When Productivity Goes Wrong

I am all for productivity, but not when your productivity impacts your customers, friends and prospects negatively.

Perhaps when productivity systems go bad it needs a new definition, is it still productivity when you get negative results rather than a positive impact?

Either way, I am increasingly seeing people implement systems that are designed to make them more productive, that are putting a distance, poor customer experience, and critical word of mouth between them and their customers.

My first experience of this was when a popular productivity guru asked for my help with the blog he was aiming to set up. I replied a couple of times asking what help this person needed … and got no reply. I felt brushed off so quietly asked a couple of close contacts who were familiar with us both what the game might be.

You know the answer already.

“Oh yeah, he does that. He probably sent a bunch of those emails. And you know he doesn’t respond to most of the email he gets. If he needs you he will be in touch, otherwise forget about it.”

So he asked me for help, but didn’t have the curtesy to acknowledge my reply or even tell me my help was no longer needed.

He saved a couple of minutes from his busy day, I am left with a bad feeling about him and even had discussions with my close contacts about it. Even worse, he does it so much that it has become part of what people expect him to do!

If someone asks me about this person or that person’s products, will I feel inclined to recommend them?

Another case recently was I had signed up for a membership site. In this service the owners personal email is supposedly given out. But when you email it, for any reason, you get the person’s VA. With copy and paste style scripted replies.

Fair enough, use assistants. I applaud that when it gives you more time to give care and attention where it is needed.

But not instead of giving care and attention.

If there is a problem with a credit card, an invoice, you need a password recovery, and so on, those are exactly the type of things you would want to either automate or hand off to an assistant.

But when someone buys your information product and they have questions outside of the “first line support flowchart” then you need to step in with quality responses.

At the same time I joined the aforementioned membership, I also signed up to some courses by a couple of individuals who are hyper productive. If I didn’t know better I would think they were some sort of cyborgs sent from the future, or at the very least taking some serious medication ;)

But you know what? They give you personal attention when it is needed and have systems in place where the personal touch is not required.

Bottom line, what is the point of being productive if it damages your brand? Do not sacrifice long term value for some short term time savings.

Have you experienced anything like this? How do you make sure your productivity benefits you, your business and your customers? Please share in the comments …

Posted on November 19, 2009 by Chris Garrett 
Filed Under Productivity

Comments

4 Responses to “When Productivity Goes Wrong”

  1. Charlie on November 20th, 2009 3:07 am

    I think what’s largely at play is that people somehow have separated “productivity” and most things involving people.

    Some people complain that they have to choose between being productive and spending time with their family. But spending time with their family is being productive – it’s a different type of activity, true, but that doesn’t make it unproductive.

    Likewise, entrepreneurs sometimes feel that they could either be productive or connect and network with potential customers/clients or colleagues. But, again, those are productive tasks that need to be balanced with other activities.

    If a particular habit, hack, or tweak cuts you off from the people who are supporting you, it’s not helping you be more productive – it’s just eliminating one valuable activity so you can do another.

  2. Bruce Keener on November 22nd, 2009 8:54 pm

    Who were the gurus you took the courses from? Any links or books of theirs you could reference?

    Really curious who the gent was who let you down. I can understand why you might not want to mention, but you know all of us are wondering who it is, and some are assuming they know who it is (possibly wrongly) … not specifying who it is could hurt other reputable people who might be assumed to be “the guy who didn’t deliver.”

  3. Chris Garrett on November 30th, 2009 6:01 pm

    @Charlie – Excellent points, family time can be super productive but so many people think hanging out with family is wasted time. Productvity has to be looked at in a long term and quality of life context as well as short term task focus :)

    @Bruce – I would rather not name an individual as being “wrong” as it is the behaviour I wanted to highlight rather than the person. The guys I mention who are super productive I will give a full review of when I have had chance to go through their product to the end :) (I am such a tease, heh)

  4. Shane Watson on January 20th, 2010 7:24 pm

    @Charlie I completely agree. When results are placed before relationships, work becomes oppressive for everyone involved. I constatly have to remind myself to take a break from my work to spend time with my kids. It’s not easy, but my kids need me more than my college or job does.

    @Chris I’ve dealt with the neverending first level support. The first level support of one company I dealt with refused to allow me to speak with a manager, even saying “no” in rude tones. It took a letter from a lawyer to get anything done in that situation.

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