Southwest didn't lose me because they became a bad airline. They lost me because they stopped being Southwest. The things that made them special gradually disappeared. And when a business becomes more like everyone else, customers start treating it like everyone else.

When I talk to agents about growing their business, they often tell me how busy they are. Their calendars are packed. Their phones won't stop ringing. They're answering emails, updating databases, creating flyers, coordinating inspections, scheduling showings, chasing signatures, ordering signs, installing lockboxes, and putting out fires all day long. They're exhausted. But being busy and being productive are not the same thing. In fact, some of the busiest agents I know are