Short answer
Prioritize investment in aesthetic and experiential design elements for services targeting established customer bases, as these become more significant drivers of satisfaction than basic functional performance.
- Field
- Innovation & Markets
- Source
- Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science (2009)
- Method
- Quantitative research using nonlinear structural equation modeling.
- Evidence
- Strong effect
As customer relationships mature, the impact of functional service quality diminishes, while the influence of hedonic attributes like design and enjoyment on satisfaction significantly increases. This innovation & markets research insight is drawn from a 2009 study published in Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science. Using Quantitative research using nonlinear structural equation modeling., researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Prioritize investment in aesthetic and experiential design elements for services targeting established customer bases, as these become more significant drivers of satisfaction than basic functional performance.
Service Design Evolves: Hedonic Attributes Gain Importance with Customer Experience
As customer relationships mature, the impact of functional service quality diminishes, while the influence of hedonic attributes like design and enjoyment on satisfaction significantly increases.
Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science · 2009
Key Findings
- 01Functional quality attributes (e.g., availability, efficiency) have a diminishing capacity to delight customers in mature relationships.
- 02Hedonic quality attributes (e.g., design, enjoyment, image) show an increasing effect on satisfaction for more experienced customers.
Application
Design takeaway
Prioritize investment in aesthetic and experiential design elements for services targeting established customer bases, as these become more significant drivers of satisfaction than basic functional performance.
How to apply
When designing or iterating on a service or product, consider how its aesthetic appeal and the user's emotional experience will contribute to satisfaction, especially for repeat customers.
Project actions
- 01Consider the customer journey and how different design elements might appeal at various stages.
- 02Explore how to measure both functional and hedonic aspects of a product or service in your own research.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Utilizes advanced statistical modeling to uncover complex relationships.
- +Differentiates between functional and hedonic aspects of service quality.
Limitations
The specific types of functional and hedonic attributes studied may not cover all possibilities, and the definition of 'customer experience' can vary.
Reliability & validity
The use of structural equation modeling and a focus on specific attribute types contribute to the study's validity. Reliability would depend on the consistency of the measurement instruments used for quality and satisfaction.
Think critically
How might the definition of 'hedonic' and 'functional' attributes differ across various product categories (e.g., software vs. physical goods)?
Design Principles
"The value of hedonic design attributes increases with customer experience."
This challenges traditional approaches that focus solely on functional aspects of service. Designers and product developers should consider how aesthetic and experiential elements become more critical drivers of satisfaction over time, influencing long-term customer loyalty and brand perception.
What This Means for Your Design
For new customers, a service just needs to work well. But for customers who have been using a service for a long time, how it looks and feels becomes much more important for them to be happy with it.
How to use in your project
- 1.Reference this study when discussing how user experience and aesthetic design contribute to product success, particularly in relation to customer loyalty and market differentiation.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
Research indicates that the perceived value of functional service attributes diminishes as customer relationships mature, while hedonic attributes, such as design and enjoyment, become increasingly significant drivers of satisfaction for experienced users. This suggests that design strategies should evolve to emphasize experiential and aesthetic qualities to maintain and enhance customer loyalty over time.
Source
Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science
The service quality-satisfaction link revisited: exploring asymmetries and dynamics
journal · 2009
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about service design evolves: hedonic attributes gain importance with customer experience?
- Prioritize investment in aesthetic and experiential design elements for services targeting established customer bases, as these become more significant drivers of satisfaction than basic functional performance. Evidence: Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science (2009).
- Why does "Service Design Evolves: Hedonic Attributes Gain Importance with Customer Experience" matter for design?
- This challenges traditional approaches that focus solely on functional aspects of service. Designers and product developers should consider how aesthetic and experiential elements become more critical drivers of satisfaction over time, influencing long-term customer loyalty and brand perception.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Prioritize investment in aesthetic and experiential design elements for services targeting established customer bases, as these become more significant drivers of satisfaction than basic functional performance.
- What were the main findings?
- Functional quality attributes (e.g., availability, efficiency) have a diminishing capacity to delight customers in mature relationships.. Hedonic quality attributes (e.g., design, enjoyment, image) show an increasing effect on satisfaction for more experienced customers.
- What research method was used?
- Quantitative research using nonlinear structural equation modeling..
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2009 journal from Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing or iterating on a service or product, consider how its aesthetic appeal and the user's emotional experience will contribute to satisfaction, especially for repeat customers.
- What are the limitations?
- The study's findings may be specific to the service contexts examined and might not generalize to all product categories or industries without further investigation.