I recently restarted private boxing lessons with a new coach, and I was looking forward to my second session. I texted him to confirm the time and date. I was so glad I did before driving the 30 minutes because apparently he forgot about me. I didn’t get the notice that he had canceled his appointments and was out of town.

It would have been pretty awkward to show up to crickets.

But I understood. Then my mind did this weird thing.

Okay, he forgot about me. He is recalling his students from memory and managing his business from his phone. If he had a system for managing appointments, this would be much easier. We could map out his student onboarding process.

Obviously, text messages are important to him, so it would have to be software that still allows him to do that. Would he be resistant to learning new software? Would I have to train someone to manage it for him? His wife, perhaps? I was already volunteering her to work for him.

It’s a small business. Would there be a cost benefit to adding software, or is managing it from his phone his best option right now? I don’t know.

I do know there could be a retention benefit. I was obviously an example of why.

This all happened while I was waiting in line for my coffee order. By the time I got to my vehicle, I had his business mapped out—except he hadn’t asked me to do that.

To me, it was just a natural way of thinking.

As a customer, I still would have liked a heads-up. Definitely. If I had forgotten to text him and ask for confirmation—again, it was a 30-minute drive, and I don’t like driving.

So, who knows? Maybe at my next appointment, I’ll ask.

Or I may just box and mind my own business.

Unlikely, because I still have questions.

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