homie Appears on NewsPicks: Defining 'Next-Generation Sales in the AI Era' with Former Microsoft Executive Madoka Sawa - What is the Intervening Value of Sales Required for the Best Customer Experience?
Yu Kinoshita of homie and Madoka Sawa of Enso discussed 'Next-Generation Sales' on NewsPicks. They emphasized the importance of empathy, understanding context, and utilizing a division of labor model in real estate sales amidst the rise of AI.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: March 30, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: March 30, 2026 at 22:56 (3h 56m after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 22, 2026 at 13:02 (542h 6m after Collected)
In this program, Yu Kinoshita, Executive Officer at our company, and Madoka Sawa, Representative Director of Enso Inc., took the stage. Under the theme 'What is the Next-Generation Sales that creates the best customer experience?', they thoroughly discussed the 'essential value of sales,' which is being forced to redefine itself with the advent of the AI era. They presented a roadmap for transformation on how to maximize the 'intervening value' that sales representatives should inherently focus on in the field supporting life's biggest decision: housing and real estate.
## Background of the Program and Discussion Points
With the evolution of technology, information provision and administrative tasks are being replaced by AI. Consequently, the role of sales that humans must bear is dramatically changing from 'product explainers' to 'partners who support decisions.'
### 1. 'Contextual Understanding' and 'Building Trust' that AI Cannot Replace
In today's world where information asymmetry has been resolved, customers are not looking for 'mere property information' but for someone who understands their context and empathizes with their anxieties. We delved into how 'emotional empathy' and 'advice on specific individual worries,' which are impossible for AI, are the core values of sales moving forward.
### 2. A Division of Labor Model to Solve the 'Structural Defects' of the Housing and Real Estate Industry
In the real estate sales field, sales reps are overwhelmed by immediate responses (inbound leads) and massive administrative tasks, creating a dilemma where they cannot allocate enough time to improve the quality of customer experience, which is what they should originally face. We explained how a 'division of labor' that separates these tasks into technology and specialized teams can balance the best customer experience with the job satisfaction of sales professionals.
### 3. Redefining from 'Guide' to 'Life Companion'
The next-generation sales of the future should not just be a 'guide' who shows properties, but a 'life companion' who protects asset value and living with an eye toward the customer's future. Based on high expertise and ethics, we discussed the vision for establishing a social position as a professional.
## Speaker Comments (From the Video Content)
Madoka Sawa (Representative Director, Enso Inc.)
'Instead of competing with AI in accuracy and speed, can you become someone who is trusted and consulted by the customer? The sales profession of the future is being tested on the "uniquely human power" to deeply read the customer's context.'
Yu Kinoshita (Executive Officer, homie Inc.)
'Real estate sales is not the job of "selling a house," but the "job of supporting life decisions for customers." Through the division of labor combining humans and technology, we will create a world where sales professionals can maximize their professionalism and work with pride.'
## Program Overview
Program Title: What is the 'Next-Generation Sales' that creates the best customer experience?
Distribution Medium: NewsPicks (App/Web/Official YouTube Channel)
Cast: Madoka Sawa, Yu Kinoshita, and others
## How to Watch
1. NewsPicks
## Background of the Program and Discussion Points
With the evolution of technology, information provision and administrative tasks are being replaced by AI. Consequently, the role of sales that humans must bear is dramatically changing from 'product explainers' to 'partners who support decisions.'
### 1. 'Contextual Understanding' and 'Building Trust' that AI Cannot Replace
In today's world where information asymmetry has been resolved, customers are not looking for 'mere property information' but for someone who understands their context and empathizes with their anxieties. We delved into how 'emotional empathy' and 'advice on specific individual worries,' which are impossible for AI, are the core values of sales moving forward.
### 2. A Division of Labor Model to Solve the 'Structural Defects' of the Housing and Real Estate Industry
In the real estate sales field, sales reps are overwhelmed by immediate responses (inbound leads) and massive administrative tasks, creating a dilemma where they cannot allocate enough time to improve the quality of customer experience, which is what they should originally face. We explained how a 'division of labor' that separates these tasks into technology and specialized teams can balance the best customer experience with the job satisfaction of sales professionals.
### 3. Redefining from 'Guide' to 'Life Companion'
The next-generation sales of the future should not just be a 'guide' who shows properties, but a 'life companion' who protects asset value and living with an eye toward the customer's future. Based on high expertise and ethics, we discussed the vision for establishing a social position as a professional.
## Speaker Comments (From the Video Content)
Madoka Sawa (Representative Director, Enso Inc.)
'Instead of competing with AI in accuracy and speed, can you become someone who is trusted and consulted by the customer? The sales profession of the future is being tested on the "uniquely human power" to deeply read the customer's context.'
Yu Kinoshita (Executive Officer, homie Inc.)
'Real estate sales is not the job of "selling a house," but the "job of supporting life decisions for customers." Through the division of labor combining humans and technology, we will create a world where sales professionals can maximize their professionalism and work with pride.'
## Program Overview
Program Title: What is the 'Next-Generation Sales' that creates the best customer experience?
Distribution Medium: NewsPicks (App/Web/Official YouTube Channel)
Cast: Madoka Sawa, Yu Kinoshita, and others
## How to Watch
1. NewsPicks