Simona Cellar – Brand Designer – How to help your customers make decisions easier and faster

How to help your customers make decisions easier and faster

A few weeks ago I went on a short Holiday trip to London with two friends of mine. It was fabulous and what stuck with me the most was the oh-so delicious food we had all the time. I also remember how it was super easy for me to choose a meal from the menu instantly while my friends contemplated over multiple meals and took a while to choose. Every time we were at a restaurant I was fascinated and wondering why it took them so long to choose.

This led me to this post, where I want to explore how decisions are made, why some people have a hard time making decisions while others don’t, and how this relates to choosing a product or buying a service. And how can products or services be presented to make it easier for consumers to choose them?

How are decisions made?

Decisions are made using a variety of processes, ranging from intuitive and emotional to logical and analytical. Our brains use two systems to make decisions: the intuitive system and the analytical system. The intuitive system is fast and automatic, and it relies on past experiences and emotions. The analytical system, on the other hand, is slower and more deliberate, and it uses reasoning and logic to arrive at a decision. Coming back to my meal choices, when I chose my meals, I used a mix of both systems. I was always like “What do I already love?” (= relying on past experiences). Or “Be a little crazy, try something new!” (= emotions). Then “What do I never make myself at home? And what meal is most unique to this place?” (= logic and reasoning).

Our brains use two decision-making systems: The intuitive system is fast and automatic, and it relies on past experiences and emotions. The analytical system is slower and more deliberate, and it uses reasoning and logic to arrive at a decision.

Why do some people have a hard time making decisions while others don’t?

Several factors influence a person’s ability to make decisions. One factor is the level of confidence in their decision-making abilities. People who are more confident in their ability to make decisions tend to make them more quickly and easily. People who lack confidence in their decision-making abilities struggle to make decisions, fearing that they will make the wrong choice. It seemed that this fear of missing out held my friends back the most from choosing a meal.

People who lack confidence in their decision-making abilities struggle to make decisions, fearing that they will make the wrong choice.

Another factor is the level of information available to the decision-maker. People who have more information about a decision tend to make more confident decisions. On the other hand, people who have less information may struggle to make a decision because they don’t have enough data to base their decision on.

Personality traits also influence a person’s ability to make decisions. People who are more impulsive tend to make decisions quickly, while people who are more cautious tend to take more time to make decisions.

How can products or services be presented to make it easier for consumers to choose them?

Customers often struggle with decision-making because of the above-mentioned reasons as well as not having enough information or having too many options to choose from (= decision paralysis).
To make it easier for consumers to choose products or services, it’s important to provide them with clear information about the product or service. This includes features, benefits, or pricing information. It’s also important to limit the number of options available, to not overwhelm consumers. It’s recommended to use 3-6 options at the most.

It’s important to provide them with clear information about the product or service. This includes features, benefits, or pricing information. It’s also important to limit the number of options available, to not overwhelm consumers. It’s recommended to use 3-6 options at the most.

Visuals also help to tap into the emotions of customers and help them make decisions faster and more intuitively. If I see appealing photos of specific meals, I’ll make that decision way faster than if there aren’t any pictures at all.

Social proof is another way to help people decide more confidently. Social proof is about people making decisions based on what others have chosen before them. By including customer reviews or testimonials on a product or service page customers feel more confident and have more information about a specific option.

Conclusion

Decision-making is a complex process that can be influenced by a variety of factors, including confidence, information, and personality traits. When it comes to choosing a product or service, it’s important to provide clear information, limit the number of options available, and leverage social proof to make it easier for consumers to make a decision. By understanding the factors that influence decision-making, you make it easier for people to make choices that are right for them.