The 'Dorman Fallacy' occurs when consultants define a complex human role (like a hotel doorman) narrowly (opening doors) and replace it with technology, saving money in year one while destroying value through loss of security, guest recognition, status signaling, and other tacit functions the doorman provided.
causalpending
Speaker
Rory SutherlandEvidence Quote
“The dorman was doing multiple things, many of which were human and kind of tacit. Security would be one. You know, there are no vagrants to sleep in the doorway, hailing taxis, dealing with luggage, recognizing regular guests, providing status to the hotel. There are loads and loads of value creation components”
Source
Marketing Expert: The Playbook Behind Every Great Campaign | Rory Sutherland— The Knowledge Project PodcastCreated: 8/10/2026, 11:32:46 PM
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