Why Instructions Matter: A Metrics-Based Review of How Instructions Impact Consumers and Brands

Although the marketplace has evolved, many companies have not modernized their approach to instructions. Let’s explore four critical errors manufacturers make with instructions.

1. Failure to account for differences in learning style

Because everyone learns differently, a one-size-fits-all approach to instructions is ineffective. Researchers have identified three primary learning styles. While humans have the capacity to learn through any of these methods, most people favor a dominant style.

• Visual learners favor learning by sight. In a classroom setting, they notice the instructor’s facial expressions and body language to understand the content of a lesson. Visual learners are attentive; they tend to sit at the front of the classroom to avoid visual distractions and typically take notes. Visual learners think in pictures and are adept at absorbing written information in books and from graphs, colors, maps, and displays.
• Auditory learners absorb information by listening, hearing, and speaking. They prefer lectures, discussions, and brainstorming. They interpret the underlying meaning of speech by listening to voice tone, pitch, and speed, as well as other verbal nuances. Written information has less meaning to auditory learners until they “hear” it by reading text aloud, even silently in their own head.
• Kinesthetic learners learn by experiencing, moving, touching, and doing. They take a hands-on approach and actively explore the physical world around them. They dislike sitting still for long periods of time, and can become distracted by their need for activity, physical manipulation, and exploration. An example of kinesthetic learning is when a child figures out how to ride a bike.

Keep the following in mind when considering how consumers absorb information. Humans retain about:

• 10% of what we see
• 30-40% of what we see and hear
• 90% of what we see, hear and do

Companies should strive to use visual and audio technologies to integrate all three elements in their instructions for optimum learning performance. It also helps users better connect with instructions. Research shows adding relevant visuals to words results in a nearly 90% improvement in learning outcomes. Including audio makes it easier to understand complex visuals.

Cadence and tone are important in instruction narration because assembly, installation, setup, maintenance, and repair can be mentally strenuous and stressful. The ideal instructor persona is helpful, friendly, concise, clear, and reassuring.

2. Neglecting instructions as an integral part of the customer journey

Brands should maintain a consistent communication style at every touchpoint, including instructions—the critical last touchpoint of the customer journey. If the brand voice is friendly and engaging, instructions should not be dry and detached.

A frustrating experience with instructions leaves a lingering negative impression of the brand; research indicates 77% of consumers who had a bad experience with a product’s instructions would not buy the product again and 81% would not buy another product from the same manufacturer.

In the trades, installers and professional technicians are influential in making product recommendations to customers. If certain products are easier to set up or come with better instructions, contractors are more likely to recommend them to consumers. Professionals understand the better the instructions, the easier it is to train new workers. Less instruction confusion leads to fewer errors, calls to technical support, and callbacks. Increased worker satisfaction reduces turnover and empowers employees. The more efficient the projects, the more profitable the company will be overall.

Manufacturers that dismiss the importance of instructions miss the opportunity to capitalize on a critical moment in the customer journey. A consumer’s emotions about a purchase are strongest or most raw within an 8- to 12-hour window of opening the box, the period that includes assembly or installation. Research indicates during this time, consumers are most likely to talk about a brand by name, whether in person or online in a rating or review.

It’s a dicey moment for a brand. Reviews can be superlative with the elation of a smooth setup or filled with rage after a disastrous one.

Another reason to improve instructions? Customer experience author Jon Picoult says because there are peaks and valleys of satisfaction along the customer journey, brands should strive to end on a peak. A strong final summit has a “halo effect” that minimizes the negative emotions experienced in the valleys.

If brands rely heavily on user-generated content (such as reviews or star ratings) to assess customer feedback and take action, the damage may already be done. Prospective customers may read those reviews, too, and avoid your brand or product before you’ve had the chance to correct your mistakes. Retailers also track these results, and decide not to carry a product line because of too many negative reviews or returns back to their store.

Companies should focus on intercepting customer feedback and responding to negative reviews as quickly as possible. Finishing the customer journey on a peak during the assembly or installation stage is one way to accomplish that.

3. Failure to realize how quickly brand reputation can be injured

A recent study by the Brigham Young University (BYU) Marketing Lab explored the impact of product instructions on brand perception and buyers’ willingness to pay for a product. Researchers interviewed 797 respondents of different ages, genders, and income levels.

According to the study, 85% of respondents categorize having access to clear product instructions as “very important.” Despite that majority sentiment, 46% of those surveyed said in general, paper instructions didn’t make it easier for them to successfully accomplish most tasks. Almost half of respondents reported that instructions failed them as consumers. Research indicates 80% of traditional user manuals and instructions are ineffective.

The White House Office of Consumer Affairs estimates dissatisfied customers typically tell 9 to 15 others about their experience; some tell more than 20. The Customer Experience Impact Report reports 86% of consumers quit doing business with a brand after a negative experience.

Research by Andrew Thomas shows it takes roughly 40 positive customer interactions to overcome the damage of a single negative review. That’s because consumers who have a negative experience are much more likely to leave a review than the (roughly one in ten) satisfied customers who weigh in. Thomas says in order to maintain a 4-star average, brands need at least four 5-star reviews to counterbalance a single 1-star review.

Poor instructions open the door to customer frustration. Social media platforms, online review sites, and other forums provide easy access to large audiences. In short, it’s never been easier for customers to kick that door wide open. Word of mouth used to take months or years to incrementally affect brand perception. Now, consumer viewpoints can be broadcast worldwide within seconds, resulting in lasting damage before brands even have time to react.

4. Misunderstanding the damage caused by poor instructions

The ripple effect of a negative instruction experience spreads much farther than most companies realize. Poor instructions can lead to higher operating costs; for products that require assembly, an estimated 40% of all support contact and returns are the result of bad instructions.

Research indicates manufacturers ranked “best in class” for high-quality, useable instructions saw a 23% increase in consumer satisfaction and an 18% increase in revenue as compared to those ranked lowest. Those numbers are consistent with Picoult’s findings over more than a decade, that companies in the top-tier, the customer experience “leaders,” significantly outperform the broader market (the S&P 500 index) and generate a cumulative total return 3.4 times greater than the bottom-tier customer experience “laggards.”