What happens when consumers start to express dissatisfaction and their comments go unanswered? There are a couple of possibilities.
One, if they have the opportunity, consumers will eventually turn away from the offering altogether. For example, in the case of the in-flight entertainment system, more and more passengers are bringing their own mobile music, game, and movie players onboard, thereby opting out of using the built-in systems altogether. But even if consumers don’t fully turn away or are not yet in a position to do so, they become more and more reluctant users—so they voice their displeasure more and more and their affinity for the offering less and less, continuously turning from fans into disgruntled critics. Which is what may happen with me unless iTunes finds a way to address what I perceive to be its weaknesses, or if a new carry-on bag catches my eye that is just as cool as my Samsonite but much more user friendly.
The other possibility, which is much more rare, intriguing and unpredictable, is that consumers will take matters into their own hands and change the utility of an offering for themselves. Next week, I’ll share some related examples. In the meantime, more on this very theme awaits you at the Slingshot website and in my book, Slingshot: Re-Imagine Your Business, Re-Imagine Your Life.
