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Forget about me
I recently had to replace my car radio. When I was looking for a model, I simply needed a radio that would allow the iPod connection via USB o mini jack. I visited a specialised shop in the neighbourhood and they offered me a model that seemed to meet all my needs, that same afternoon they installed it and everyone was happy with the new toy.
I was on my way back home fiddling with the thing without paying much attention to it with my eyes, when suddenly, stopped at a traffic light, I noticed something that irritates me solemnly: the new radio kept offering text messages on the move, not even informative messages (the radio station or the song and artist that was playing), but ridiculous texts describing the radio's functionalities:
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It is something I don't understand, why should I broadcast advertising messages on a product when I have already bought it? Even more so given the environment in which it is used: paying attention to the road and not the visual messages of the radio.
To a lesser extent, this poor relationship with household appliances It also happens to me with the washing machine and the tumble dryer, which tell me when they have finished their work, and they don't stop beeping until I turn them off. The fridge also beeps when I leave the door open for more than 30 seconds, so it rushes me when I'm thinking about what I'm going to cook with what I see. The dishwasher is more discreet and polite, it just turns on a little light and waits for me to remember it.
Just like people, some devices, programmes and services need to attract attention to denote their presence, they need to know that we don't forget about them. This happens with the default notifications of Skype, which alerts us when someone connects or disconnects, happens with Dropbox when we are notified that a file has been updated, it happens with the telephone company or the bank that keeps pestering me to contract even more services...
A device, a programme or a service builds customer loyalty by doing what it is supposed to do well, not by continually reminding us that they are there, otherwise the effect can be completely counterproductive and end up making the hard-won customer jaded.
Great post!
The most annoying case I have had to put up with is the purchase of a TV decoder. When it is connected, when you change channels, in addition to the typical information about the channel in a small layer, you see an advertisement for the product that there is no way to remove, so in addition to paying for the product, you have to watch the advertisement.
Conclusion, I will never buy anything from your brand again.