Did you know that there is actually a very simple psychological explanation as to why many consumers want as much convenience as possible?
We are busy like never before
We live in a fast-changing world where everyday life moves fast and the days fly by. The modern consumer is busier than ever before.
We juggle work and family life and both men and women are expected to play multiple roles, both at work and home. For their part, young people demand more and more of the parents because society demands more and more of them. There are more and bigger expectations for them than ever before. They need to be fast learners at school, they must get good grades and they have more examinations than ever before. They are measured by grade in school, and at home they measure themselves with others via social media.
Thinking is hard work
Dual process theory says that our decisions are the result of the interaction between our two cognitive systems: the intuitive system 1 and the analytical system 2.
System 1 is what we use when reflexively making snap decisions. It’s what we call our gut feeling. It is unconscious, automatic and doesn’t require effort.
System 2 is what we use most of the time to work things out. It is conscious, controlled and requires a lot of effort
Modern humans use their energy on demanding work and family life, using system 2 to get things done. We make difficult and analytical decisions every single day, but our cognitive system 2 has limited energy to use. Therefore, our brain is often very tired when making decisions about what to eat and drink. The brain screams for an opportunity to relax and recharge and wants to use system 1 as a fallback.
Humans have limited rationality and willpower. People are generally only truly rational when they use their system 2 thinking but this requires a lot of energy. When system 2 has what is called information overload (when our brain feels tired), it reverts to system 1 – ie when the brain is tired, it seeks the easiest option and fastest choice.
We want food – now
Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs) and fast food outlets are and have always been good at taking advantage of this. They know that when we are tired we have no energy to resist temptation, even though we have set ourselves goals to eat healthily. Quite aside from being a guilty pleasure, many people choose to order fast food because; well it is easy and fast. ‘Easy and fast’ makes a tired brain happy.
Mobile and online ordering technology brings a similar level of convenience to all sorts of restaurants. Consumers can make their food choice, pay and arrange delivery or collection from their smartphone or computer. Mobile ordering allows the consumer to quickly and easily order the exact food they want when they want it.
Preoday’s white label platform provides food and retail businesses with their own branded digital ordering service so that they too can offer this level of convenience to customers, and making them the easy answer to the questions – what do I want to eat tonight?
Would you like to know more about the psychology of the modern consumer? If so, get in touch with us now.
We have created a handy ebook compiling our different articles on psychology and influencing consumer behaviour. If you would like to read more on this topic, download it today.
It’s not as catchy as: ‘When is a door not a door?’ (answer, when it’s a jar) but it speaks to the idea that in-car collection, and the technologies that support it, are flexible enough to bend to the needs of a business and its guests.
Delivery can be daunting to the uninitiated, and it might be tempting to sign up with a third-party ordering aggregator that offers the service, such as UberEats, but other options could suit your business and brand better. Here we present three different ‘levels’ of delivery, starting with the most basic – and cheapest method: doing it yourself.
