Did you buy something recently? Think back on the experience. What stood out to you? Would you judge the experience overall as good or bad, and why?
Here’s why those questions matter:
People tend to judge experiences based on the most intense or consequential point (the peak) and the conclusion (the end), rather than the entirety of it. When you apply that to customer experience, you start to see the opportunity for your agency and the clients you support.
If your clients can intentionally create memorable peaks and strong endings, they’ll not only have happier customers but also stronger reviews. And when they succeed, your agency benefits through higher retention and client satisfaction.
Understanding the Peak-End Rule
First proposed by psychologist Daniel Kahneman and refined by social psychologist Barbara Fredrickson, the Peak-End Rule suggests that people remember snapshots of an experience rather than the entire journey. Specifically, they hold onto the most emotionally intense moment and the final impression.
If both the peak and the end are positive, the whole experience is remembered positively. If both are negative, the entire experience is recalled as negative. Interestingly, if the ending is positive, it can often outweigh earlier negative points because it’s the freshest memory.
One study illustrates this clearly. Half of the participants watched a horror movie that stopped at the scariest point. The other half watched to the end, which had a happy conclusion. The first group reported higher anxiety than the second group. That positive ending made all the difference.
For businesses, the Peak-End Rule offers a way to design experiences that highlight these two powerful moments. It doesn’t excuse mistakes elsewhere in the journey, but it does show how much weight peaks and endings carry in shaping overall perception.
Putting the Peak-End Rule into Practice
The Peak-End Rule can add value to your agency’s client strategies. Here’s a three-step plan you can follow:
1. Map the Customer Journey to Spot Peak-End Moments
Help your clients identify where peaks and endings naturally occur.
The end is often obvious: purchase, checkout, or delivery. Some journeys continue with loyalty programs or follow-up emails. Peaks, however, vary by business and industry but are always emotionally charged.
Encourage your clients to gather feedback through surveys, then use that data to pinpoint these critical moments.
2. Engineer “Wow” Peaks and Endings
Once you know the touchpoints, enhance them to shape the customer’s perception positively.
Healthcare and wellness:
- Peak: During the appointment or procedure, focus on comfort, answer questions, and set clear expectations. The patient feels safe and cared for.
- End: Provide clear post-visit instructions, reassurance that the provider is available, and a small token such as lip balm or a toothbrush. The takeaway: “That wasn’t so bad, and I feel valued.”
Retail:
- Peak: Online, display positive reviews to help customers make decisions. In-store, provide friendly and helpful support. The shopper feels guided at just the right time.
- End: Offer a surprise discount at checkout or a follow-up SMS promotion. The takeaway: “This is great. I’ll be back, and I’ll tell my friends.”
You can also reinforce these peaks and endings through marketing materials like social posts, videos, and graphics to set expectations before customers even buy.
3. Automate Review Requests to Capture Positivity
Great peaks and endings often lead to great reviews, but only if you ask at the right time.
Encourage your clients to:
- Send review requests right after the experience to capture fresh emotions
- Follow up within 24–48 hours
- Encourage detailed reviews that mention the peak moment
- Craft engaging requests through email, SMS, or even in person
Automation tools help streamline this process so review opportunities aren’t missed.
Offering Peak-End Optimization as a Service
Peak-end optimization naturally fits into reputation management. As a service, it can deliver:
- Increased customer satisfaction
- Improved loyalty and retention
- A higher volume of positive reviews
- Stronger sales and profit
When you explain the psychology behind the Peak-End Rule and show supporting data, clients begin to see their customer journey in a new light. They recognize how much impact peaks and endings have on memory and perception.
Peak-End Your Own Success
There’s truth in the saying: when your clients succeed, you succeed.
Peak-end optimization is one more way to improve customer experience strategies that lead to glowing reviews and stronger client results. By helping your clients identify and maximize these moments, you’re building a cycle of satisfaction that benefits everyone.
Ready to see how this works in practice? GatherUp makes it easier to manage feedback, automate review requests, and support customer success at scale. Talk to one of our experts today.
