Now that AI can generate our core deliverables in seconds, our industry is facing extreme commoditization. How do we rebuild our three differentiators on the V/TO® around things that technology cannot replicate, like emotional intelligence and strategic advisory, without destroying our scalable business model?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When the cost of basic execution drops to near zero, businesses that compete on raw output will fail. To survive and thrive in this environment, you must seek to be an indispensable complement to technologies that are becoming cheap and plentiful, rather than competing directly with tasks machines can do cheaper and faster.

Start by reviewing your three differentiators on your V/TO®. If any of them rely on speed of manual execution or basic data synthesis, they are no longer defensible. Rebuild your differentiators around the high-value human elements of your service, such as deep relationship management, tailored strategic advice, and executive-level accountability.

Next, integrate AI deeply into your internal operations to identify and automate the cumbersome processes that keep your employees from performing high-value work. Prioritize use cases for AI that improve operational efficiency, freeing your staff from low-value tasks so they can spend their time consulting and guiding your clients. By using AI to scale your back-end operations, you can provide highly personalized, high-touch human interaction to a much larger client base. This unique combination of automated speed and human accountability allows you to maintain premium pricing while building a highly scalable business model that competitors cannot replicate.