Companies are making a major mistake when they add product features, lay out stores , set prices or do pretty much anything based on what their customers tell them they want, according to a new book All Customers are Irrational: Understanding What They Think, What They Feel and What Keeps Them Coming Back.
The fact is that consumers don’t use logic and reason to make decisions, says author William Cusick, founder and chief executive of Chicago-based customer experience consulting firm VOX Inc. with clients such as Allstate and CNA. They are, he says, much more like Homer Simpson–fueled by impulse and emotion. And by not understanding what really makes consumers tick, marketers are losing out, Cusick says.
Irrationality is a hot topic in many marketing circles these days, but in his book, Cusick aims to push beyond explaining how consumers think to outlining how marketers can respond. In this podcast, he tells Marketing News Staff Writer Elisabeth Sullivan that many companies lack a basic understanding of the best ways to reach and keep customers, and end up driving them away. Cusick advocates for ethnographic research, rather than just surveys or focus groups, to get to the bottom of what consumers really think and see and do. He’s also a proponent of a “customer process,” and of marketers and other employees embracing irrationality. “It’s more fun,” he says.
About the author:
William J. Cusick (Oak Park, IL) is CEO and Founder of Vox, Inc., a successful customer experience consulting firm in Chicago. He has worked with Fortune 500 companies, including Allstate Insurance and Zurich North America, as well as many small and midsize companies to improve profitability through a more effective customer experience.
Bill Cusick has over 20 years of experience helping companies understand the importance of focusing on their customers and improving the customer experience. He’s a recognized expert in customer behavior and communications through all channels.
He is a frequent speaker and writer on all things related to customer service and experience. His new book, “All Customers Are Irrational, Understanding What They Think, What They Feel and What Keeps Them Coming Back,” explores how customers think, and how companies can shape desired customer behavior.