When Business Is Tough, Think Old School…

In the past week, two of my consulting clients shared similar struggles:

They were finding it difficult to understand their clients’ needs or decide how to prioritise client-related budget investments.

Their first instinct?

Turn to technology—hoping that scaling with AI, CRM tools, or automation might bridge the gap.

Undoubtedly, technology plays a critical role in business scalability.

Understanding client data is vital to delivering client excellence – keep investing in those areas.

But today, I’d like to offer an alternative lens: When business is tough, go back to basics.

Think about the top performers across industries – fashion legends, million-dollar brokers, world-class personal trainers.

Chances are, they’re not necessarily the most tech-savvy.

They thrive because they master client relationships in an old-school way: Personal, human, and irreplaceable.

Let’s revisit some old-school yet timeless recipes this week:

Today, it’s almost impossible to speak to a real person in many institutions – airlines, banks, even some luxury services.

That’s why knowing your clients by name and having a real person for them to reach out to becomes so preciously special.

Keep that human connection alive—for as many clients as possible.

If you truly want to know your clients, don’t just send a survey.

Find real opportunities to engage them in authentic conversations – where they feel seen, heard, and valued beyond data points.

Nine times out of ten, if you walk into a retail store, you’ll find Sales Associates busy on their phones—whether casually browsing or digital clienteling.

Regardless, walk-in clients must be prioritised.

Educate the teams to put down the phone and give their full attention to the client standing right in front of them.

I’ve been called “Dear valuable client” by brands I spend over 10K a year with—via their social messaging.

It feels transactional.

Take the time to identify how your clients wish to be addressed – and honour that preference consistently across every channel.

Sadly, we are trained to bear disappointment – business partners who promise to follow up but don’t, proposals that are ignored, promised stock updates that never materialise.

Be the rare professional who keeps promises—and even over-delivers: faster, more thorough, and with a touch of thoughtful extra.heartfelt.

Prepare before every client appointment—know who they are and what matters to them.

Be on time. Hold the door. Stay fully present in every conversation.

Small gestures, big impact.

It’s easy to slip into the mindset of hoping to gain – winning a deal, selling a product, leveraging a relationship.

What if we reframe the approach: What can we offer to every person who crosses our path first, before asking anything in return?

How can we make a partner’s life easier, or delight the client who walks in?

Model the behaviour you wish to see— and more.

Treat your team like internal clients: care for them, understand their individual communication preferences, and speak to what motivates them.

When technology evolves faster than we can keep up, it’s the old-school basics – the timeless art of human connection that help businesses (and individuals) truly stand out.

• How can you role-model these timeless habits for your team or clients?

• Which of these timeless practices can your Client-Facing team sharpen?

• What is the one old-school habit you can put into practice in your department?

Sometimes, the best way forward is to go back to what never goes out of style.✨

Sometimes, the best way forward is to go back to what never goes out of style.✨

Whenever you are ready, here are the ways we can support you (or your business) to thrive in your industry:

• Review your customer loyalty strategy

• Audit luxury Customer Journey & Experience

• Master The Art and Science of Clienteling

• Design your VIC Event & Experience

• Deliver an Inspiring Keynote

• Support your leadership and communication development