Posted on February 23, 2011 by Barry Owen
Isn't it cool when you find a gizmo that can automate just about any process?
What a great feeling to be able to hit the "Autopilot Button" and then sit back and relax without having to deal with the tedium, Right?
Airplanes reach their destinations faster and more accurately when on autopilot.
Cars tend to drive more economically on the interstate when cruise control is engaged.
Auto-pay banking pays your bills while you sleep.
In you work, many of the mundane tasks can be accomplished with automated software - Lead Management, Marketing, Process flows . . . etc.
BEWARE!
When you put it on autopilot, does this absolve you from responsibility. Who's to blame if something goes awry and you don't notice in time to save traumatic consequences?
Can autopilot lull you into a sense of complacency and comfort such that your attention becomes so lazy that the world passes you by without your awareness?
Like:
- The 2 airline pilots who flew several hundred miles PAST their destination and couldn't every really give a reasonable explanation (although napping and personal computer use were suspect) . . . hmmm . . . Autopilot did it's job . . . Kept the plane on a safe heading. Human attention was obviously necessary to actually reach the goal (the CORRECT city).
- When you set the cruise control on your car, who's steering - and braking when needed? can you go to sleep at the wheel and set an alarm to wake you up in 300 miles? NOPE! Attention is still important.
- When you use auto-bill-pay with your bank, can you REALLY comfortably go to sleep and pay no attention whatsoever to what the bank is doing with your money? Don't you still reconcile your accounts each month . . . look for errant debits and accurate credits? I heard a story yesterday of a lady who received an "Intent to foreclose" letter from her mortgage company . . . The auto-pay had been pulling money from her account month, but the money wasn't getting to the mortgage company . . . It was floating in the electronic ether . . . What a mess.
- In your business, autopilot might accidentally turn your "High touch commitment to client satisfaction" into a mechanistic beast leaving your clients and prospects feeling like they are "just a number" to you
I'm a big fan of leverage . . . finding automated ways to accomplish mundane tasks can be very liberating.
As you do it, don't forget to "automate responsibly" and keep one eye open.
Just sayin'
Best,
b
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About Barry Owen
Residential Real Estate Principal Broker and Founder of Pareto Realty, LLC. Creating the quintessential real estate firm with emphasis on "Live, Work, & Play" balance . . . and a true Performance Oriented environment for Real Estate Professionals. Serving the Real estate needs of Home Buyers and Sellers in Middle Tennessee. View all posts by Barry Owen →
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