People’s lives are generally a mix of spending quality time with others and leaving space for time alone. Some experiences seem geared toward togetherness — for example, recent estimates suggest that 90% of movie theater visits occur with others — while others are more geared toward solo time, like reading or painting. And while people often make their own decisions about how to spend their time, choices made by companies affect these decisions as well. Explicitly or implicitly, businesses are designed to encourage consumers to be with others or alone — like amusement park rides that have two seats in each row, or restaurants that offer bar seating so people don’t need to sit at a table with an empty chair across from them.
Research: Consumers Choose Shared Experiences Over Quality Ones
Understanding why can help marketers boost their customers’ satisfaction.
September 21, 2023
Summary.
Some consumer experiences are best when they’re solo — but new research shows that people will forgo a high-quality experience in order to share it with a partner or loved one. As a result, they may have a worse time, which can lead to unsatisfied consumers, lower sales, and neglected business opportunities. This article explains why people tend to stick together, even when it isn’t necessarily beneficial, and outlines several ways marketers can encourage people to break apart (even briefly) in order to boost their satisfaction.
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Customer Focus Course
Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Customer Focus. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
Learn how to keep your customers—and their most important needs—front and center.