Sometimes You Have To Let Customers Go To Tighten The Links

Years ago, my parents and I were on vacation. We wanted to eat Wiener Schnitzel – I used to eat meat back then – and went to the first restaurant restaurant, just because it was close to where we stayed. They happened to have it on their menu. But when we ordered Schnitzel there, the waiter said to us: »If you came here only for the Schnitzel, you should go to this other restaurant down the street. We’re not specialized in Schnitzel.« So we went. He didn’t make profit from us – at least not this time. We went there often for pasta afterwards. Companies can use this method, too. And they are already.

Take the Deutsche Bahn, Germany’s largest rail company. Beside that, they have a remote bus company, a car sharing provider and other enterprises in their portfolio to offer the best mobility concept possible.

They even offer the app Qixxit, which looks for the best, cheapest or most convenient way between two places. But what, if that isn’t a product Deutsche Bahn offers? Like a rideshare? What Qixxit does is: They send you, the customer, away.

Let’s say you use the app three times. Twice, it sends you away, because the cheapest option is a rideshare. This is what you would’ve done anyway, because you knew, that a train ticket was too expensive. The other time, they show you that the best way to travel will be a low-cost train ticket. You didn’t know before, that they offer this ticket. You take it.

Deutsche Bahn played an important role in your customer relationship: Their app successfully was the go-to app if you wanted to travel. Although they send you away two times, you came back and discovered one of their products which – without the help of the app – you would never have discovered.

This is how you treat a customer.