Customer engagement can be negatively impacted by decision fatigue – a state of mental overload that impedes a customer’s ability to continue making decisions. In theory, offering flexible options should allow your customers to choose what works best for them. This provides flexibility and can be a great way to provide a positive customer experience. However, providing too many options or options that don’t satisfy the unique needs of your customers can leave them feeling overwhelmed and confused, especially if they are experiencing decision fatigue.
What is decision fatigue?
Decision fatigue is why we feel overwhelmed when we have too many decisions to make, and consumers today are faced with countless choices. The American Medical Association estimates that by the time the average person goes to bed, they’ve made over 35,000 decisions – and all those decisions take time and energy.
Consumers try to reduce the pressure of decision-making in a variety of ways, including procrastination, impulsivity, avoidance and indecision. Many of these symptoms exacerbate the problem as the need to make a decision doesn’t go away, creating a continuing cycle of stress and anxiety, until they reach a decision.
