Chase and Dasu conducted a research on how to create better experiences by applying behavioural science. For decades, cognitive and behavioural scientists have studied the way people behave in social interactions, and their findings are extremely helpful for experiential design. One of the key aspects of behavioural science is that in any interaction between a service or product and a client, the perception is actually the reality. In other words, what really matters is how the customer interprets the interaction.
According to behavioural scientists, people are not able to remember the whole set of events when they recall an experience. Only a few significant moments stick to people’s mind. In other words, they remember snapshots, not movies. When assessing past experiences people usually prefer a sequence that improves over time. For example, gamblers prefer to lose £10 first, then win £5, rather than win £5 then lose £10. The ending of a sequence of events is also crucial for the overall recollection of the experience. A great ending will usually recur in good memories.
According to Chase and Dasu, there are five principles that when applied may contribute to improve the perceptions customers have of a service experience:
1. Finish strong:
the end of a transaction or the last stage of an experience is the moment that remains in the customers’ reminiscences. For example, composers such as Beethoven always finish the symphonies in exhilarating movements. In the airline industry context, having someone to help in the luggage reclaim area would considerably improve the passenger’s perception of his or her trip.
2. Get bad experiences out early
people are happier if a sequence of events evolves from bad to good. Waiting in the check in queue is always unpleasant. But if the airline company offers a reward such as a cup of coffee or even apologies for making a passenger wait, it can turn a bad experience into an acceptable one.
3. Segment pleasure, combine pain
people prefer to win small amounts several times instead of a greater amount once. They also prefer to loose a larger amount once rather than smaller amounts several times. Companies should break pleasant experiences into multiple stages, and combine unpleasant ones into a single stage. For example, passengers always have to go through several steps when calling a help-line. Cutting the number of steps would reduce the perceived time.
4. build commitment through choice
people are happier when they have more control over the process. Having the opportunity to make some choices, such as choosing a meal between two options, and being served whenever they want would greatly enhance the perceived quality of the service.
5. give people rituals
people usually are more comfortable when dealing with familiar rituals and activities. These rituals provide a standard, and customers base their evaluations on these standards. For example, passengers expect to find the same level of comfort in every aircraft of an airline. Sometimes older aircrafts are not so well equipped as newer ones, making passengers feel the flight unpleasant.
I guess that’s why people usually say: “save the best for last”…
