Troublesome Threesome

Think about it. Has you service experience been marred or enhanced by other recipients of that same service? My bet's a yes. I mean the last time you felt your flight was a nightmare had nothing to do with the airline, and everything to do with the boor who sat next to you. Who slurped his drink and monopolised the armrest. Bet it was few hours of pure terror despite zero turbulence in flight. Now the opposite could also be true. Your last time at the cafe' gave you a high. Not for the overpriced cappuccino but for the cutie at the next table who took an interest in you! You even got her number!

Service experiences aren't limited to what happens in terms of delivery and receipt, between a provider and the consumer. There's a third participant who has as much a stake in what gets tagged as 'consumer experience'. Other consumers. For they can dictate what gets 'experienced'. I may not curse the airline I flew, but I could be miffed at my flight because of the nitwit who sat next to me. And I may even blame the airline for putting me to such torture, though they don't have a direct hand in it.

It becomes important for marketers at times to shield the consumer from other consumers who may mar a service experience. This may not be easy but marketers can at least put safeguards in place. Like say, 'please keep you mobile phones on silent mode' in a theatre. I know it can't completely solve a probable problem. But its worth a try.

I know, boors will be boors!