I (30), Who Works for a Black Company and Died While Regretting My Gloomy Life, Started Over From High School!

Chapter 120: Part-time Job Leads to Discussing Business Strategy with the President

I understand. But please remember, Im just a high school kid who did a bit of part-time work. Dont expect too much.

Well, dont worry about it. Just say whats on your mind.

Pushed into this hellish situation of discussing business strategy with the president, I squeezed out my words, enduring the sharp pain in my stomach.

And as I did, President Tokimune responded with what seemed like genuine good spirits.

Even within the company, there are those who oppose my policies, but they all stick to suggesting the status quo So when you came along, selling the idea that bookstores are going down the drain, it really got my heart racing. Its been a while since I felt this good.

Wait, what!? I never intended to claim that bookstores were going down the drain! Sure, I slipped up a bit, but still!

Come on, no need to be flustered forever. Go on and continue. First, tell me, on what grounds do you base your observation that bookstores are on the decline?

Well, its I think everyone can feel it, but its because of the impact of the internet.

Having already resigned myself to the situation, I began to express my thoughts. I incorporated my modest insight as someone who was just a salaryman in this era, alongside the methods that had made the bookstore business successful in the future.

In modern times, the younger generation, in particular, sources information from the internet rather than books. Knowledge that used to only be found in dictionaries or specialized books, such as how to grow flowers or cooking recipes, is now freely available online. Even when it comes to reading books, the proportion of e-books is increasing, and the trend of moving away from physical books is accelerating.

Well, this much should be a common sentiment even in this era. However, theres a more decisive change coming in the near future.

Then theres the evolution of mobile phones. A little more, and soon well have mobile phones with the specs of a computer where you can smoothly view everything from books to videos. While one of the charms of physical books used to be that you could carry them around in your bag, I believe this advantage will be completely eroded by this.

Of course, this is something I can predict precisely because I know the future.

The world-dominating super devicethe smartphone.

Its appearance and proliferation will drastically change lifestyles. With e-books, videos, games, and web surfing all fitting into the palm of your hand, physical books face an even tougher time.

However, mentioning such a yet-to-be-released super tool will likely be met with laughter. But

Well? Its certainly true that the internets evolution is as you described. However, a small-sized all-purpose device Hmm, it wouldnt be strange for something like that to come out soon.

Huh

Surprisingly, President Tokimune seemed to be expecting the arrival of this new device as if it were a matter of course.

I guess smart business-people do have foresight. When I first saw a smartphone, I couldnt help but wonder who on earth would buy this clunky-looking mobile

So? Assuming your prediction is correct, bookstores will face an even tougher time. In the face of such an unfavorable situation, what do you think should be done?

There are two directions, but First, if books arent selling, we should shift the focus to selling things other than books.

When I presented this idea, President Tokisada seemed slightly surprised.

While it might seem like Im negating the business of bookstores, please forgive me for attributing it to nothing more than a high schoolers whim.

Chiaki-rou Bookstore already has an online shop, but I propose expanding it to sell not only books but anything and everythingfrom home appliances, miscellaneous goods, to groceries.

Some online shops of that nature have already started to spread, but are you suggesting we follow suit and turn ourselves into an online department store?

Yes, but even the biggest players in the online shop business still dont have a perfect range of products. In that respect, Chiaki-rou Bookstore should be able to wholesale any and every product from related companies within the Shijouin Group. With that strength, if we can claim theres nothing you cant buy here or this one shop is all you need for online shopping, then becoming a success isnt impossible.

In my era, I was surprised when I searched the net to find that, even at this stage, the range of product genres offered by the biggest online shops was not as diverse as one might think.

If we can swiftly outmaneuver the situation and seize the throne of online shopping, everything will be secure. As long as were fighting in Japan, with the backing of the Shijouin Group, its by no means a pipe dream.

For someone who was so jittery, what youre proposing is an incredibly ambitious project. Youre essentially suggesting a complete overhaul of the business, and then barging into the online department store realm to take over the world. Just how ambitious are you?

While President Tokimune returned a voice filled with astonishment, he also widened his lips. At the very least, it seemed I hadnt bored the president.

Thats why I said it was just the ramblings of a high school kid. Besides, when youre talking about fundamentally changing the business model of a major corporation like Chiaki-rou Bookstore, its bound to be a big discussion.

Well, true. As far as casual discussions go, bigger scales are usually more interesting. Now, whats the other direction you have in mind?

That would be, of course, leveraging the physical stores. I believe its essential to create value for customers to visit repeatedly.

Prompted, I continued to present my ideas, feeling the tension persist.

Actually, Id appreciate some praise for holding a business presentation directly in front of the president of a major corporation, even if I did have some experience as a salaryman in my past life. It felt incredibly presumptuous, akin to Zhuge Liang from the Three Kingdoms era strategizing before an audience.

As a basic principle, its about introducing other elements into the bookstore. As I mentioned earlier, I think we should actively increase the Book Caf format, which is the simplest way to attract people.

However, there were cases where the clientele was less than ideal and book damage occurred frequently, so it wouldnt be reasonable to say that every bookstore should be turned into a Book Caf

Then, its effective to introduce various things into the store based on the surrounding demands of that store. For areas with many young women, a Zakka store or a dessert shop that theyd like to visit. In car-centric areas where many people lack exercise, a gym. In regions with many elderly, a culture center where its easy to make friends Well create reasons to visit for each and gather customers.

Since books can be bought online without going to a bookstore, its necessary to create reasons other than books for customers to come to the bookstore.

In this direction, many Chiaki-rou Bookstore branches already exist that focus on games, video rentals, stationery, and more.

However, even with these, profit margins will likely decrease as downloadable sales and subscriptions become more prevalent.

Looking ahead to the future twenty years from now, it ultimately comes down to continually attracting people to bookstoresthis is the perspective that led to such a proposal.

Competing on the internet based on convenience is fruitless, so aim to excel in experiential facilities, is that it? While I had that general direction in mind, I hadnt quite reached such a free-thinking point regarding the elements to introduce.

And, though it may be superfluous, following this method could lead to large-scale commercial facilities centered around Book Cafs.

Oh, whats the concept behind that?

Basically, its about collecting all the reasons to visit into one place. The combination will change depending on the target clientele Speaking in standard terms, it would be something like a restaurant, a dessert shop, a Zakka store, a clothing store, a gym, an aesthetic salon, and a hair salon.

Thats I see, its a configuration that packs in everything a woman might seek on her day off.

Yes, it allows people to fill their stomachs, spruce up their appearance, shop, and finally spend an elegant time reading a book in the Book Caf. Its a concept that says, If you come here, you can spend an ideal and elegant day off.'

When people are flipping through the pages of a book in a stylish cafe, they feel like theyre spending a very sparkling day. This is quite a powerful product, and building around it with complementary elements is key.

Oh, and there are also small details where some adjustments can be made. For example, creating Chiaki-rou Bookstores own awards or rankings to generate buzz around certain books. Also considering that the staff and employees are likely to be book lovers, setting up completely different Staff Recommended Books corners in each store, with intensely passionate recommendation signs, would likely garner attention.

President Tokimune listened to my words in silence. While Im grateful that hes taking my words so seriously, being met with such silence is a bit intimidating

Well, um for now, thats about it. Did it at least help pass the time?

Yes, if Im being honest Your words were so earnest and genuine that towards the end, I started feeling more and more fearful.

What!? W-Whats with that totally serious face!? You asked for my opinion, didnt you?

In response to President Tokimunes honest impression, delivered with a completely straight face, I let out a modest protest.