How experiences can be manipulated

Huge crowds, screaming kids and a never-ending line to the cashier. IKEA, if you really think about it, is actually one of the worst places in the world to shop. Then why is it I have such a positive image of IKEA? Maybe even getting excited for my next shop there?

You always go to IKEA with a goal in mind, but before you can reach that goal you first have to slog your way through the Maze of "Smart Storage Solutions". Then get lost between the towering racks of the warehouse and queue for half an hour with your Billy cupboard (which you had to search for, for at least 20 minutes). So why do you have a smile on your face every time you walk out of the IKEA? Well, that's because IKEA makes clever use of the Peak-End Rule. It's based on a habit of people; when people think back to an experience, they don't think back to the total experience. They only remember the experience based on certain events: "the peak" of the event and its very end.

When you think of IKEA, you think of the nice little living rooms that are perfectly put together, the low prices, the furnishings for your future home and of course the hot dogs and ice cream! These details surpass all the negative thoughts you could associate with a shop like IKEA. The Peak-End Rule is based on the idea that how you remember a part of an activity is more important than how you experienced the activity as a whole. This gives marketers the opportunity to influence customer feelings after the customer journey has been completed.   

“How you remember a part of an activity is more important than how you actually experienced the activity as a whole.”

A couple of years ago, the customer journey of IKEA was clearly mapped out, and now a few years later, the customer journey is exactly the same. You can see clearly that the customer journey isn’t always positive, but in fact, has ups and downs. However, by overwriting the bad experiences with good experiences, you make sure that the customer has a positive image of the brand.

This shows the extent to which you can influence the customer journey and actually manipulate the brain. It's interesting how the Peak-End Rule can have so much influence. It is difficult to do, however, and hard for Boerenjongens to apply themselves, but is certainly very interesting to think about.