Post by Ross J.

Why does The Savoy Still Pay £320,000 for Doormen? I saw a brilliant post on another social media site that I had to bring over here because it nails a crucial business truth. The logic is simple and brutal: • The Savoy probably has 10 full-time doormen earning about £32,000 each. That’s £320,000 a year just to open doors. • You could install two high-tech automatic doors, pay for yearly maintenance, and still spend way less than £100,000 annually. Financially, it’s a no-brainer. Ditch the doormen, install the doors. Massive savings. So why haven't they? Because a doorman doesn't just open a door. They are the first moment of the luxury experience. They are the human signal that you’re someplace special. They set the tone, make you feel welcome, and deliver the intangible "magic" that keeps high-end customers coming back (and paying top dollar). This is a huge lesson for the age of AI: As much as we love efficiency and cost-cutting, not every decision should be measured by cold, hard numbers. The most valuable parts of your business are often the ones you can't quantify. Automate the process, sure. But when short-term savings come at the expense of how your customers feel, you've lost more than you've saved. Never automate the high-end human experience. What’s the "doorman equivalent" in your own company? The thing you can automate but absolutely shouldn't?