The Paradox of Optimization
A few weeks ago, I booked a trip, bought a new pair of sneakers, and rescheduled a prescription renewal. Three very different services, three very different brands. But when I interacted with their support teams, I had to double-check the email headers to remember who I was talking to.
The messages were courteous, clear, and fast. The interfaces were slick. The language was empathetic. Even the shortcomings of the chatbots happened at comparable stages. But something was missing: identity. Personality. Memorability.
And that's the paradox. In our pursuit of optimization — faster replies, higher satisfaction, lower effort — we often end up creating interchangeable experiences. In trying to win, we become forgettable.
The Optimization Trap
Let's be clear: optimization itself is not the problem. When you fix a broken flow, improve response time, or reduce unnecessary steps, you are making your customers' lives easier. That's a good thing.
But optimization becomes a trap when it turns into mimicry:
- Everyone sets the same targets: NPS > 60, FRT < 2 hours, CSAT > 85%.
- Everyone uses the same ticketing and telephone systems; chat- and voicebots are powered by the same or very similar LLMs.
- Everyone implements the same playbooks: chatbots first, self-service second, human escalation third.
It leads to efficiency without uniqueness. Like airlines that tweak boarding procedures until everyone boards in the same 25-minute window. The gains become marginal. The experience becomes a blur.
Even well-meaning CX strategies fall into this trap. We say we want to be customer-centric, but we interpret that as a race to match benchmarks rather than a quest to be meaningfully different.
When CX Becomes a Commodity
Standardization has its upsides. It scales. It reduces variability. It simplifies training.
But here's the danger: if your customer interactions are indistinguishable from your competitors', your CX becomes a commodity. Something people tolerate, not remember.
Let's run a quick test. Pick a recent support interaction you had. Now ask yourself: "If I swapped the brand logo on that interaction, would I have noticed?"
If the answer is no, you're dealing with generic CX. And generic CX has low emotional impact. It doesn't build memory. It doesn't earn loyalty. It gets the job done and fades away.
This is particularly dangerous in competitive B2C markets where customers have lots of choice and low switching costs. If your experience doesn't stand out, your brand doesn't either.
Differentiation Through Emotion, Not Just Efficiency
Real differentiation in CX doesn't come from being the fastest or cheapest. It comes from being the most memorable.
That means focusing not just on outcome metrics, but on emotional resonance. Behavioral science gives us tools here. One of the most powerful: the peak-end rule. People remember two things about an experience:
- The most emotionally intense moment (positive or negative).
- How it ended.
So, what's the most emotionally intense moment in your refund process? Or in your chatbot handover? If there's no emotional peak, there's no memory anchor. And no brand differentiation.
Here's an example: a company adds a simple but personal touch to every confirmation email by including the first name of the agent responsible for the order and a brief local tip related to the customer's delivery address — like a nearby scenic route or coffee spot. It's automated, but it feels human. And it creates the kind of moment customers are likely to remember and talk about.
Rethinking Your CX Goals
To escape the optimization trap, you don't have to abandon your metrics. You have to layer them with intention.
Keep your NPS. But also ask: Did we create a moment worth talking about? Did our brand voice come through? Did this experience feel different from what competitors would offer?
Here are a few ideas for alternative KPIs or modifiers:
- Differentiation Score: After a support touchpoint, ask customers: "Was this interaction different from others you've had with similar companies?"
- Brand Recall Rate: Run brand-agnostic user tests: remove your logo and see if people still recognize your tone, visuals, and flow.
- Surprise & Delight Index: Track how often customers mention feeling pleasantly surprised or emotionally moved. These comments are gold.
Design for Memory, Not Just Resolution
Another way to create memorable experiences? Use custom-built software to design workflows that are unique to your business model — instead of relying solely on off-the-shelf tools.
For example, a travel company might build a check-in interface tailored to camper van rentals, showing live location-based pickup tips and weather alerts, rather than using a generic booking status page. It's a deeper layer of service that not only helps customers but also reflects the brand's specific value proposition.
Custom workflows allow you to encode your personality, your operating logic, and your customer promise — directly into the product. That's hard to copy, and even harder to forget.
What would change if your team measured memorability alongside resolution? You might:
- Empower agents to make small gestures of care — like offering a surprise discount when a customer shares that their trip was canceled due to a family emergency.
- Inject your brand tone into microcopy, even error messages — for example, adding a friendly "Don't worry, we saved your spot!" message when a payment fails.
- Add signature moments to standard flows, like a celebratory email after account activation — such as sending a digital postcard with road trip tips when a booking is confirmed.
- Use friction selectively, to create anticipation or emphasize value — like requiring one extra click to reveal a special packing checklist curated by fellow travelers.
Actionable Steps to Avoid the Optimization Trap
Here's how to start:
- Audit for Sameness: Review recent support conversations. How many feel brand-generic? Where can your personality show up?
- Define Your Signature Elements: What makes your tone, your gestures, your problem-solving style uniquely you?
- Empower Moments of Freedom: Give teams small creative liberties: custom messages, personal notes, surprise vouchers.
- Balance Optimization with Intention: Not every flow needs delight. But every touchpoint needs clarity on purpose: resolve, reassure, or resonate.
Will They Remember You?
In the CX arms race, it's tempting to focus on being more efficient, more consistent, more automated. But those goals are now baseline expectations, not differentiators.
To truly stand out, you need to stop asking only: "Did we fix the issue fast enough?" and start asking: "Will they remember us?"
Great brands aren't just optimized. They're felt. Don't be the one they forget.