Recipe of building a memorable #consumer experience?
Case study - Indian Weddings
Indian Weddings try thier level best to have elements which make the experience memorable for the couple in question. How?
1. Raised stakes - Its not a get together of few but a large display of strength. There is an inherent element of social display and publicity that X & Y are getting married. A procession of hundreds on the road, a dinner for thousands!
2. Heightened sensory appeal - Its about decoration, stage (revolving, jutting out, techno and what not), multi-cusine food, dance programs and more. All trying to make you remember this peak event in your life. The gather
3. Elevation for key people - For the couple, there needs to be an experience which is so heightened that it stays forever. The groom is put on a horse in the middle of the road while bride walks amongst hundreds with a garland & leaves in a hand-driven Doli! How arbitrary these might be, but i wow at the thinking of the designer.
4. Breaking the script - An experience stays with us longer if it challenges are linear thinking and does something unexpected - be it positive or negative. The marriage is a moment of breaking the script - you no longer are solo - You walk into the house with a small ceremony with bride knocking off a vessel filled with rice. You get involved in rituals which might seem inane but add to breaking off from routine - 7 feras or games couple play after feras!
Not to say i support some of the above given a lot of these defy logic and principles of minimalism & simple living, however i see learnings on what goes into designing peaks in consumer experiences by businesses!
In the book, 'power of moments', authors Chip & Dan heath talk about a budget hotel called Magic Castle Hotel in LA which is has 3000+ reviews with people rating it as best hotel in LA. It doesnt have any of the fancy things a Four Seasons or the iconic Bel-Air offers - grand building, luxurious rooms, grand pools, landscaping and what not.
What it offered to guests staying was a surprising popsicle moment by the pool - You have a red phone called The Popsicle hotline by the pool where once ordered, you get a butler delivering colourful popsicles in a silver tray while wearing butler uniform and white gloves..as you sit by the pool. And many more such unusual experiences.
Its a great book for all #CX/UX practitioners especially for those who design a #brand story with experiences (stores, services..) vs who just measure feedback and #NPS! And thats not just #consumerexperience all about, only.
