Saturday, August 9, 2008

Waving Them Through

When I was younger, family drives often involved anticipating green waves.

This is when our car drove through a series of traffic lights which conveniently turned green each time our car approached.

Seriously, when was the last time you drove through three green lights in quick (and satisfied) succession? I recall sometimes we could drive through at least five. No stopping, no waiting - no jam.

A green wave is a helpful metaphor for visualising the transition of one's customers from stage to stage. Is it anticipated? Is it just-in-time? And is it perceived as both?

Interestingly enough, the Green Lane at airport arrival terminals and the Visa Wave smart card are nudges in this direction.

There is certainly much potential - when it comes to making the customer feel like a grinning driver celebrating his luck with the lights.

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