3 Science-Backed Ways to Change Customer Behavior

Customer behavior is influenced by a mix of psychology, environmental factors, and decision-making biases. To drive engagement, increase conversions, and build loyalty, businesses need to understand what truly motivates customers and design experiences that guide them toward the right actions.

At KlarCX, we use behavioral science, experimentation, and CX optimization to help businesses refine customer interactions for maximum impact. Here are three science-backed techniques that can help you influence customer behavior effectively:

Define the Outcome Before Trying to Influence Behavior

Before you can change customer behavior, you need to be clear on what action you want them to take. It sounds simple, but research shows that even customers themselves don’t always know what they truly want.

Evolutionary psychologists Diana S. Fleischman and Geoffrey Miller highlight that people often feel uncomfortable when companies understand them too well because it removes their ability to present themselves the way they want to be perceived. This means customers may resist direct influence, even when it aligns with their needs.

Additionally, behavioral economist Cass Sunstein, co-creator of Nudging, explains that people often engage in preference falsification, meaning they may say one thing in surveys or focus groups but act differently in reality due to social pressures.

Key Takeaway:
Instead of relying on direct customer feedback to determine what they want, businesses should observe actual behavior to define desired outcomes.

Put It to Work:
Skip relying solely on surveys or focus groups and instead analyze real customer interactions. Define clear, measurable actions you want to encourage, such as increasing repeat purchases, reducing cart abandonment, or improving sign-ups.

Use the Deprivation Effect to Discover What Customers Truly Value

Customers often don’t know what they value most until they experience loss or limitation. One behavioral science tactic to uncover true customer preferences is deprivation, as recommended by Evan Hanover, Director of Research at Conifer Research.

Example: Budget airlines have deconstructed the traditional flying experience down to its core, simply getting from point A to point B. Everything else (luggage, meals, extra legroom, etc.) is offered separately, helping airlines understand what travelers value most based on what they are willing to pay extra for.

Similarly, The Light Phone, a minimalist phone designed to limit distractions, took a reverse approach to smartphone design by removing features rather than adding more. While the first model lacked key features like texting, customer feedback led to Light Phone II, which restored basic functions while maintaining its core philosophy.

Key Takeaway:
Removing features or choices can reveal what truly matters to customers and how much they are willing to sacrifice for certain benefits.

Put It to Work:
Use A/B testing and controlled feature elimination to identify what customers genuinely care about. For example:

• E-commerce stores can test removing free shipping to see its impact on cart abandonment.
• Subscription services can offer a bare-minimum package and track which add-ons users select.
• Digital platforms can experiment with simplified interfaces to assess what functionality users actively seek out.

Simplify Choices to Drive Action

Customers often struggle with decision fatigue when faced with too many options. Research shows that the easier and more intuitive an action is, the more likely people are to take it.

Stanford behavioral scientist BJ Fogg describes this through his Behavior Model:
Behavior = Motivation + Ability + Prompt
Even highly motivated customers will fail to take action if the process is too complex or overwhelming.

Example: This is why subscription services often present just three pricing options, with one plan visually highlighted as the best choice. Similarly, cookie consent banners use default settings to subtly guide users toward accepting permissions without friction.

Key Takeaway:
Reducing complexity and limiting choices makes it easier for customers to take action.

Put It to Work:

• Reduce decision fatigue by limiting product or service options to three key choices whenever possible.
• Use visual cues to highlight the preferred or most valuable option for customers.
• Streamline checkout flows and eliminate unnecessary steps that could create friction.

Final Thoughts

Shaping customer behavior isn’t about manipulating choices, it’s about understanding how people make decisions and designing experiences that naturally guide them toward better outcomes.

By defining clear outcomes, testing deprivation to uncover true preferences, and simplifying choices, businesses can create frictionless, engaging customer journeys that drive real impact.

Would you like KlarCX to help you apply behavioral science and CX optimization to your business? Just say hello.

 

References

Insights in this article are based on keynotes and panel discussions at NudgeStock 2020, the world’s largest festival dedicated to behavioral science and creativity.