It’s a well-known fact that customers are not always truthful when it comes to what they want or need. In fact, sometimes they can be downright dishonest – especially when it comes to making requests for refunds or special treatment.
However, what is less known is the extent to which customer behavior can differ from their claimed intentions, and the implications this has for businesses.
In this article, we will explore the difference between claimed and actual customer behavior, and what this means for businesses who are looking to improve their customer experience.
We will also provide some tips on how you can better align your business with your customers’ true needs and wants.
What is Claimed Customer Behavior?
Claimed customer behavior is defined as the actions or requests that loyal customers say they will take, but may not actually follow through on.
This could be something as simple as promising to purchase a product but never doing so, or asking for a refund but never following through with the request.
For example, a customer might say they are going to buy a product but never actually go through with the purchase.
Or, they might request a refund but never follow up with the company to complete the process. Either way, these are both examples of claimed customer behavior.
It’s important to note that claimed customer behavior is not always dishonest or malicious. In many cases, it’s simply a matter of customers changing their minds or forgetting to take action.
However, regardless of the reason, claimed customer behavior can have a significant impact on businesses – especially if they are not prepared for it.
What is Actual Customer Behavior?
Actual customer behavior is defined as the actions or requests that customers actually take, regardless of what they say they will do. This could be something as simple as making a purchase after saying they will, or following through with a refund request.
For example, a customer might say they will never buy from a certain company again because of poor customer service, but then make a purchase a few weeks later. This would be considered actual behavior, as opposed to what the customer claims.
It’s important to note that actual customer behavior can be different from what the customer intends to do.
For example, a customer might say they intend to purchase a product, but then never go through with it. In this case, the customer’s behavior would be considered actual even though their intention was not.
What are some common similarities?
There are a few key similarities between claimed and actual customer behavior. Both claimed and actual behavior is:
- Influenced by customer needs and wants — For instance, a customer might say they need a refund in order to justify their request when really they just want the product for free. In this case, the customer’s true need is for the product, not the refund.
- Often different from what the customer says they will do — As we’ve seen, customers often change their minds or forget to take action, which can result in behavior that differs from their original claim.
- Can have a significant impact on businesses — Claimed or actual, customer behavior can have a major impact on businesses – positive or negative. For example, if a customer says they will never buy from a company again but then actually makes a purchase, this could be considered a positive outcome for the business.
- Can be difficult to predict — It can be tough to know what customers will do, even if they say they will take a specific action. This is because customer behavior is often changing or evolving, which can make it hard to predict.
- Often changing or evolving — Customer behavior is constantly changing and evolving, which can impact businesses in both positive and negative ways. For example, a customer might say they will never buy from a company again but then actually make a purchase, this could be considered a positive outcome for the business.
What are some common differences?
There are a few key differences between claimed and actual customer behavior. One of the main differences is that:
- Action: Claimed behavior is based on what customers say they will do, while actual behavior is based on what customers actually do. This means that businesses can’t always rely on what customers say they will do – they need to be prepared for anything.
- Needs and Wants: Claimed behavior can be influenced by factors such as customer needs and wants, while actual behavior is often more spontaneous. When customers are making a purchase, they may not always act in line with their needs and wants (e.g. they may impulsively buy something they don’t really need).
- Attitudes: Claimed behavior is often influenced by attitudes, while actual behavior may not be. As such, businesses need to be aware of the potential for attitude changes (e.g. a change in opinion about a product) to impact customer behavior.
- Situational Factors: Claimed behavior can be impacted by situational factors (e.g. time pressure, social pressure), while actual behavior is often less influenced by these factors. This means that businesses need to be aware of the potential for customer behavior to be different in different situations during a customer journey.
- Emotions: Claimed behavior can be influenced by emotions, while actual behavior is often more rational shown in a customer behavioral analysis. Since emotions can change quickly and unexpectedly, businesses need to be prepared for the potential for customer behavior to change as well.
What are Some Common Customer Behaviors?
Some common customer behaviors include:
- Making a purchase
- Asking for a refund or exchange
- Posting a review (positive or negative)
- Sharing positive or negative feedback with friends or family
- Complaining to a business
- Filing a complaint with a government agency
- Taking legal action
What are Some Common Claimed Behaviors?
Some common claimed behaviors include:
- I will never buy from that company again.
- I’m going to switch to a different brand.
- I’m going to tell all my friends about this.
- I’m going to write a negative review.
- I’m going to complain to the company.
- I’m going to file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.
- I’m going to take legal action.
How to better align your business with customer behavior?
