Stop building tech your clients won't use

Your client's tech sophistication matters more than your brilliant solutions.

I recently witnessed an agency owner's revelation after meeting with a longstanding client—a successful lawyer in her 60s. Despite being in business for years, she still:

• Used a dictaphone instead of digital recording

• Had her assistant manually type up notes

• Refused to use calendar apps because "it was a disaster"

Here's what this means for your agency:

1. Match solutions to capabilities. The most powerful software in the world is worthless if your client can't or won't use it. Sometimes a simple spreadsheet is more effective than a complex CRM for certain clients.

2. Consider the human element. One client told my agency owner friend, "No one's as good as my girl on the phone." Technology couldn't replace the human touch her business relied on.

3. Test with real users. The agency owner realized he needed to "make it so stupidly simple that clients are going to use it" instead of building complex systems.

When evaluating a potential client, assess not just their budget but their operational readiness. A client with a smaller budget but the right infrastructure might be more profitable than a bigger client who can't implement your solutions.

Stop trying to drag clients into the 21st century. Meet them where they are.

CQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does a client's tech sophistication matter more than the quality of the solution?

Because the most powerful software in the world is worthless if the client can't or won't use it. A simple spreadsheet that actually gets used beats a complex CRM that sits ignored.

What did the lawyer's dictaphone and refusal to use calendar apps reveal?

That some clients aren't going to change their operational habits no matter how good the alternative is. Her assistant still typed up notes manually, and no amount of persuasion was going to shift that.

Why does the human element still matter even with better technology available?

Because for some businesses, the personal touch is the actual value, not a gap to be automated away. One client put it plainly: "No one's as good as my girl on the phone."

How should agencies think about testing solutions with clients?

By making it stupidly simple, not by building something impressive and complex. If the client won't realistically use it, the sophistication of the system doesn't matter.

Should budget or operational readiness matter more when evaluating a potential client?

Operational readiness deserves real weight alongside budget. A smaller client with the right infrastructure to actually implement a solution can end up more profitable than a bigger client who can't put it to use.