
Why You Should Fire Yourself
If you frequently find that your customers prefer to speak directly with you rather than your employees, it may be beneficial to reevaluate your structure in order to enhance your business’s value.
A business capable of thriving independently of its owner is inherently more valuable. Smooth operations can continue regardless of your presence. Being overly immersed in day-to-day details can hinder growth and evolution, limiting opportunities for your employees to develop into strong advocates for your brand.
To enhance your business’s value, aim to gradually step back and empower your staff to take the spotlight. Here are five strategies to reduce customer reliance on contacting you directly:
- Re-rank
If you showcase the bios of key staff members on your website, consider organizing the list alphabetically instead of by hierarchy. This approach promotes a sense of equality among team members and effectively directs customers toward the person they are looking for.
- Re-brand
If your surname is part of your company name, it might be worth considering a re-brand. Having the owner’s surname in the company name can unintentionally emphasize personal involvement, potentially influencing customers to prefer dealing directly with the owner.
- Hire a President
Assigning someone the title of president signals that they possess genuine authority to resolve customer issues, whereby customers can rest easy knowing they are in good hands.
- Use an email auto-responder
Tim Ferriss, known for his book “The 4-Hour Workweek” among others, popularized the email auto-responder, a tool that can greatly benefit you. Configure an automatic response for incoming emails, informing senders that you are currently traveling or focused on a strategic project and unable to respond immediately. Encourage customers to direct their inquiries to the most appropriate person who can promptly address their questions. This practice helps streamline communication and ensures efficient resolution of queries.
Be cautious when employing this strategy: if you still respond to customer emails despite setting up an auto-responder, it may become evident that you are using it as a shield. This could potentially undermine your credibility. If you choose to use one, be prepared to allow others to take over the communication.
- Play hookey
If your business requires customers to visit in person, setting up a home office allows you to spend more time away from your main location. This setup enhances efficiency and reduces the likelihood of customers reaching out directly to you.
For a driven, type-A entrepreneur, implementing the steps above may seem challenging and counterintuitive at first. It could even temporarily affect your company’s sales. However, once you successfully train your customers to engage with your team, you’ll be positioned to scale up effectively and maximize your business’s value in the long run.