What Decision-Makers Are Looking to Purchase Now: Insights from 1,000 Respondents

Understanding the Current Purchasing Needs of Decision-Makers

In the complex world of B2B sales, gaining direct access to decision-makers has become increasingly challenging. Cold calling connection rates have been steadily declining over the years, and leads acquired from trade shows and webinars often stop at the level of representatives rather than reaching the decision-makers themselves. Common issues include misaligned proposals, timing discrepancies, and unclear priorities regarding needs. Many B2B companies grapple with these challenges, struggling to pinpoint what decision-makers truly seek.

Recently, Only Story Inc., based in Minato, Tokyo, unveiled significant findings from their extensive research on decision-maker needs. The company conducted over 1,000 interviews with decision-makers spanning a period from May 2024 to April 2026. They compiled these insights into the 'Decision-Maker Real Purchasing Needs Research Report (May 2026 Edition).' This report not only details the findings but also opens the door to free consultations for companies aiming to refine their approaches based on this data.

Research Overview

Only Story's platform, 'Chira CEO', facilitates direct face-to-face meetings among decision-makers. During these meetings, participants are asked about the management challenges they are currently considering proposals for, allowing the company to create a robust database of responses. This unique methodology has enabled Only Story to conduct a systematic analysis of decision-makers’ needs, providing reliable data to B2B companies.

Key Findings from the Analysis

From a total of 993 interview responses, they obtained insights categorized by job title, employee size, and business sector, which revealed four major discoveries:

1. Demand for New Business Development is Paramount
Unquestionably, the need for new business development (sales opportunities) emerged as the most prevalent concern across all categories—industry, company size, or job title. Notably, among managers and department heads, an overwhelming 89% identified this need, illustrating the urgent pressure to achieve performance targets in real market scenarios.

2. Management Consulting Needs Account for 51%
The research showed that 51% of decision-makers expressed a desire for management consulting and advisory services. This highlights a previously underreported lack of accessible consulting resources among SMEs, a trend now evidenced by quantitative data in this study.

3. Need Variances Based on Company Size
An intriguing finding revealed that needs considerably shifted according to company size. For firms with 1-10 employees, new business development and management consulting needs stood out prominently. In contrast, companies with 11-300 employees saw a rise in concerns related to recruitment and organizational challenges, while businesses with over 301 employees primarily expressed needs surrounding business process outsourcing (BPO), digital transformation (DX), and operational efficiency.

4. 36% of Respondents Require Partnerships or Alliances
Interestingly, although 36% of those surveyed reported a need for partnerships and alliances, the market for supporting these needs appears underdeveloped. Most B2B services currently focus on sales outsourcing, recruitment, and marketing assistance, pointing to a disconnect that could be addressed.

Data Released in the Report

The findings of this survey offer several critical data points, including:

- Structure ratio of respondents by job title (breakdown of executives, officers, department heads)
- Composition of respondents categorized by employee size (seven segments ranging from 1 to over 1,001 employees)
- Response breakdown by business sector (top ten sectors include HR, IT, marketing)
- Aggregate purchasing needs across eight categories and their composition ratios
- Top three industry-specific needs listed (HR, IT, other B2B sectors)
- Cross-tabulated data by employee size and job titles, revealing nuanced insights into specific needs

Intended Audience for the Research Findings

The insights from this research are particularly beneficial for:

- Executives and business leaders re-evaluating their B2B marketing and sales strategies.
- Sales and marketing department heads interested in capturing data regarding decision-makers' challenges.
- Individuals developing new ventures or services seeking to understand current market purchasing needs.
- B2B companies aiming to increase engagement with decision-makers to improve the caliber and number of business discussions.

Free Consultation and Business Meeting Invitations

Following the report's release, Only Story is now accepting applications for free consultations and business meetings. The company has accumulated 12 years of expertise in decision-maker matching and operates one of the largest networks of decision-makers in Japan, boasting over 7,000 registered members and a pass rate of approximately 60% for applicants.

Click here for free consultation or business meeting application.

Future Prospects

Going forward, Only Story intends to keep collecting and analyzing decision-maker interview data on their platform, releasing updates quarterly. By consistently analyzing and sharing insights about purchasing needs, they aim to support B2B companies in refining their sales and marketing efforts.

Company Overview: Only Story Inc.

Headquarters: 1-14-14 Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo, Japan
CEO: Tetsuya Hirano
Established: 2013
Business Focus: Operation of decision-maker matching platform, comprehensive B2B sales support, CXO introduction services, and more.
Website: https://onlystory.co.jp/