There are a few key things you can do to better align your business with customer behavior:
1. Be prepared for change
As we’ve seen, customer behavior is constantly changing and evolving. This means that businesses need to be prepared for change and ready to adapt their strategies accordingly. Suppose your business is doing well with a certain marketing strategy.
Even if it’s working now, there’s no guarantee that it will continue to work in the future. Customer behavior is always changing, so you need to be prepared for that change and ready to adjust your marketing accordingly.
2. Know your customer
It’s essential to really know your valuable customers and understand their needs and wants. Take the time to get to know your customers and understand what they’re looking for. This will help you better align your business with their behavior.
3. Be flexible
Flexibility is key when it comes to aligning your business with customer behavior. You need to be able to adjust your plans and marketing strategies according to the ever-changing customer behavior.
Being inflexible will only make it harder for you to keep up with customer behavior and could ultimately lead to your business falling behind.
4. Keep up with the latest trends
Keep up with the latest customer behavior trends and make sure you’re implementing them in your business. This will help you stay ahead of the curve and better align your business with customer behavior.
Suppose you’re not sure what the latest customer behavior trends are. In that case, you can consult with a marketing agency or other experts to get the information you need.
5. Get feedback from customers
One of the best ways to stay aligned with customer behavior is to get feedback from customers. Ask them what they want and what they’re looking for. This will help you understand their needs and wants and allow you to better align your business with their behavior.
6. Be proactive
Finally, it’s important to be proactive when it comes to aligning your business with customer behavior. This means being willing to experiment and try new things.
Don’t be afraid to take risks and try new things. It’s the only way you’re going to find what works best for your business.
Which One Should you use: Claimed or Actual Behavior?
There’s no easy answer to this question. Ultimately, it depends on your business and what you’re trying to achieve. If you’re trying to align your business with customer behavior, then it’s important to focus on actual behavior.
This means understanding customer behavior, which means what customers are really doing and then aligning your business accordingly.
However, if you’re trying to create a certain image or reputation for your business, then you may want to focus on claimed behavior.
This means emphasizing the behavior that you want customers to associate with your business, even if it’s not necessarily reflective of their actual behavior.
Most importantly, remember that customer behavior is always changing. This means that you need to be prepared for change and ready to adjust your plans and strategies accordingly to achieve customer lifetime value.
The best way to do this is to focus on actual behavior and stay up-to-date with the latest trends. This way, you can ensure that your business is aligned with customer behavior.
The Bottom Line
Customer behavior is always changing, so it’s important to be prepared for change and ready to adjust your plans accordingly.
This will help you stay ahead of the curve and better align your business by analyzing customer behavior. Get feedback from customers to really understand their needs and wants to provide your customer value.
This way, you can better align your business with their actual behavior so you can better align your business to improve customer satisfaction.
Want To Know More? Check Our FAQ Below!
What is customer behavior data?
Customer behavior data is information that businesses collect about the way consumers interact with their products or services.
This can include customer data about how often customers use a product or service, what features they use, and what kinds of feedback they provide.
Where can I find consumer behavior data?
There are a number of ways to collect consumer behavior data.
Additionally, you can purchase quantitative data from research companies, collect it yourself through surveys or customer feedback forms, or use social media and other online platforms to track customer behavior for better customer retention by more customer acquisition.
What are examples of behavioral data?
Here are some examples of the types of quantitative and qualitative data that businesses can collect about consumer behavior:
- How often do customers use a product or service
- What features do they use
- What kind of feedback do they provide
- What kinds of problems do they have with a product or service
- How likely they are to recommend a product or service to others
What are the 4 types of consumer behavior?
The four types of consumer behavior are:
- Cognitive: How customers think about and process information about products or services
- Affective: How customers feel about products or services
- Conative: How customers behave when customers interact with products or services
- Sensory: How customers use their senses to perceive products or services
How do you collect consumer behavior data?
There are a number of ways to collect consumer behavior data, including surveys, customer feedback forms, social media, and online platforms.
What are the 4 types of customer buying behavior?
The four types of customer buying behavior are:
- Rational: Customers who make decisions based on logic and reason
- Emotional: Customers who make decisions based on their feelings and emotions
- Impulse: Customers who make decisions based on a sudden urge or impulse
- Habitual: Customers who make decisions based on habit or routine
How do you analyze behavioral data?
There are a number of ways for customer behavior analysis, including statistical customer behavior analytics, Google analytics, demographic data, data analytics platforms, customer segmentation, consumer behavior analytics, and customer profiling.
How do you measure consumer behavior?
There are a number of ways to measure consumer behavior, including surveys, customer feedback forms, social media, and online platforms.