The Power and Pitfalls of Personalization

This is a (slight) rewrite of an article I posted on a Wix site I created before I remembered I had this one, and should probably just keep everything here. It's like I have ADHD or something... anyway...

Alright, listen up folks, because we're about to talk about a little something called personalization in customer experience. Now, let me tell you, it's not as simple as you might think. Personalization can be a real game-changer, but if you're not careful, it can come back to bite you in the ass.

Picture this: you're a regular at your favorite coffee shop. You walk in and the barista greets you by name, knowing exactly what you want before you even order. It's like clockwork, baby. But one day,

you decide to switch it up and try something new. You head up to the counter, ready to take a chance on something different, and there it is: your usual drink, already made and waiting for you. Now what? You don't want to be rude and turn down your usual, but you also don't want to miss out on something new. That's the danger of personalization. When you get too comfortable and start anticipating your customers' every move, you can end up putting them in an awkward spot.

And it's not just coffee shops, my friends, my buddies, and my pals. The same thing can happen with online shopping. You've been hitting the gym hard for months, buying all sorts of workout gear online. But now you've decided to switch things up and get into hiking and surfing. You're not interested in gym gear anymore, you need some serious outdoor gear! But the company you're buying from doesn't seem to have gotten the memo. They keep sending you offers for more gym gear, like they don't know you at all. It's like those bastards weren't even paying attention, man.

But it's not just about getting it wrong, it's also about unintentional bias. Let's say you're an online retailer and you're using personalization to recommend products to your customers based on their browsing history. But what if you're only recommending products to certain customers based on their race or income level? That's not cool, and it can really alienate your customers.

So, how do you avoid these pitfalls? Well, first of all, don't force personalization on your customers. Don't assume that just because you have their information, you know everything about them. Give them the option to opt-out of personalized experiences, and always ask for their consent before using their data.

Imagine marketing to a Casualties fan and an Earth Crisis fan the same exact way. 

lol. lmao, even. 

Sure, they have some similarities. But nowhere near enough to be put next to each other.

And don't limit your customers' options, either. Just because they have a usual order doesn't mean they don't want to try something new. Encourage them to explore your menu and try different things. If they do want to stick with their usual, that's cool too! But don't make them feel like they have to.

At the end of the day, personalization can be a real double-edged sword. It's all about finding that delicate balance between anticipating your customers' needs and overwhelming them with assumptions. So, approach personalization with caution, my friends. Don't assume you know everything about your customers just because you have their data. And remember, personalization should enhance the customer experience, not detract from it. If you're using it to make things easier and more convenient for your customers, then you're on the right track. But if you're using it to push products or services on them that they don't want or need, then you need to check yourself before you wreck yourself.