Remember the scene in The Wizard of Oz when Toto pulls back the curtain, revealing an ordinary man frantically pulling levers and pushing buttons and getting a proper sweat on?
And here's a business nugget from the inside the cogs & dials of Bertie Cordingley's mentoring genius; what if that moment of revelation - that behind the impressive display of fire and smoke was simply someone working a clever system - isn't just technicolour movie magic but the secret to running your business successfully?
The Magic Your Customers See
When your customers interact with your business, it's a good idea to ponder - what do they actually experience?
Hopefully, something that feels effortless.
Instant responses to their enquiries. Personalized communications that arrive at exactly the right moment. Smooth booking processes. Invoices that land promptly. A seamless journey from first contact to loyal, applauding client.
That, my friend, is your Emerald City. And it can be polished, impressive, and gleamingly magical.
The Reality Behind Your Curtain
But let's first take a guess at what's actually happening behind your curtain....
You're manually sending every email, copying and pasting client details between spreadsheets. Setting phone reminders to follow up. Toggling between six different apps to manage conversations. Staying up past midnight just to keep the plates spinning.
You're running yourself ragged to create that seamless customer experience.
And whilst your dedication is admirable, it really isn't sustainable - especially as an SME or solopreneur where every hour counts. We've been there, done that - it's exhausting!
Perhaps most importantly, consideration for your wellbeing should be a high-ranking factor in this discussion as well.
Why Small Businesses Need Their Own Control Room
Large corporations have always had their "wizard's control room" - integrated CRM systems, automated workflows, customer service platforms, and dedicated teams managing it all. They've understood that creating exceptional customer experiences shouldn't mean sacrificing your own time, energy, or sanity.
And until recently, you could totally have these cool, expensive systems if you were willing to pay an arm and a leg, but they were complicated to implement, and required a technical expertise that most small business owners didn't have (or have the time / money to develop).
It creates a playing field that isn't level.
You're competing with businesses who have entire departments dedicated to customer experience whilst you were doing everything yourself, often late into the evening.
What If You Had a Different Control Room?
Imagine this instead...
A potential client visits your website at 10pm on a Tuesday. They complete your contact form. Instantly, they receive a personalized welcome email. From YOU! Their details are automatically logged in your CRM. A task appears on your calendar to follow up. Your review request system adds them to the sequence. Your social media scheduler continues posting consistent content. Your multi-channel inbox captures their response whether they email, DM, or message you on Facebook.
Oh yes, coming back to you.
You're asleep. Or if it's not way past bedtime, you're working on the parts of your business that actually need your unique expertise.
That's what happens when you have the right systems pulling the levers behind your curtain.
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