Keeping the Internet Nice with adish

Japan is often seen as something of an innovation paradox. The home of Fujitsu, NEC, and Sony has long been admired for its excellence in hardware, yet the country has lagged behind when it comes to software-driven businesses and SaaS models. This year, however, we are seeing a change in this trend. The government is investing heavily in digital transformation, and specialized players such as yourself are working to modernize Japanese industries to address challenges such as demographic decline and productivity. How do you assess the current momentum for modernization and innovation in Japan today? And how do you see this digital revolution evolving in the future?

It is true that Japan has historically fallen behind in the software sector, particularly in SaaS and digital services. For many years, our strength in hardware and large-scale system integration became something of a legacy—an inheritance from the past that today has turned into a burden rather than an asset. But in the past few years, I have seen dramatic change, and I feel this shift personally. The single most important factor driving digital transformation in Japan today is the severe shortage of labor and human resources. That reality is forcing Japanese companies to increase efficiency by adopting digital systems, including AI. This is no longer optional—it is becoming essential.

In Japan, there are essentially two types of system providers. One is the traditional system integrator—companies such as Fujitsu or NEC. These firms build fully customized systems for large enterprises. The other category is SaaS companies, such as startups like RAKUSL or more global platforms like Salesforce. The traditional model of custom system integration is extremely costly and often unstable. We frequently see banks, for example, experiencing major system failures despite investing heavily in bespoke solutions built by large integrators. SaaS, on the other hand, provides standardized, reliable systems at a fraction of the cost, and without the same risk of catastrophic breakdowns.

This is particularly important in Japan, where most businesses are not huge corporations but small and medium-sized enterprises. These SMBs typically lack the resources or capital to invest in expensive, customized IT systems. For them, SaaS is a savior—it enables them to adopt sophisticated, stable systems at reasonable cost. This structural shift, combined with the acute labor shortage, means SaaS adoption is accelerating. I believe this marks a real turning point for Japan’s digital transformation.

Historically, companies like Fujitsu, NEC, and Sony were pillars of Japan’s strength in hardware and system integration. But today, this legacy can make it harder for companies to adapt quickly to new digital realities. Do you see this legacy as a challenge that Japanese firms need to overcome in order to embrace the future?

Yes. Many of these large companies still rely on bespoke, complex systems that are difficult to modernize. For Japanese firms to embrace the future, we must overcome this legacy. I think moving away from purely hardware-driven and customized system models toward SaaS and standardized platforms is essential. I think so.

You make a fascinating point about Japan’s traditional strength in system integration and hardware. What was once a competitive advantage has become something of a liability, especially for smaller firms, due to cost and rigidity. In your view, what are the biggest barriers that still need to be overcome for Japan to fully embrace digital transformation and unlock economic growth?

I believe it is time for major system integrators to transform their conventional business models. It is essential to move beyond relying solely on the custom-build models that have long been mainstream. They must now powerfully drive digital transformation (DX) through the active adoption and utilization of SaaS. I truly believe that this moment is a golden opportunity to advance this DX and establish a new competitive edge.

As you mentioned, Japan’s demographic and labor challenges are severe, with estimates that the workforce will shrink by over 11 million workers by 2040. But these same issues will also be faced by other advanced economies in the coming years. How ready is Japanese technology—particularly SaaS—to expand beyond Japan and offer solutions to these global challenges?

Japan is in a unique position. We face an aging society and workforce shortages earlier and more acutely than most countries. Yet paradoxically, our automation and system efficiency have been slower to advance than in many other regions. That is now changing. SaaS adoption is spreading across major Japanese enterprises, which is an encouraging sign. If this continues, I believe Japanese SaaS companies can not only transform the domestic market but also address the same issues globally as other advanced economies face the same demographic pressures. The SaaS Company in Japan is still young, with many founders also serving as CEOs, highly motivated to grow globally. We are now seeing adoption from small businesses to large enterprises alike, which lays the foundation for international expansion. While we do not yet have many global success stories, I believe in the next several years we will.

Turning to your own company—adish provides very specific solutions around customer success and BPO services. How do you see your company scaling within Japan and also overseas?

Our first priority is to become the top partner company in Japan for customer success. That is our foundation. At the same time, I am personally very committed to overseas expansion. We already established a subsidiary in the Philippines and built a global team to support our SaaS clients there. The Philippines serves as both a base for regional growth and as a platform to support global customers.

So, our strategy is twofold: first, establish ourselves as the leader in Japan, and second, leverage that expertise and our Philippine operations to expand internationally. I also hope that other Japanese SaaS companies will follow us overseas, and we can grow together as part of a broader wave of global expansion.

 adish Headquarters

Looking at your positioning, both in Japan and overseas, what do you see as your key advantages in growing internationally? And beyond the Philippines, do you plan to expand into additional countries in the near future?

I believe our greatest strength lies in the combination of service delivery know-how and technology. We already work with global clients, and we consistently receive feedback that our service quality is among the highest worldwide. We have proven success stories in Japan and a reputation for quality assurance that is recognized internationally. That gives us confidence that our model can be transferred overseas. Of course, we must adapt to local contexts, but our core principles —standardization, efficiency, and customer-centricity—are universally applicable. So, our advantage is both the proven operational track record and the ability to blend technology with human expertise. That combination makes us competitive not only in Japan but also globally.

Adoption is often a challenge in Japan, as companies can be slow to embrace new technologies. In your case, you also need to train people in customer success processes and guide them in how to use technology effectively. How do you ensure that your solutions are adopted properly by clients?

