This original research is 3 years old now, but it’s such a radical notion that it’s not surprising these things take time to catch-on. The notion that companies should stop trying to delight customers makes perfect sense – you’re just chasing a generally unattainable chimera. And even if you managed it, the impact on your business will be negligible.
I don’t want to be delighted by my dry cleaner or insurance provider. What I do want, and what does have a strong correlation with my willingness to stay loyal and also to spend more, is customer ease – make things easy for me, from the start of an interaction to the end, and I’ll probably stay with you. That makes perfect sense in todays busy, hectic world:
Stop Trying to Delight Your Customers – Harvard Business Review