Why does everything seem SO hard!?
Lately, I've been thinking a lot about how we move through systems (contracts, subscriptions, institutions, etc.) and how some feel intuitive, and others feel like obstacle courses.
Everything feels a little more complicated than it once was.
I wouldn't say catastrophically different, but different. Different in a steady, almost imperceptible way that leaves a person slightly more drained than necessary. Canceling a subscription requires navigating a sequence of prompts clearly designed to make you reconsider. Finding a real customer service number can feel like an exercise in persistence. A simple connection to a booking turns into a policy maze. None of this is outrageous on its own but stacked together it starts to show a pattern.
These patterns are where things get interesting to me.
The more I pay attention, the more I suspect this isn't accidental. Businesses aren't trying to frustrate customers. They're trying to protect themselves - from fraud, from abuse, from shrinking margins, from churn. Sooo they build systems and safeguards, and they tighten policies. Each individual decision makes sense when viewed through the lens of risk management.
Unfortunately, when protection becomes the primary lens, ease of use quietly moves to second place.
That shift is subtle, but it still changes the entire posture of the company. It no longer feels like the business is designed to serve and then responsibly protect itself. It begins to feel like it is designed to protect first and serve only when possible.
Most customers won't articulate that, but they will certainly feel it. What they feel is not anger as much as it is fatigue.
Friction doesn't usually cause dramatic exits. It causes slow disengagement. It lowers patience and reduces grace. It makes loyalty feel conditional instead of relational. Over time, it changes how much trust someone is willing to extend before even walking through the door. That matters a lot more than we think.
In real estate, we operate inside systems, too - contracts, timelines, lenders, portals, inspections, regulations, etc. It would be easy to hide behind those systems and let clients absorb the friction as part of the process. After all, much of it is unavoidable.
However, there is a big difference between necessary complexity and unmanaged friction.
The businesses that will stand out in this environment won't necessarily be the loudest or even the cheapest. They will be the ones who feel clear, responsive, and steady. They'll be the ones who absorb some, or most of the friction instead of passing it along.
In a world that increasingly feels engineered for efficiency and self-protection, this decision to prioritize ease becomes incredibly powerful.
It's a care-driven strategy. When people feel worn down everywhere else, they notice where things feel lighter.
I think that's the opportunity inside all of us. The friction economy is not going away. Systems will continue to optimize, and policies will continue to tighten. But...we still get to decide how we show up within those systems.
We can add to the friction. OR...we can become known for reducing it.
Right now, I suspect the latter is where true loyalty is built.
