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Our ThinkingHow expectations shape our experiences
Did you know that the way our brains work means that our experiences are already partially formed before they even happen? In other words, what we are expecting from an experience will partly influence how we perceive or relate to it, in the moment.
In this blog from our Principal Industrial Designer Paul Reynolds, we dive into the psychology of experience and service design and what it means for your business...
Expectations shape our everyday Experience
A home-cooked meal is a good everyday reference for demonstrating the way things stored in, and moving around in our brain, can influence how we evaluate an experience. Before someone even begins preparing the meal, our expectations of it can be governed by our past experience of eating similar dishes, our knowledge of the kitchen skills of the person who is going to cook it and what we know about their level of enthusiasm for cooking on that particular day. Our priorities for the day, or even for that specific mealtime, can impact our enjoyment of the meal, regardless of the effort put into it or the food that is ultimately presented at the table.
For example, when we sit down to enjoy a meal prepared by a grandparent who we know has honed their culinary skills over decades, we already want to believe that the traditional crowd-pleaser dish they have spent the whole afternoon preparing will be delicious. And if at the same time, we are going to share the meal around a table full of loved ones, then our overall experience of the meal can be pre-set to be further elevated before we even taste the first mouthful.
Conversely, we may sit alone at the dinner table to eat a meal with only a few minutes before we have to leave for an appointment elsewhere. The meal may have been hurriedly prepared by someone who doesn’t enjoy cooking, and whose attention is on other tasks. Whilst the food may in fact actually be quite good, in these particular circumstances we may be more inclined to expect less of the meal, and more readily notice any shortcomings.
Expectations shape our experience of entertainment
The context of entertainment can provide good examples of expectations being set when we first learn about a service or an event, sometime before we purchase tickets for it. These expectations can be highly influential and stick firm with us, throughout all of the following service touch points.
If we read about and then deliberately choose to attend a relaxed or sensory-friendly performance of a show in a theatre we might be led to expect that there will be no loud noises, lighting effects will be subtle, and there will be more opportunities than normal to move seats or leave the auditorium for parts of the show.
If when we attend the show our expectations are exceeded by certain details being delivered very well, we may be particularly happy with how our needs have been catered for. We may especially appreciate that the lighting effects are underscored by gentle complementary sound effects, delivering a multi-sensory feature that draws attention without being overwhelming. This unexpected but impactful feature may make us engage more with the show and enjoy it more than we might otherwise.
On the other hand, if when we attend the show, our expectations are not fully met, we may be resistant to engage with it as much as we might have otherwise. We may feel that physical accessibility makes it difficult to move seats during the performance, bringing a sense that the ability to move around is far more constrained than was advertised.
Expectations shape our travel experiences
In a competitive business context, such as in segments of the travel industry, expectations can stem from fundamental considerations such as brand. This is important from a commercial perspective because in any environment where multiple businesses compete to offer quite a similar service, ensuring that strong expectations are set at a strategic level could be critical to building market share.
For instance, two to three airlines may offer competing travel between two European capital cities. At first glance, passengers may see little difference between taking an early morning flight with one airline and a mid-morning flight with another, particularly if the flight duration is similar and there’s no pressing need to arrive at their destination early that day.
However, if the airline offering the early morning flight can set positive expectations around the in-flight experience (and consistently deliver on them), passengers who choose that flight may end up particularly satisfied and more likely to choose the same airline again in the future. Such expectations could stem directly from brand values, such as delivering convenience and ensuring peace of mind. Examples for setting expectations around these might include:
Seat allocation guarantee - you will be sitting with your group
Overhead locker space guarantee
Breakfast timing guarantee (your breakfast will be delivered to your seat within 40mins of take-off)
On time arrival guarantee - assurance that the flight will arrive on schedule or passengers will be compensated
Comfort promise – extra legroom or ergonomic seating for a more relaxed journey
Personalised service promise – tailored in-flight experiences, such as knowing passenger preferences for drinks, meals, or seating.
Notice that these are not particularly different features to those that might be expected for many short-haul flights. The key thing is that expectations are set around highlighting the connection of these back to the brand values of the airline, and the guaranteed nature of each of them.
By contrast, if the airline offering the early morning flight does not set any particularly positive expectations around the in-flight experience then passengers choosing to fly with them may be underwhelmed by their experience with that airline and choose not to fly with them in the future. This might even be the case for passengers who fly with them and do actually get to sit with their group, have plenty of overhead locker space for their bags and get their breakfast in good time. If the airline hasn’t highlighted its commitments to these and connected them to their brand values, then their efforts to deliver on them could pass without the passenger perceiving them as examples of particularly good service.
Design to Manage Expectations
Using service design to set and reinforce strong, positive expectations can have a significant impact on the success of a service offer. Through service design the needs, behaviours and aspirations of customers can be thoroughly researched and explored. The outcomes can be used to identify potential interventions to influence expectations before the consumer experiencing the service, as well as during it. The timeline for these interventions spans the entire customer journey, starting from the moment someone becomes aware of the service, through the point of purchase, and continuing up to the moment they engage with the service, whether that means taking their seat in a theater, standing in a queue to board a flight, or checking into a hotel.
Service design can also identify opportunities for reinforcing positive experiences after the service has been delivered, such as personalised follow-up communications, loyalty rewards, or encouraging customer feedback. By addressing each stage of the journey holistically, businesses can build trust, enhance satisfaction, and increase the likelihood of repeat use or positive word-of-mouth.
Written by:
Paul Reynolds
Principal Industrial Designer
Paul has a broad range of experience in engaging end users in the design of complex workplaces. He recently delivered control room design work to Banedanmark for a major project in Copenhagen, and interior design advice to CERN for their main design office in Geneva. Paul holds a BA (Hons) in Industrial Design and Technology.
