Ep 12: Stop Doing This Top Business Trend

May 10

Stop Doing This In Your Business

I want to discuss something that many online gurus and business coaches are probably advising you to do. It's likely that you've invested in workshops or programs that teach you how to do more of this or improve in this area. Even I have likely encouraged you to do it if we've worked together.

However, I want to urge you to reconsider and slow down on this particular practice. What am I referring to? Automation.

Stop attempting to automate every aspect of your business.

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate automation and efficiency as much as anyone. It's great to find ways to save time and money by automating repetitive tasks, allowing your team to focus on more important things.

Preventing Alienation Of Your Community

As automation becomes more prevalent and expected, we run the risk of alienating our community. Striking a balance between automation and alienation is crucial, and unfortunately, many businesses are failing at it. They prioritize automation for the sake of saving time and being efficient, but neglect the negative impact it can have on the customer experience.

Sometimes, when an entire industry is moving in one direction, it's worth considering going against the grain. Let's take the example of Southwest Airlines introducing check-in kiosks. We never truly realized how frustrating it was to wait in line for boarding passes until the luxury of the kiosk was introduced. However, now that kiosks are the norm, the experience doesn't feel special anymore. If a human were to guide you through the check-in process and handle your luggage, it would feel like a luxury experience.

The Four Seasons hotel chain, for instance, focuses on providing a lush experience with personalized interactions. They don't rely heavily on kiosk automation, as it can never fully replace the unique connection of human-to-human interactions.

Creating The Experience

When it comes to your online business or program, think about the kind of experience and culture you want to create for your members and customers. Is it one of connectedness? Is it one that values speed and efficiency? I believe you can have both within your programs. The issue arises when we automate at the expense of human connection.

Consider ways to maintain human touchpoints and connections within your business. Some might argue, "I have thousands of members; I can't possibly do that." But the truth is, you don't have to cater to everyone individually or do this on a monthly basis. You don't even have to be the one personally executing these touchpoints.! People also want to connect with your team members because they are human.

Creating Connections Between Your Members And Your Team

Creating connections between your members and your team can increase loyalty and satisfaction. It's a proven strategy observed in churches, where meeting new people on the first day enhances the likelihood of returning. The same principle applies to your team members—many of them don't want to be stuck behind a desk automating tasks all day. They want to reach out to your members, send notes of encouragement, have video calls, or simply pick up the phone and talk.

These personal touchpoints, such as phone calls, personalized voice or video messages, and even handwritten notes, foster human connections that are invaluable. So, rather than striving to automate everything in your business, focus on incorporating these unscalable actions. It's these unscalable actions that create genuine human connections, and those connections are truly remarkable.

Standing Out With Connection

As automation becomes increasingly commonplace, what will stand out are the individuals who take the time to call you, send personalized messages, or even mail you a handwritten note. Imagine how memorable that would be within your program or business. While efficiency and leveraging tools are important, ensure that your automation efforts don't push you further toward alienating your members.

Remember, your members joined your program because they sought human connection, and that connection is what will make them stay. If you find yourself struggling to create authentic connections and feel overwhelmed, I would love to help! Let’s chat!