Why Emotion is the Most Important Customer Experience Metric

Experiences are, at their core, emotional for customers. Whether it’s the frustration of being stuck in a middle seat on a long flight, the excitement of waiting hours to taste a special meal, the thrill of getting access to a limited-edition sneaker or the satisfaction of discovering the perfect vacation while browsing late at night, emotions drive all interactions that customers have with brands.

Up to 90% of the decisions we make are based on emotion, and brands are taking note. The highs and lows customers experience not only influence their immediate satisfaction but also build long-term loyalty:  82% of highly engaged customers make a purchase based on that loyalty. 

As today’s brands undergo a marketing transformation, understanding and managing these emotional peaks and valleys is the key to delivering great experiences that foster lasting relationships. So how can brands identify emotional touch points that result in positive outcomes? By focusing on the art and science of customer sentiment, brands can unlock deeper connections and boost customer satisfaction.

The Role of Emotion in Customer Experiences

Emotions are the invisible undercurrent of every customer experience. Whether a customer is delighted by a seamless purchase or frustrated by a difficult transaction process, these emotional reactions shape their brand perception. Positive feelings — such as joy, surprise and excitement — lead to higher Customer Satisfaction Scores (CSAT), increased loyalty and more frequent repeat purchases. On the flip side, negative feelings — such as frustration, disappointment or confusion — can erode trust, pushing customers toward competitors.

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It’s clear that emotions are a critical metric for brands to track, but they are also complex and multifaceted. According to Netimperative, 85% of customers are not yet satisfied with their brand’s emotional marketing efforts. Customers undergo a wide range of emotions throughout their interactions with a brand, and every touch point offers a unique opportunity to either elevate or undermine those relationships.

Identifying Emotional Peaks and Valleys

The first step in using emotion as a key customer experience metric is pinpointing where emotional highs and lows take place. Brands should map out these emotional touch points across the entire customer journey and use a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to track customer sentiment:

1. Customer Journey Mapping: By mapping out the customer’s path from discovery to purchase (and beyond), brands can identify the key moments where the highs and lows are likely to occur. For example, the checkout process, delivery time or product unboxing are often emotionally charged moments.
2. Customer Feedback and Sentiment Analysis: Tools like CSAT surveys, reviews and social media listening allow brands to gather direct feedback from customers about their experiences. Sentiment analysis can uncover emotional trends by analyzing the tone and language used in feedback.
3. Voice of Customer Programs: These programs help gather ongoing customer insights and can provide deeper context for emotional responses. By understanding what makes customers happy or upset, brands can design experiences that cater to their emotional needs.

How Brands can be More Emotionally Intelligent

To effectively manage customer emotions, brands need to cultivate emotional intelligence — an awareness of how customer feelings evolve and how to steer them in a favorable direction. Here are key steps brands can take to become more emotionally intelligent:

1. Connect Performance Metrics with Emotional Sentiment: Many brands track performance metrics such as conversion rates or time on site, but often fail to connect these data points with customer sentiment. Teams focused on voice of customer insights and those managing business performance must work together to ensure emotional data is influencing decisions. For example, if CSAT scores dip during a certain part of the checkout process, the team can investigate what’s causing frustration and find ways to address it.
2. Create Emotional Triggers: Brands can intentionally design moments of joy and surprise throughout the customer journey. This might be through small, thoughtful gestures — such as personalized recommendations or a surprise upgrade — that elevate emotional engagement. Positive feelings like delight and excitement are powerful drivers of loyalty.
3. Address Negative Emotions Proactively: Negative feelings need to be resolved quickly to avoid long-term damage to customer relationships. Brands should anticipate potential pain points, such as long wait times or complex returns, and work to minimize or eliminate them. By addressing these emotional valleys, brands can turn potentially negative experiences into neutral or even positive ones.

The Business Impact of Emotional Engagement

When brands successfully manage emotional engagement, the benefits go beyond customer satisfaction.  For example, positive emotional experiences often lead to higher Net Promoter Scores (NPS), as customers are more likely to recommend the brand, driving new business, with 71% of customers preferring to refer to businesses they are really connected to emotionally (Statista). 

And emotionally connected customers tend to exhibit increased loyalty, leading to repeat purchases and a stronger brand-customer relationship over time. These customers often become brand advocates, promoting the brand to friends, family and even strangers online, providing invaluable organic advocacy for brand growth.

Make Emotional Management an Ongoing Process

Managing customer emotions isn’t a one-time initiative; it’s an ongoing, iterative process. Brands need to continuously monitor how their efforts impact emotions and adjust accordingly.

There’s no finish line in this transformative marketing journey — emotional intelligence should be a core part of how a brand operates. By consistently reviewing customer sentiment, adjusting strategies and enhancing experiences, brands can stay aligned with customer expectation and create a customer experience that not only satisfies but also delights, driving long-term loyalty and business success.