“We Use the Same Tools as Everyone” Is Exactly the Problem
Following the crowd in software choices is not safety; it is collective risk. High-end firms should not be using mass-market, surveillance-funded tools.
The Safety of the Cliff
There is a comforting lie we tell ourselves in business: “If I do what everyone else is doing, I cannot be blamed.”
So, we adopt the same “free” email provider as the rest of the industry. We use the same chat apps that scan messages for ad targeting. We store our confidential intellectual property in the same public cloud buckets as teenagers storing their gaming clips.
We call this “Industry Standard.”
C’est ridicule. It is not a standard; it is a lack of imagination.
When you use the mass-market default, you inherit the mass-market risk. You inherit the terms of service that allow the vendor to train their AI on your confidential data. You inherit the massive target that sits on their back because they hold half the world’s information.
The Tacky Habit: Digital Fast Fashion
Using “free” or ad-subsidized tools in a high-end firm is like wearing a polyester suit to a gala. It might cover your body, but everyone knows it is cheap.
When you send a sensitive document via a link that tracks the recipient, or when you communicate on a platform known for data mining, you are signaling that you do not understand the value of what you hold.
You are signaling that you are a follower.
True luxury is never about doing what everyone else is doing. Luxury is about doing what is difficult, what is rare, and what is better.
The Professional Standard: The Sovereign Choice
To differentiate, we must choose tools that match the gravity of our work. We look for three things:
- The Business Model: We pay for the software. If we pay, we have a contract. If it is free, we are the product.
- The Jurisdiction: We choose tools hosted in places with strong privacy laws (Switzerland, Germany, Iceland), not places where the government can subpoena data on a whim.
- The Boredom: We choose tools that are boring. They do not have “AI Assistants” reading your drafts. They do not have “Social Sharing” buttons. They just store the file. Securely.
This might mean using Signal for text communication instead of WhatsApp. It might mean using Proton for email instead of Gmail. It might mean using a dedicated client portal instead of a Dropbox link.
Yes, it requires a moment of explanation. “We use this tool because it guarantees your privacy.”
That explanation is your marketing. It tells the client: “I take this seriously. I have thought about this.”
Do not be afraid to be the one firm that does not use the default. In a sea of surveillance, privacy is the ultimate competitive advantage.
FAQs
If we don't use the standard tools, won't clients be confused?
Clients are not confused by elegance. They are confused by friction. If your tool works smoothly, they will not care that it isn't Google.
Is it risky to use smaller vendors?
It is risky to put all your eggs in one massive, targeted basket. Decentralization is resilience.
Does this mean we need our own servers?
Not necessarily. It means paying for tools where you are the customer, not the product. Signal over WhatsApp. Proton over Gmail.