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Comment by sharemywin | Hacker News Reader

You need to sell the sizzle not the steak. Nobody needs a website. some business need new business. some need ways for existing customers to more easily schedule appointments, etc...

Also, the more risk you can absorb the better. don't sell websites sell appointments. or take a commission.

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To add, look at where you can add business process automation and self service and if or how that could optimise work throughput and reduce overheads. A lot of that has been commodotised in large enterprises but in smaller ones there may be some gains to be had.

> You need to sell the sizzle not the steak.

> the more risk you can absorb the better.

Wow..I needed these reminders.

> don't sell websites sell appointments. or take a commission.

But like the article says, they are often already overbooked.

I think you can make a case if your software can replace the assistant who picks up the phone. But that's probably going to be extremely difficult.

Once you get down to one assistant (or a handful), it is not about replacing employees. It is about helping them help customers by reducing paperwork/overheads.

For example: Maybe the vet is 100% booked, but cancellations mean they are idle 10% of the time, or maybe waiting room wait times are above average / bursty due to poor predictions of how long each appointment will take.

But cancellations can be handled by the assistant by a single penstroke in the appointment book.

Replacing that appointment on extremely short notice could be assisted by software.

Fantastic point, I can't remember where, but I read somewhere people don't want to buy a drill, they want a hole.

i will remember that one about risk. makes good sense.

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