Meyer's Management Models #70

Frictionless Flow Framework

How can I make the customer journey as frictionless as possible?

Key Definitions

A customer journey is the path that a potential buyer follows, from first orientation, through purchase and use, to eventually considering follow-up possibilities. It is the entire life cycle of steps that needs to be travelled, from the customer’s perspective. While salespeople often focus on the buying process, the customer journey is the full process experienced by the customer. Firms can influence customers, and create value for them, throughout the voyage.

A pleasing customer journey is sometimes referred to as a happy flow, or frictionless. Customer friction is anything that impedes customers from getting what they want and how they want it. It is any barrier or irritating factor that makes the customer journey less smooth.

Conceptual Model

The Frictionless Flow Framework outlines the six types of customer friction that organizations need to minimize to satisfy (potential) customers. In the top half of the framework, the five generic steps in any customer journey are described, while in the bottom half the six types of friction are detailed. These frictions have been divided into two groups. On the left are frictions that dissatisfy customers because they feel inefficient – they result in some type of loss or pose a risk that a loss will be incurred. On the right are frictions that dissatisfy customers because they feel uncomfortable – they bring the customer in a disagreeable position or pose a risk that this might happen. In all cases, something is a friction if customers perceive it as such. The framework can be used as a checklist to identify specific frictions in any customer journey.

Key Elements

The five generic steps in the customer journey are the following:

1. Explore. The first step in any journey is to orient oneself. Key questions to be answered are “what is possible?”, “what do I like?”, and “where can I start looking?”.

2. Examine. The second step is to determine what you would like to buy. This can involve the evaluation of many options or can be limited to quickly zeroing in on one preference.

3. Exchange. The third step is the buying itself. This involves determining how and how much to pay, under which conditions, and how the product/service will be provided to the buyer.

4. Experience. The fourth step is to make use of the product/service purchased. This can be quick consumption, but can also be a long process of installing, using, and maintaining.

5. Extend. The final step is to consider becoming a repeat customer. This can involve completing the previous use and reflecting on one’s level of satisfaction.

The six types of friction are the following:

1. Effort Friction. In our age of instant gratification, the perceived loss of time and energy is felt as irritating. Waiting, needing to provide extensive information, scrolling through incomprehensible menus, and having to come back multiple times, are typical examples.  

2. Cost Friction. In our age of free wifi, the perceived burden of unnecessary costs is also felt as annoying. Delivery fees, service charges, prepayment requirements and the need to upgrade your IT systems are all examples of needlessly losing money and/or resources.

3. Quality Friction. In our age of first time right, it is also frustrating when mistakes are made, and quality is lower than expected. When parts are missing, something breaks too quickly, it isn’t on time or it doesn’t work as promised, we don’t get the anticipated effect or result.

4. Uncertainty Friction. In our age of plentiful information, it feels uncomfortable not to know things. A lack of clarity and/or information about when a product will be delivered, whether seats are available, and how a decision will be made, can all lead to a sense of irritation.

5. Dependency Friction. In our age of customer choice, it feels uncomfortable to be locked in. A lack of power and/or autonomy to switch to another supplier, change or return an order, use alternative parts, or own your own data, can all be sources of dissatisfaction.   

6. Unfairness Friction. In our age of corporate social responsibility, it feels uncomfortable to fear being treated wrongfully. Unreadable user agreements, the fine print in a contract, and hiking prices based on your surfing behavior are all examples that undermine trust.

Key Insights

• Customer journeys need to be understood. Firms often map and understand their own internal processes but fail to do the same for the steps that customers go through, even though they can influence the customer’s behavior and satisfaction throughout the journey.

• Customer journeys are full of frictions. Few customer journeys are friction-free, happy flow processes, when looked at from the customer’s point of view. Most are full of irritating barriers and frustrating factors making it difficult for customers to get what they want.

• Customer journeys have economic loss frictions. Some of the frictions lead to (perceived) losses for the customer. They can lose time and energy (effort friction), money and resources (cost friction) and/or effects and outcomes (quality friction). These frictions tend to create dissatisfaction because they are inefficient.

• Customer journeys have emotion discomfort frictions. Other frictions trigger a sense of discomfort with the customer. They can feel ill at ease because they lack clarity and information (uncertainty friction), power and autonomy (dependency friction), and/or trust and justice (unfairness friction). These frictions place customers in an undesirable position.

• Customer journeys require continuous improvement. When firms consider ways of strengthening their competitive advantage, they often turn to upgrading their product/ service. Yet, improving the customer journey by removing frictions (friction hunting) is also a powerful way to compete. But it requires continuous work on the entire journey.

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