Price Increases — How To Avoid a Backlash?
Explain yourselves and give gifts
Strategy — map it out yourself
Explain yourselves and give gifts
In 1977 psychologist Ellen Langer and her research team at Harvard University conducted a study. Langer asked her research assistants to cut in front of innocent people waiting in line at the photocopiers in the library.
A researcher would spot someone waiting at the library copy machine and walk over with the intention of cutting the person in line. Then, the researcher would look at the innocent bystander and ask them one of three questions:
Version 1 (request only): “Excuse me, I have 5 pages. May I use the Xerox machine?”
Version 2 (request with a real reason): “Excuse me, I have 5 pages. May I use the xerox machine, because I’m in a rush?”
Version 3 (request with a fake reason): “Excuse me, I have 5 pages. May I use the xerox machine, because I have to make copies?”
Version 3 didn’t make much sense. Using the phrase “because I have to make copies” was not a reason for skipping the line. Everyone waiting in the line needed …