I can think of a lot of feelings you’d like your customers to have following a purchase. Remorse isn’t one of them.
Buyer’s remorse is the feeling of regret after a purchase and is often associated with a consumer’s perception of being taken advantage of and receiving poor value for the price paid. These feelings do not inspire confidence, loyalty, future spending, referrals, or anything positive.
Earlier this week, I had lunch with a client who shared an experience he had fourteen years ago at a local restaurant. He and his wife were dining with a friend. Having just returned from a trip to Italy, he presented their friend with a stylish hand-blown glass vinegar and oil cruet.
The restaurant’s owner, having observed the small decanter on the table, offered to fill it with vinegar and olive oil from his kitchen. What a thoughtful and memorable gesture!
As the dinner concluded an hour later, my client received the check. Itemized towards the bottom of the bill was a $17 charge for vinegar and olive oil.
Having felt taken advantage of by the owner, he has only returned to that restaurant once in the last 14 years—and that was as the guest of another couple. In other words, that $17 charge (which he paid) was among the final dollars that he would spend at that restaurant.
In his zeal to capture short-term profits, this restaurant owner forfeited any chance to earn the long-term benefits of a delighted customer: loyalty, future spending, referrals, etc. Like vinegar and oil, buyer’s remorse and loyalty don’t mix.
How about you? What has your experience been with businesses that place profits ahead of customer service?
