How Positive User Experience Impacts the Bottom Line

When a consumer has a positive user experience they typically feel it more than they analyze the experience itself. A consumer will rarely breakdown all the touch points they encountered leading up to the decision to buy. They will however, know exactly how they felt about a product or service, directly in conjunction with their experience using it. To executives this means it’s a must to develop customer experiences that make people feel better, good or great!

However, creating effective user experiences can be challenging. The process of creating a positive user experience is complex and often times labeled by inexperienced executives as too expensive or cost prohibitive. Savvy marketers and product managers know that influencing how a consumer feels about a product or service is critical to overall success. The experienced executive understands that positive feelings ultimately results in happy, satisfied customers. Therefore it is imperative to invest in user experience design.

Good user design will result in products and services that deliver on expectations which will positively influence the decision to purchase. The other notion that savvy executives hold close to the vest is that successful user experience not only generates the initial sale, it also creates loyal customers who buy again. These same loyalists also influence the purchasing decision of friends and families. Understanding this is the fundamental argument in favor of user centered design. If we make the user feel good, they will buy from us, share their buying experience with others and as a result increase the likelihood of new customer acquisitions. With this in mind, user centered design is not an expense, it’s an investment in marketing strategy that is one of the most effective weapons in a company’s sales arsenal.

User centered design can also reduce costs. When a company puts out a product or service that is revered by customers there is a lesser need for customer support. Happy, satisfied customers typically won’t be calling to complain or to ask for help, nor are they apt to exchange or return products. This reduces the need for expensive customer support resources that act as problem solvers to customers that are suffering from poor user experiences. Good user design also helps companies from having to “do it all again.” When a product fails in the market place it could require a redesign. Redesign efforts are expensive and the downtime of not selling products, makes it even more threatening to cash flow and company survival. Companies that write off user centered design often times don’t get a second chance to do it the right way. That’s why it’s important to employ user design from the start and get it right the first time.

A company will also benefit from a good user design process as it can lead to improved operational efficiencies. The guiding principals of the user experience design process lead to a universal language and tools that unite critical parts of a company. Typically executives, the design team, and manufacturing are involved in the process. The outcome being that all key stakeholders are of a similar mindset and are in agreement regarding business goals and end user needs. This leads to smooth integration points between all team members, creating more efficient workflow, cost savings and higher quality output.

Savvy executives understand that user experience design isn’t just a worthwhile investment, it’s a business imperative. It leads to products and services that make customers feel good and want to buy. This is exactly why the experience design process is a must as it is a foundational marketing step that supports all others. Companies benefit as the need to deal with product failures and dissatisfied customers is minimized which reduces expenses, as well as internal and external emotional stress. Operations can also become streamlined which can help achieve greater profitability and employee satisfaction, which is essential to the longevity of a company. Overall, user experience design is an absolute must and the only way to build a successful brand in the marketplace.