What kind of society do I envision for children, as someone who stood at the forefront of education?

"Creating a society filled with smiles"

This is a phrase I wrote on the board expressing the will of Zeals, called the "WILL BOARD." I have twin daughters who are 5 years old, and as a parent, I hope that Japan will be a "society filled with smiles" in the future. Currently, I have been entrusted with the role of leader of account planners, and I strive to ensure that our clients and team members can work with smiles every day through my communication efforts.

− Can you tell us about your career so far?

"Contributing to children's happiness"

Since I was job hunting, I have believed that "an environment where children can live happily is a happy society." This led me to take an interest in the field of education, and as a new graduate, I joined an education-related company serving a wide range of ages from preschoolers to working adults, where I was responsible for area management at a tutoring school. After that, I felt the need to bring IT to the educational field and worked in sales for a company providing SaaS services for nursery schools. The birth of my children made me seek an environment where I could work flexibly and full-time in the education x IT space, and I came across Zeals. In the final interview, I was impressed by Daike's (executive officer) attitude towards work and the interesting aspects of digital marketing, which made me feel, "I want to work with someone like this!" His passionate remarks about how "President Shimizu will surely become a leader of the next generation in Japan!" also left a strong impression on me.

Chat commerce continues to support the decision-making of parents and students

− How do you perceive the business of chat commerce?

I have continuously worked in the education industry, and I felt the potential for chat commerce to contribute to the sector. The population of 18-year-olds, which is of school age, has continued to decline since its peak of 2.05 million in 1992, and it is said to reach 880,000 by 2040. While the birth rate is declining, the investment in education per student is increasing every year. I believe that companies providing educational services need to differentiate themselves and strengthen their digital marketing strategies. For example, in the case of tutoring schools, most of the decision-making for enrollment is done by "parents," while the actual experience is had by the "child," creating a complex consumption structure. Furthermore, price competition is not always effective, and "trust" and "track record" significantly influence decisions. Utilizing the familiar official LINE account allows for continuous information dissemination through chat commerce, which I felt has great potential in terms of customer engagement and experience. Currently, I am responsible for overall management as the account planner leader in the education department, taking responsibility for account planning and achieving numerical targets.
※ Source: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's "Grand Design for Higher Education Towards 2040"

− How can chat commerce contribute to the education industry?

"Chat commerce becoming the gateway to learning schools"

Specifically, where we can contribute is during the phase when users are considering enrolling in a tutoring school. Traditionally, applications for tutoring schools were mostly done on paper, and just listening to an explanation required physically coming to the school, which posed psychological costs for both parents and children from consideration to enrollment. However, by leveraging chat commerce developed by Zeals, users can easily request materials and book trial classes via LINE, lowering the psychological barriers to enrollment.

"Clarifying the strengths of each company"

At Zeals, we are committed to careful conversation design that reflects the characteristics and strengths of each company. We also ensure that we incorporate the company's medium-term management plan, and I believe that this is a unique aspect of our company. This allows parents to understand the characteristics of the tutoring schools, leading to more satisfactory choices. I feel that if we can support even a single child who wants to "try studying at a school" or a parent who wants to "allow their child to study at a school," we are becoming a bridge that delivers learning opportunities to many.

Balancing parenting and work, cultivating team members with a forward-looking perspective

− How do you balance childcare and your career?

Having children means that there are fixed times every day for meal prep and picking them up from daycare, so I am very conscious of being efficient during work hours. For instance, during times when I can focus on my computer, I work on tasks that require it, like preparing materials, and I try to engage in strategic planning and idea generation during household tasks or commuting. By constantly clarifying what I should do in the current situation and organizing my priorities, I can utilize time efficiently without waste.

− Is there anything you consciously focus on as an account planner leader?

"Cultivating the next generation of ? ? ? ?"

As the role of account planner involves work that has "no correct answer," it is necessary to constantly think of new ideas and try out new things. To create something new, you need to analyze upstream marketing and market trends, allowing for the mental space to ponder. As a supervisor, I believe that my role is to provide time for 1-on-1 discussions, becoming a sounding board for my team members and helping deepen their thoughts. Ideally, I hope for a relationship where my members grow based on the hints I provide in discussions, similar to a teacher-student dynamic. Through management that enables members to take on leadership tasks and leaders to handle managerial tasks, I want to contribute to the improvement of our organizational strength.

What does maximizing LTV in the "education" sector mean? Becoming a presence that can accompany the growth opportunities of all people through chat commerce

− Do you have any goals for the future?

"Becoming a presence that accompanies children until they grow into adults"

One of the topics that comes up when talking to companies in the education industry is the concept of "LTV." Currently, chat commerce often contributes to decision-making regarding enrollment, but I want to elevate it to a solution that can consistently accompany individual growth both during and after their time at tutoring schools. From childhood to adulthood, the issues children face are varied, and parents often worry about their children's education. I want Zeals' chat commerce to be a presence that can accompany them during such times.

− Finally, can you tell us how you aim to "raise Japan up to the world"?

"Delivering Japan's 'education' to the world" I want to deliver Japan's "education" to the world. I hope to deepen discussions with companies and deliver Japanese education to children globally through chat commerce. While there are different education systems around the world, I believe that Japan's unique education has areas it can proudly present to the world. I want to continue to energize the education industry together with our clients!

"Showing children the figure of a 'happy-working mother'"

And finally, parenting will continue into the future. While balancing with work, I want to show the figure of a "happy-working mother." I would be glad if the members of my team and their children can have their horizons of choice widened when they consider their future careers.