Ignore Low-Tech Customers At Your Peril
Luddite Money Is Still Money
Posted by Charlie Recksieck
on 2025-09-04
But does that make Frank a luddite? Is it crazy to be suspicious of technology, especially when it comes to your bank account.
Your Business - Are You Ignoring Customers Who Aren't Cool?
A business can't be all things to all people. But can you afford to do things that alienate consumers who aren't that tech savvy?
Ignoring low-tech customers - people who have limited digital access, skills, or comfort with technology - can pose business and financial risks. Yes, it's snobby. But it's also bad business.
You've got an image to maintain; plenty of upscale brands almost want to intentionally exclude non upscale people.
Being Short-Sighted On Your Audience
Years ago, I was involved with a startup that was tackling customer service issues and CAPTCHA human-verification. (Spoiler alert: we did NOT solve that problem.)
On multiple occasions when talking with investors and venture capital folks, they would actively scoff at our plans for how to improve email. On one occasion we heard "email is dead." This was 15 years ago! Email is dead?! What did it really get replaced with since then?
Loading Up Your Webpages Is Dangerous
So many graphic designers and web designers overload their pages. Yes, "clean" design is awesome. Overly flashy design that makes for a large file size is stupid.
If your page takes too long to load, you're losing customers. Research shows that when load time reaches 2 seconds, the bounce rate can jump to about 9%, and it increases sharply with every additional second. People often abandon pages that don't feel immediate.
Risks Of Not Designing To The Least Common, Non-Tech Denominator
1) Lost Revenue and Market Share
Not all customers want or can use apps, digital portals, or automated systems. If a company shifts everything online without alternatives, it risks losing a valuable customer segment to competitors who still offer human or low-tech options (phone support, in-person service, simple interfaces).
2) Brand Damage and Customer Frustration
Customers who feel "left behind" often experience confusion, embarrassment, or frustration. Overly technical products or support can create negative word-of-mouth and long-term reputational harm-especially among older adults or less tech-comfortable audiences.
3) Increased Support and Hidden Costs
When systems are too complex, support calls, complaints, and workarounds rise. Companies may believe "digital-only" is cheaper, but poorly designed tech can actually increase operational costs due to user errors and higher assistance demand.
4) Compliance Risk
In some industries (finance, government, healthcare), providing accessible and inclusive service is a legal requirement. Neglecting low-tech alternatives can lead to compliance failures or regulatory penalties.
Bottom Line
Focusing only on tech-savvy users may create sleek systems-but risks alienating a large, loyal, and often profitable customer base. Offering low-tech or human-friendly alternatives isn't just good service - it's smart business.
Also, don't be smug about low-tech customers. It's also got to be just plain bad karma for you.
