Why We’ll Wait, and When We Won’t.

Yesterday The Guardian reported that people had waited almost 24 hours...for a potato.

This is slightly inconvenient for me.

Because I spend much of my life telling you that people hate effort.

Apparently, they don't.

Or at least, not always.

Because they'll tolerate an extraordinary amount of it if they really want what's waiting at the other end.

Ferrari knows this rather well.

Its CEO says the “right” waiting time for a new Ferrari is around 20–24 months.

Two years.

But Ferrari is different.

Psychologists have a term called anticipatory utility.

Looking forward to something we really want can itself be pleasurable.
Scarcity helps too.

The waiting becomes evidence that the thing is desirable.

Sometimes it even becomes a badge of honour.

There's kudos in the wait.
We don't just 'tolerate' it; we want to tell others about our wait.

Careful tho, just because you're excited doesn't mean anyone else gives a crap.

But some people 'will' go to extraordinary lengths to convince themselves someone cares.

Even if it's not a human.

“Oh Colin, did I tell you I've got tomorrow off?”

“Going somewhere nice?”

“No. Big ceremony at home.”

“A ceremony?”

“I'm unveiling the new iPhone Duo to Scooby.”

“Your dog?”

“Yes. We've waited two years for this.”

“Is he excited?”

“Nah. He's an Android guy.”

But here's the interesting bit.

Eventually the Ferrari arrives.

You get in.
Press the starter.

It works.

And that's where the effort stops.

The iPhone arrives.
Open the box. Switch it on. Put it next to your old phone.

It’s easy.

That suggests two quite different kinds of customer effort.

ANTICIPATION EFFORT.
The effort involved in waiting for something we really want.

Done well, it can actually add to the perceived value.

Then there's:
USER EFFORT.

The work required to actually get the value.

BUT...

Passwords.
Forms.
Chasing.
Repeating ourselves.
Waiting on hold.

Trying to get somebody to fix an incorrect utility bill.

The effort involved doesn't make the outcome more desirable.

It just makes getting there harder.

And there's one crucial difference between the two.

Choice.

Anticipation works when we've chosen to wait for something we really want.

Your customer isn't a five-year-old waiting for Christmas. “Only 700 sleeps until we sort your incorrect utility bill.”

Isn't creating anticipation.

It's taking the piss.

And making them wait is only half the problem.

If, while they're waiting, you're also asking them to fill in forms, remember passwords, chase you, repeat information and navigate your processes...

You're not building anticipation.

You're giving them work.

So unless your customers have actively chosen to wait for something they desperately want, do two things:

SHORTEN THE WAIT.
REMOVE THE WORK.

Because chosen waiting can 'sometimes' add to the value.

...But only if you're Ferrari.