Do Customers Really Want Faster Service... or Just Better Service?
In business, the prevailing wisdom has long been that speed equals satisfaction. A faster checkout, a shorter call wait time, or a quick app response are all viewed as signs of efficiency and customer-centricity. But is faster always better? Or is there more value in a slower, more considered interaction? The answer, as with most things in business, depends on context.
The Cult of Efficiency
Modern customer service metrics often celebrate “time saved.” Supermarkets boast self-service checkouts that reduce queues. Call centres track average handling time as a measure of agent performance. Mobile banking apps design interactions to be nearly frictionless, depositing a cheque, for instance, can take seconds.
The benefits are clear: customers appreciate not having their time wasted, and businesses save on labour costs. But efficiency can sometimes hollow out the very essence of the customer experience.
When Fast Feels Wrong
Consider healthcare. Few patients would feel reassured if a GP rushed through an appointment in under five minutes, even if the diagnosis was perfectly accurate. The human element, the chance to ask questions, feel listened to, and trust the process, is just as important as the outcome. Here, speed can undermine confidence.
Similarly, in luxury retail, the experience is the product. A customer buying a £5,000 handbag doesn’t want the transaction to be as quick as a supermarket scan. They want to feel indulged, guided, and appreciated. Cutting corners here would dilute the brand promise.
In hospitality, a rushed interaction can feel jarring. A waiter who clears plates too quickly might be efficient, but the customer may feel pressured to leave. In this setting, timing is as much about atmosphere as it is about efficiency.
Industries Where Speed Wins
On the flip side, certain sectors thrive on quick interactions.
- Fast food: The entire business model is built on rapid service, consistency, and predictability. If you wait more than a few minutes at McDonald’s, it feels wrong.
- Public transport: Passengers want to get from A to B with minimal fuss. A bus driver lingering to chat with each passenger would create frustration.
- Tech support for simple issues: If a customer just needs their password reset, the best service is one that solves the problem instantly.
Here, time saved is not just appreciated, it is expected.
The Middle Ground
Some sectors sit in a nuanced middle ground. Retail banking, for instance, has pushed heavily towards efficiency with apps and ATMs, but branches still exist because there are moments when a customer wants depth. Applying for a mortgage or sorting out a complex financial issue requires trust and reassurance, not just speed.
Education is another example. Online learning platforms promote bite-sized, efficient learning modules, but classroom teaching thrives on slower, discursive engagement where ideas can breathe. Both modes have their place, depending on the student’s goal.
The Bigger Question: What Does the Customer Need Now?
The most thought-provoking angle isn’t whether interactions should be fast or slow, but whether businesses are aligning the pace of the interaction with the customer’s emotional and practical needs. Sometimes customers want efficiency, sometimes they want depth. The key is flexibility.
Imagine if call centres measured not just “average handling time” but also “customer assurance.” Did the caller leave feeling confident in the resolution, even if it took longer? Or if restaurants trained staff to subtly judge when a table wants to linger and when they want to move on quickly.
Rethinking “Best” Interaction
Perhaps the real measure of a good customer interaction is not its length, but its appropriateness. A 30-second checkout can be brilliant at the supermarket, but disastrous at the jeweller. A five-minute doctor’s appointment can feel careless, while a five-minute fix from an IT helpdesk can feel like a lifesaver.
Efficiency should remain a goal, but not the only one. The future of customer experience lies in the ability to shift gears, moving seamlessly between speed and slowness, depending on what the customer truly values in that moment.
Loyalty Cards and the Pace of Engagement
Loyalty programs sit at an interesting intersection between efficiency and depth. Traditionally, stamp cards and points systems were built for speed: a quick hole-punch or stamp at the till, a fleeting acknowledgment of the customer’s repeat business, and nothing more. The interaction was secondary to the transaction.
The Digital Shift
Digital loyalty cards change this dynamic. On one hand, they make the process even faster, scanning a QR code or automatically collecting stamps through an app removes the need for paper, ink, or even conscious effort. The transaction is streamlined, friction is reduced, and customers are less likely to lose track of their rewards.
But digital also opens the door for richer, slower engagement, if businesses choose to use it. A loyalty app can send a thank-you message, celebrate milestones, or provide tailored rewards. These moments add emotional depth without requiring extra time in-store. The efficiency of the mechanism creates space for more thoughtful communication elsewhere.
Beyond the Coffee Shop
Coffee shops often get used as the archetype for loyalty programs, but other industries illustrate how the pace of interaction matters too.
- Gyms and Fitness Studios:
A quick stamp every time a member checks in might be fine, but digital loyalty can create more meaningful interactions. For example, rewarding consistency (visiting three times a week for a month) or celebrating milestones (“100th class!”) provides encouragement. Here, “slow” recognition builds community, while “fast” systems track the basics. - Car Servicing and MOT Centres:
In automotive services, customers don't visit weekly, so the loyalty card interaction itself needs weight. A rushed “here’s your stamp” could feel perfunctory. A digital loyalty scheme can instead prompt the customer with reminders (“You're one service away from a free MOT check”), making the program a point of ongoing engagement rather than a fleeting moment at the counter. - Retail Fashion:
A physical loyalty card stamped at checkout is transactional. A digital card, however, might weave in experiences, exclusive previews, styling advice, or event invitations. Here, slowing the loyalty interaction down adds to the brand story. The customer isn't just “collecting points” but stepping deeper into the brand’s lifestyle.
The Takeaway
In the world of loyalty schemes, speed is valuable in the moment of transaction, but depth is what creates long-term stickiness. Digital platforms provide the best of both worlds: a frictionless way to collect rewards, combined with opportunities to extend and enrich the interaction beyond the point of sale.
