Part 2
In developed societies, we are well beyond necessity being the mother of invention.
Today, we want frustration reduction.
In my research, I have seen three main sources of frustration:
1. Separation between the customer and problem resolution. Frustration is exacerbated when the customer has to interface with someone or something that is not empowered to help them. It is a blood-boiling experience to hear, “I need to check with somebody else.”
With products, frustration results when the product was purchased to attain a specific goal but the user is separated from success because one more little adapter or converter is needed. The person who put the Allen wrench in with the directions was a genius. Evaluate your total product offering through the eyes of a new user. Are you missing the Allen wrench?
Good customer journey and customer experience research will help you identify customer access points that do not lead to a resolution, but rather lead to increased frustration.
2. Lack of trust. You hear the promise. You read the claim on the package. But, you don’t believe it. If only the decision was not so frustrating. You just want the confidence to “add to cart.” Think about what you have done to give your potential customers reasons-to-believe in your product. Conversely, have you done anything to erode trust? Inconsistent marketing cues (a high price tag but a cheap looking package), unkept promises, unsupported claims? How does your customer interpret the credibility of your offering?
3. Difficult transactions. What hoops do you make your customer jump through to use your products? What little barriers have you created that impede the progress of making the final transaction? Or maybe, what decisions have you made that make your workload easier, but that may not optimize the customer experience? Today’s consumer expects to replicate the “one click” purchase option into as many purchases as possible. What hidden barriers might exist that you don’t notice?
Talking to your customer about their experience allows you to see your product through the eyes of the user—which is, after all—the only vantage point that really matters.
Up Next
Perspectives on how marketing research can help with customer retention
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• Customer Journey Research
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