Standardization is absolutely key. We design processes that can be applied consistently across teams and industries. For example, we created a training program called Customer Success Prime Learning (CSPL), which provides systematic education for customer success professionals. Alongside this, we have built monitoring systems focused on trust and safety.

Japanese companies are very strong at reducing waste, optimizing processes, and following structured models. By embedding normalization and standardization into our programs, we make adoption easier and more natural. This combination of system, training, and discipline is what ensures successful adoption.

You mentioned that in some of your Customer Support Service you enable up to 80% automation by combining your proprietary systems with external technologies. How exactly do you blend your own expertise with external providers, and can you share a concrete success story that illustrates this performance?

Yes. In our customer support operations, we achieve this by integrating AI and system automation with standardized processes. But it is important to stress that our approach is hybrid. AI alone cannot solve every challenge. We combine AI with human expertise. For example, in trust and safety, we use automated monitoring systems, but we also rely on human judgment. This combination—technology plus human oversight—is our distinctive strength.

Many companies use AI as a buzzword, but you are applying it in very concrete ways. Could you explain in more detail how you are using AI to enhance your services?

Certainly. We partner with Zendesk, one of the world’s leading AI-powered support platforms. By combining Zendesk’s advanced tools with our own service delivery expertise, we create highly effective solutions. The second key factor is data. Throughout the years of customer support work, we have accumulated a vast amount of operational data. This data is invaluable for training AI and making automation practical and reliable. The third factor is our experience. We know which processes can be automated effectively and which require a human touch. By combining partnerships, data, and our experience, we create automation systems that deliver real results.

In addition to Zendesk, you have also formed partnerships with other SaaS providers such as CloudCIRCUS, UNIRITA, and PartnerProp. In today’s fragmented SaaS environment, where integration across multiple tools can be a challenge for SMEs, what is your strategy for managing these partnerships? And are you also considering partnerships with major global tech companies to strengthen integration?

Yes, partnerships are central to our strategy. Called “The Flywheel Effect”, each project generates experience, knowledge, and systems, which we feed back into our broader ecosystem. This cycle strengthens both us and our partners, and over time, it accelerates growth.

Partnerships are not the goal in themselves, but a means to expand this ecosystem and reinforce our position as the top partner for customer success. Zendesk is our partner for evolving our customer support into an AI-driven model by utilizing their AI support system. While CrowdWorks is our partner for strengthening our human resources. Others play different roles within this ecosystem, but together they help us grow “The Flywheel Effect” faster and stronger.

Many of our readers are global CEOs and entrepreneurs looking for potential partners. Could you explain in simple terms what makes adish unique, and what value you can bring to potential partners?

What makes us unique is that we do not grow alone—our ecosystem allows our partners to grow with us. When our business expands, our partners’ business expands as well. The Japanese customer success market itself is growing rapidly, and our ecosystem magnifies that growth for everyone involved. That mutual benefit is what sets us apart and what creates real, lasting value for partners.

Could you share a client success story that illustrates this?

We execute the customer success operations for LegalOn Technologies, tailoring our approach to their different customer segments. For example, our staff dedicated to the law firm segment is responsible for managing the support for several hundred firms.

LegalOn Technologies is poised for significant future growth, and they view us as a valuable partner. We are committed to further supporting them in standardizing and enhancing the quality of their customer success. Another example is IDOM, known as Gulliver, a major player in the used car market. They operate over 400 blogs, and we provide trust and safety monitoring for them. This is only possible because we have both the systems and the human expertise to manage such scale. These are the kinds of success stories that demonstrate our capabilities.

Some Japanese leaders in digital transformation have told us that Japan is often seen as the least digitally competitive country in the OECD, and therefore foreign companies sometimes dismiss Japanese startups as potential partners. They argue that what is missing is not technology but communication—Japanese companies do not explain their uniqueness effectively to the global market. Do you agree?

I do agree. Historically, Japanese startups have been weak in communication with the global market, which has led to underestimation of their value. But this is changing. Many startups are growing rapidly and are beginning to share their stories internationally. I believe that if we continue this trend, Japanese SMBs and startups will gain recognition and respect globally.

Finally, looking ahead—you are now listed on the Growth Market, and you have set an ambitious target of reaching ¥7 billion in revenue by 2030. Do you aim to move to the Prime Market to attract more investors? And what will be your main focus for achieving growth and profitability?

Being listed on the Growth Market is only the beginning. Frankly, I believe we are still undervalued by investors. Part of this is because we have been investing heavily in recent years, which has put pressure on short-term profits. Another part is that many investors are not yet familiar with the potential of the customer success market.

But I see this as an opportunity. I believe our stock price is undervalued, and I anticipate continued growth in revenue and earnings, which means there is huge room for growth as the market matures. As recognition of customer success grows globally, I am confident our valuation will rise. We already have subsidiaries in the Philippines and global teams overseas. That international presence will also be attractive to investors. Ultimately, our focus is on proving the profitability of our model while continuing to invest for long-term growth.

This year you are celebrating your company’s 11th anniversary. If we were to return four years from now, for your 15th anniversary, what would you like to be able to tell us?

By then, I want to be able to say that adish has become the top company in Japan for customer success. I also hope that customer success will be a much more widely recognized and respected discipline in the market. In addition, I would like to see us expanding more actively overseas, working not only with software but also integrating real systems with digital solutions, and taking that model global. That is the vision I would like to share on our 15th anniversary.

And one final question. If you had to summarize adish in just one simple sentence for our global readers, how would you like your company to be seen?

I would like adish to be recognized as the top partner for Customer Success worldwide.

For more information, visit their website at: https://www.adish.co.jp/