"10% Talking, 90% Listening" - Embodiment of a Founding Philosophy with AI. Asahi Alex Holdings Launches AI Consultation Room for Potential Homebuyers

Asahi Alex Holdings Co., Ltd. (Head Office: 1-9-48 Misaki-cho, Chuo-ku, Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture, Representative Director and Chairman: Shigeo Ishikura) has opened an AI consultation room "Sumai no AI Soudan Shitsu by Asahi Alex" (URL: https://www.asahi-alex.co.jp/ai-concierge/) targeting individuals who have just begun considering building a home.

This service, which can be used anonymously without the need to input personal information, is an initiative aimed at realizing the company's founding sales philosophy of "Stand in the customer's shoes and do what makes them happy" and "10% talking, 90% listening" in digital touchpoints as well. It is positioned as a trial first step in the DX promotion strategy formulated by the company in August 2025. ReplexNext Inc. (Head Office: 2nd Floor, 2-54 Kobarigaoka, Nishi-ku, Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture, Representative Director: Kenji Fujita) is providing its conversational AI concierge "NOIM" as the technical partner, which has been designed and implemented for this service.

Background and Challenges: "Before we could listen, we couldn't connect"

Asahi Alex Minami Exhibition Hall VARIETA (115 Ubagayama, Chuo-ku, Niigata City [Nippo + BSN Sumai no Hiroba Niigata Minami])

Many people considering purchasing a home have the following feelings during the initial stages of information gathering:

"I don't know if my budget will work. I just want to ask first." "I feel like I won't be able to refuse if I go to an exhibition hall." "I don't even know where to start thinking."

These feelings accumulate before taking action, leading to cases where consideration stops without leading to exhibition hall visits or inquiries. This is a challenge for the industry as a whole. Furthermore, although consideration for building a home tends to occur during evenings and holidays, there was no easily accessible place to talk during those times. For the Asahi Alex Group, which has always valued "listening" as its strength, this was also a challenge of "not having a first listener for customers we hadn't yet met." This AI consultation room was born to fill that void.

Overview of "Sumai no AI Soudan Shitsu by Asahi Alex"

No name or contact information required. Start anonymously

No personal information input is required to launch the chat. Simply tap the button, and you can talk about whatever is on your mind. Even the most basic questions like "Is it okay to ask this?" are most welcome.

What you can talk about

Home building process: "In what order should I proceed?" "Should I go to an exhibition hall first?"

Performance and quality: "What's good about insulation?" "What kind of house has low utility costs?"

Budget: "Is it okay without a down payment?" "There are too many types of loans to understand."

Design philosophy: Don't rush for answers, start with a conversation

NOIM doesn't rush for answers; instead, it carefully confirms what you are currently concerned about and what your anxieties are as the conversation progresses. Based on the characteristics of the three housing brands the group offers (HEART made HOUSE, Zutto, and Ichi-seiki Jutaku), it will suggest directions that align with your interests. When you feel like you want to "hear more details," you can make a consultation reservation with a staff member directly from the chat. Of course, it's also fine to end the conversation with just the chat.

Regarding DX Initiatives: We will honestly share this as a trial first step

In August 2025, the Asahi Alex Group officially formulated its group-wide DX promotion strategy. This AI consultation room is positioned within that strategy as a trial initiative to "create new touchpoints for potential homebuyers." Currently, both the AI's accuracy and response range are still developing. It may not always provide perfect answers. Nevertheless, we have started with the attitude of "Let's try it first. We will grow it together as you use it." Your opinions and feedback are valuable materials for improving this AI consultation room.

Comment from Shigeo Ishikura, Representative Director and Chairman, Asahi Alex Holdings Co., Ltd.

When I first started in the housing sales business, my mentor told me, "Stand in the customer's shoes and do what makes them happy." And I myself realized that "10% is talking, 90% is listening." Instead of trying to sell, I first listened carefully to what the customer was worried about and what they were seeking. When I changed my approach to that, results finally followed.

However, in reality, customers who are starting to think about building a home are unable to take that first step. "I feel like I won't be able to refuse if I go to an exhibition hall," or "Is it okay to consult when I'm still in a vague stage?" - such feelings accumulate before we can even connect.

This AI consultation room is an initiative to lower that hurdle. The AI will be the first "listener," helping customers gradually sort out their unspoken doubts. And when they feel "I want to talk to this company," our staff will respond with their full effort. We believe that AI is not a substitute for human interaction, but a tool to enhance the quality of human interaction.

"It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change." - I have continued to share this quote with our employees. Changes in the current housing market, diversification of customer needs, advancements in digital technology. We have determined that creating new touchpoints with a "scrap and build" spirit, discarding fixed ideas in response to these environmental changes, is essential for us to continue to be needed by the community.

This is still a developing initiative. It may not be perfect. Nevertheless, the first step is to move forward without fear of change. I believe that this attitude is the first step towards future growth.

Comment from Kenji Fujita, Representative Director, ReplexNext Inc.

When people start thinking about building a house, they often feel more anxiety than excitement at first. Feelings like "Is it okay to consult when I'm still in a vague stage?" or "I'll be immediately solicited if I go to an exhibition hall" make that first step feel heavy.

What we valued in our collaboration with Asahi Alex was to remove that "heaviness." NOIM doesn't rush for answers; it begins by carefully listening to what you are currently concerned about and what your anxieties are. We believe that the experience itself, of gradually organizing your unspoken doubts through conversation, has meaning.

Our role with NOIM is to create a space where customers can think at their own pace until they naturally feel, "I want to hear from this company." That is the extent of NOIM's role.

Future Outlook

We will continuously improve the AI consultation room based on the opinions and feedback we receive from customers. We will also continue to work on improving the quality of the connection from online to in-person consultations, so that customers can bring their thoughts, organized through conversation, directly to consultations with our staff. We will pursue "home building from the customer's perspective" by combining the knowledge of housing construction that the Asahi Alex Group has accumulated over 45 years in Niigata, Sendai, Fukuoka, and the Tokyo metropolitan area, with one-on-one conversations with each customer.

Related Links

AI Consultation Room for Homes: https://www.asahi-alex.co.jp/ai-concierge/

Asahi Alex Home Building Site: https://www.asahi-alex.co.jp/

Asahi Alex Holdings Co., Ltd.: https://asahi-alex-holdings.com/

Technical Partner ReplexNext Inc.: https://lipronext.com/

"NOIM" Service Page: https://lipronext.com/services/noim/

Company Profile

Asahi Alex Holdings Co., Ltd.

Item

Details

Company Name

Asahi Alex Holdings Co., Ltd.

Representative

Shigeo Ishikura, Representative Director and Chairman

Location

1-9-48 Misaki-cho, Chuo-ku, Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture

Established

April 10, 1982 (※Name changed from Asahi Alex Co., Ltd. in April 2012 due to becoming a holding company)

Capital

372.12 million yen (Group total)

Number of Employees

112 (Group total, as of May 2025)

Business Activities

Custom home building, renovation and remodeling, real estate, environmental business

URL

https://asahi-alex-holdings.com/

ReplexNext Inc.

Item

Details

Company Name

ReplexNext Inc.

Representative

Kenji Fujita, Representative Director

Location

2nd Floor, 2-54 Kobarigaoka, Nishi-ku, Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture

Established

February 13, 2017

Business Activities

AI Business / Metaverse Business / XR Business

URL

https://lipronext.com/