What it is
People value things more when they require more effort, even if unnecessary.
How it shows up in CX
Customers equate effort with quality, assuming products or services requiring more work are superior.
CX pillars it strengthens
EffortExpectations
How to design with it
1
Highlight craftsmanship.
2
Emphasize effort behind premium offerings.
3
Create engaging processes.
4
Use effort-based rewards (e.g., loyalty programs).
5
Avoid excessive friction.
6
Ensure effort perception enhances, not frustrates, CX.
Supporting biases
Effort JustificationProcessing Difficulty
Opposing biases
Convenience BiasSpeed Bias
Related biases
Behavioral Biases
Design with behavior, not against it.
Explore more biases, or work with us to apply behavioral science to your customer experience.