…But Not Too Personal

IKEA has mastered a new angle to Personalization with product designs that appeal to the unique tastes of their customers and also allow customers to build the products themselves—therefore completing the Personalization Experience. While we may know the frustration that sometimes comes with opening an IKEA box that contains the unassembled pieces of the product we purchased, we also understand the pride we feel when our new desk or bookshelf is assembled with our own two hands! When customers invest time and energy, not just money, into the creation of a product, perceptions change, and customers often feel more invested in the finished product.

IKEA teaches us that when we allow customers to participate in the build of a product, they form an emotional Connection. How can we hand over the power to Personalize to our team members, providers, patients, and guests that might lead to a greater emotional investment in our Experience?