Business Operation Best Practices for Digital First Teams

From Sushi Bar to Software: How Omakase Inspires Kintone’s Customer Journey

Written by Aisha Moktadier | Sep 22, 2025

Omakase and the Art of Guiding Customers for the Long Haul

When you sit down at a sushi bar and say, “Omakase,” you’re placing your trust in the chef to craft a meal for you — course by course, based on your preferences, appetite, and needs. The chef doesn’t decide in isolation; instead, they ask questions, listen, and shape the experience together with you.

At Kintone, that’s how we think about guiding customers. Our role isn’t to take control and make every decision on your behalf, but to be the trusted “chef” who helps curate the right experience based on your goals, resources, and requirements. Whether you’re building your first app or refining workflows years later, we combine our expertise with your insights to design solutions that scale.

The First Course: Curated Onboarding

Starting new software can feel overwhelming. According to VML Enterprise Solutions’ 2025 report, 37% of digital transformation projects still fail — even with rising investments. Many platforms leave you to figure it out alone.

Kintone takes a different approach.

When you sign up, our product specialists — your “chefs” — begin by learning about your business: processes, pain points, goals, and resources. Instead of giving you a generic template, we shape a solution around your real-world needs. You see a tailored workflow come to life, not just a demo.

For example, Oxford House Saskatchewan, a nonprofit, digitized all paper files within 30 days, sped up processing by 30%, and saved 16 hours per person per week — results they described as “transformational.”

Just like a chef chooses the right ingredients, our team selects the right combination of Kintone features to give you a strong, practical start.

The Journey Continues: Guidance Beyond Onboarding

In omakase dining, the chef doesn’t leave after the first course. They stay engaged — watching, adjusting, and curating the next dish based on your feedback.

That’s how we approach customer success. Once you’re up and running, our work is only beginning. Over 60% of our customers request additional app builds or workflow refinements within their first year, showing how Kintone grows alongside your evolving needs.

  • New Community Coalition: In just four hours of their free trial, they built a comprehensive volunteer and impact tracking database without prior technical training. With ongoing guidance, they expanded their use of Kintone to manage projects, events, and reporting. Their Operations Lead, Tim Edingfield, was so impressed with the platform and support that he later joined Kintone as a consultant.

  • LNS Japan: Their onboarding began with a sales tracking app that went live in hours. As benefits became clear, our team helped connect the app to broader operations, giving leadership real-time performance visibility.

Why the Omakase Approach Works

The beauty of omakase is its balance of expertise and personalization. You benefit from someone who has mastered their craft, but the experience is still tailored to you.

At Kintone, we work the same way:

  • You set the vision; we provide the expertise. You tell us your goals, and we configure the apps and workflows to achieve them.

  • We guide and anticipate. Like a chef noting your preferences, we pay attention to how you use Kintone and offer recommendations.

  • You stay in control. We bring experience, but you always have the final say in shaping solutions that fit your needs and scale with your organization.

From First Bite to Last

Great service isn’t just about day one — it’s about the long haul. Many of our customers say they came for the platform but stayed for the people.

We see ourselves not only as solution providers, but also as collaborators and advisors. We celebrate your wins, troubleshoot challenges, and help refine your systems as your organization evolves.

Think of it as a long, shared omakase experience: we serve the “first course” during onboarding, but we’ll be with you through every dish that follows, always ready to recommend the next step.

Ready to Experience Omakase with Kintone?

If you’re tired of self-serve platforms that leave you guessing, it’s time to try an approach that combines flexible software with expert guidance. With Kintone, you don’t just get a tool — you gain a partner who curates solutions alongside you, for today and for the future.

Say “omakase” to us, and let’s build your ideal experience together.