FRICTION―The Untapped Force That Can Be Your Most Powerful Advantage

FRICTION―THE UNTAPPED FORCE THAT CAN BE YOUR MOST POWERFUL ADVANTAGE If you’re a business leader, these statistics should give you nightmares. According to science-based marketing and business expert Roger Dooley, they illustrate the real and growing threat of “friction,” which he defines as the unnecessary expenditure of time, effort, or money in performing a task.

Sometimes, making things easy requires hard work. Building stone bridges across valleys and tunneling through rock were extremely difficult in the Roman era, and very costly in materials and labor. But, the Romans knew this extra work would save far more wasted effort in the years to come. The straight, flat roads endured for centuries and enabled information, troops, and supplies to move much more quickly. Sometimes, they were the difference between winning and losing a battle or even a war.

When you reduce friction, make something easy, people do more of it. -Jeff Bezos, Founder and CEO, Amazon

Sometimes, friction isn't obvious. Amazon observed how people watched video content to understand what they did and how they did it. Once they saw that looking up cast members was common, they were able to find a way to make that easier. That created a small but immediate competitive advantage and, perhaps, a future revenue opportunity. Look for tiny changes in any process that will make it a little easier.

Amazon prospers when people do more things: watch video, listen to music, and, of course, buy more products. While many companies focus on motivating their customers to take desired actions with ads, bribes, and other nudges, Amazon is uniquely focused on making things easier to do. This focus on reducing friction is a key reason for Amazon’s emergence as the world’s biggest, fastest-growing retailer.

While 1-Click gets much of the credit for Amazon's low-friction shopping experience, it's about more than just a button. 1-Click works because Amazon has implemented a host of friction- reducing tactics, many of which have to do with security.

Saying that you are easy to do business with is one thing, delivering on that promise is another. If you really want to make it easy for your customers, don’t compare your processes to your direct competitors. They may be even worse. Instead compare yourself to companies like Amazon—your customers shop there, and that’s the friction-free experience they expect from you, too.