Two ways to use lock-in/loyalty

Organizations invest to create an audience that sticks with them, either because they have no choice or because of an emotional connection.

When this occurs, most then take profits. They decrease service, increase pricing and generally seek payback for the work they did to get to this position.

But there’s another path.

Every change creates tension. And if you’ve got lock in and loyalty, you can create that tension without losing too many customers.

What if you use that tension to persistently and markedly improve the experience? Not to make it more convenient, but to make it worth the effort to learn to do better?

On a good day, that’s what companies like Apple do.

Most of the time, the MBAs push for the short-term profit taking we’re all used to (and tired of).

But if you get the chance, perhaps you can help people get to where they seek to go, even if the journey requires effort for you and for them.