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In the field of User Experience (UX) and Customer Experience (CX), one of the most recurrent concepts is that of"Pain Points". These refer to those moments when users or customers experience discomfort due to some disturbance in the use of a product or service. However, not all pain is the same and a generic view of pain points can lead to superficial and ineffective conclusions. In this article we will explore why it is crucial to be more specific when talking about these pain points and how the Expectations-Desires Matrix (DEM) can help us better understand and address these unsatisfactory experiences.
Why don't we talk about Pain Points?
In the UX and CX realm,"Pain Points" is a term that has been used to describe any problem or discomfort that a user or customer may experience. The goal is, naturally, to eliminate or mitigate these pains to achieve better experiences. However, lumping all annoyances under one term can be counterproductive.
Identifying and differentiating specific pain points is essential. By lumping all annoyances under the same term, you run the risk of implementing generic solutions that do not address the root cause of each problem. This can result in the continued dissatisfaction of users or customers, who will feel that their concerns are not being adequately addressed. In addition, it can lead to inefficiencies in resource allocation, as the most critical problems are not prioritized. For this reason, specificity allows for a more precise and effective response to each problem.
Let's consider some Pain Points examples to illustrate this difference. In the context of CX, let's contrast two situations involving the same type of customer, in this case a hotel guest:
Situation A: a person arrives at a hotel and discovers that they do not have the breakfast with healthy products that they would like.
Now, let's contrast this with the following.
Situation B: the person arrives at the hotel and is informed that the room he/she booked and paid for online is not registered.
Let's now look at UX examples. Let's contrast two situations that affect an e-commerce user.
Situation A: it takes a person a long time to navigate the e-commerce because he/she does not understand how the categories are organized.
Situation B: due to a "dark pattern" the person inadvertently added an unwanted warranty to his purchase that increased the total cost, which he only noticed when he reviewed the purchase he had made.
The four situations described are pains, but they clearly do not generate the same type of "pain". We call the situations identified as A Friction Moments because they evidence a deterioration of the experience but not extreme damage.
On the other hand, situations identified as B cause more severe emotional damage to the person and can have serious consequences for the relationship with the client. This is why we call them Moments of Truth.
The importance of expectations
Recall that any type of experience, whether in the physical or digital world, is intrinsically conditioned by the expectations with which a person arrives at a specific situation. Expectations act as a lens through which users and customers interpret and evaluate their interactions with products and services.
This perspective is based on the principles of Cognitive Psychology, specifically on Expectancy-Disconfirmation Theory (EDT). EDT postulates that satisfaction or dissatisfaction with an experience depends on the comparison between prior expectations and the reality of the experience. According to this theory, users and customers set expectations prior to an interaction based on their previous experiences, brand communications and third-party recommendations.
When the reality of the experience matches or exceeds expectations, satisfaction occurs. For example, if a customer expects basic service and receives exceptional treatment, his satisfaction will be high because the experience has exceeded his expectations. Conversely, if the reality of the experience falls short of stated expectations, dissatisfaction occurs. A customer who expects fast delivery and receives his product late will experience dissatisfaction.
It is interesting to note that an experience may be perceived as satisfactory not necessarily because it is excellent but because expectations were moderate or low. For example, if a user expects mediocre service and receives acceptable service, he may feel surprisingly satisfied simply because the experience exceeded his expectations even though it was not extraordinary in objective terms.
In summary, the importance of expectations lies in their ability to influence the perception and evaluation of experiences. Expectations act as a frame of reference that users and customers use to judge product or service performance and quality. Therefore, understanding and managing expectations is crucial to designing experiences that not only satisfy but delight users and customers.
Expectations-Desires Matrix (MED)
In addition to expectations, it is also important to consider desires. What a person wants to happen may differ significantly from what they expect to happen. While expectations are based on previous experiences and brand communications, desires are more aligned with the personal aspirations and needs of users and customers. This distinction allows us to approach the experience from a more complete and nuanced perspective.
The Expectations-Wish Matrix (MED) is a tool that allows us to categorize experiences into four distinct types with different emotional impacts. By considering both expectations and desires, we can better understand the complexity of the experience. This matrix not only classifies them but also helps us anticipate possible emotional reactions and subsequent behaviors.
Predictable Moments:
These are experiences that users expect and desire. For example, receiving a product that exactly meets the advertised specifications. Satisfaction in this case is neutral, as the experience aligns perfectly with previous expectations and desires. There is usually no significant emotional impact, but maintaining consistency in these experiences is crucial to customer confidence.
Memorable Moments:
These are experiences that users did not expect but want. An example would be receiving an unexpected discount or an unannounced service upgrade. These experiences generate delight and surprise and can significantly strengthen customer loyalty and encourage positive recommendations.
Friction Moments:
These are situations that users anticipate but do not want. A common example is finding that a product advertised at a discount is no longer available in stock. These moments generate frustration, but because they are expected, the emotional impact is moderate. However, the accumulation of friction can slowly erode overall customer satisfaction, so it is important to minimize it through continuous process improvements and communication.
Moments of Truth:
These experiences are the most critical, as they are unexpected and unwanted situations. An example would be receiving a defective product or an incorrect charge on the invoice. These moments generate anger and can result in a significant loss of customer trust and loyalty.
We call the moments of Truth and Friction Critical Moments.
We prefer this denomination instead of Pain Points because the concept of "moment" is much more linked to an experience that lasts in the "remembering self" than that of a point, which seems to be something rather acute and fleeting.
But the important thing is not what we call these unsatisfactory events. The problem with the term pain point is that it does not open to a deepening, which the concept of Critical Moments does.
Identification of Critical Moments
Distinguishing between moments of Friction and moments of Truth is not a mere academic subtlety. It has a significant practical impact, as it not only identifies pockets of dissatisfaction but also the specific reasons why you may be losing customers.
As can be seen in this matrix, the different moments of the Expectations-Desires Matrix (DEM) have very different consequences on user behavior. Each type of experience elicits a specific emotional reaction and can lead to different customer behaviors.
The gray area of the table identifies the two types of Critical Moments: moments of Friction and moments of Truth. These moments are particularly important because they significantly affect customer perception and behavior.
A frustrated customer, who has experienced a moment of friction, is likely to criticize the experience. On the other hand, an angry customer, who has experienced a moment of truth, may not only criticize but do so with the intent to cause reputational damage.
Benefits of using the Expectations-Desires Matrix (MED)
1.Deep understanding: provides a more complete understanding of customers' expectations and desires compared to other approaches.
Effective segmentation: enables more accurate segmentation of customers into groups with similar needs and preferences. This facilitates the personalization of experiences for each segment, which increases the relevance and effectiveness of marketing and customer service strategies.
3. Prioritization of actions: by distinguishing between moments of friction and moments of truth, companies can focus their resources on areas that have the greatest impact on customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Continuous improvement: By constantly monitoring and evaluating experiences across the DEM, companies can identify opportunities for improvement and make quick adjustments to stay aligned with changing customer desires.
5. Loyalty: by providing superior experiences, loyalty is fostered and retention is increased. Customers who experience consistently high levels of satisfaction are more inclined to buy again and recommend the brand to others, which drives long-term business growth.
Conclusion
Specificity in identifying and analyzing pain points is crucial to improving the user and customer experience. Using tools such as the Expectations-Desires Matrix (DEM) allows us to better understand the different types of experiences and their emotional impacts, which in turn helps us design more effective strategies to address these issues.