challenge yourself to do many different things and pursue what you "like" to the fullest. This will definitely be useful when you enter the workforce.
This also has some relevance to sustainability. Sustainability is about creating a sustainable society, or, simply put, making society better. People cannot live alone. To live and support each other, we need to be useful to society and to others. Being useful to others means making someone smile. To do this, first you need to know what makes you smile. I think people who know what makes them smile will be able to understand what makes others smile.

Interviewed by Student Newspaper Online on December 23, 2022 by Yui Takemura, a third-year student at Senshu University