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Business Briefing: While Customers Wait, Add Value

Picture of Jim Krider By   ·  2 minute read

Keywords: Customer Experience, Waiting Time, Value-Added Services, Customer Satisfaction, Service Innovation
Source: Harvard Business Review
Link: Read the full article on HBR.org
Author: Christopher Meyer
Published: July 2001
Est. Read Time (Original): ~15 minutes

A Note on Access: To read the full article, a Harvard Business Review subscription is required. We believe an HBR subscription is an invaluable asset. We particularly recommend utilizing the downloadable PDF version of their articles—they are a fantastic, high-value resource for sharing and discussion within your team.

The Core Idea

Christopher Meyer proposes a powerful thought experiment: What if your customers charged you for their time? He argues that companies are "blissfully profligate" with their customers' time, and that reducing this "non-value-added time" (NVA time), minutes spent waiting on hold, in line, or for a delivery, is a major source of competitive advantage. The solution is twofold: first, minimize the wait itself; second, when a wait is unavoidable, add value to the experience, as Disney does by entertaining guests in line. The central premise is that valuing a customer's time is a critical, yet often overlooked, way to build satisfaction and loyalty.

Why It Matters for Business Today

In today's "experience economy," Meyer's argument is more critical than ever. Customer expectations for speed and convenience are at an all-time high, and patience is at an all-time low.

  • Waiting Time is Part of the Product: The customer journey doesn't start when they use your product; it starts the moment they engage with your company. Every minute they wait is part of their overall experience. A slow website, a long hold time, or a late delivery can sour the perception of an otherwise excellent product or service.

  • The ROI of Valuing Time: As the article's examples show, the benefits are tangible. Amazon's proactive communication and a telecommunication company's simple anniversary gift both demonstrate respect for the customer's time and attention, leading directly to reduced churn and increased loyalty.

  • Technology as a Double-Edged Sword: Technology can either be a primary source of customer NVA time (e.g., poorly designed IVR systems, confusing apps) or a powerful tool to add value to it (e.g., real-time delivery tracking, in-app entertainment). The strategic choice of how to deploy technology in the customer journey is a key differentiator.

The Strategic Question for Leaders

The article urges leaders to identify "points of impatience" where a small amount of wasted customer time causes disproportionate irritation. What process does your organization use to systematically map your customer's journey, identify these critical points of impatience, and either eliminate the wait or transform it into a value-added experience?

Share your perspective in the comments below.

Remember, by sharing your insights, you contribute to a unique "Enriched Briefing." {Jim Krider} will follow up to provide you with a powerful "Business Cold Start" document, combining our analysis with expert perspectives to equip your internal AI models with a more nuanced understanding of this topic.