What do we value?
In a world of instant gratification, what do we really value?
Living in the 21st century, we (you and I, and anyone reading this post on a computer screen) have become accustomed to instant gratification. If your phone took more than 10 seconds to load this page, thank you for having the perseverance to stick with us- I know that I would have given up in annoyance, cursing the speed of my internet (or my device, or my housemate for streaming too much Netflix). No-one has the time or patience to wait for anything; our expectations are that we should receive everything we need now.
We live in a highly competitive, consumer-driven community. safe in the knowledge that if one company cannot deliver on our expectations, then another will. Online retailers are competing for the cheapest ‘next day delivery’ and free returns, taking advantage of the fact that we, as buyers, value the convenience of instant fulfilment and are unlikely to inconvenience ourselves by arranging a refund.
The more companies strive to give us quicker service, the more value we place on instantaneous results.
Our expectations of the consumer world are synonymous with that of a vending machine: we give our hard-earned money and expect to receive an instant response, in the form of a delectable treat. In exchange we are hit with an instant sugar high, a short-term burst of energy and convenient gratification which leaves us craving more. There is often a sense that we lack fulfilment from the products we receive.
Fashion changes with the seasons, and the mustard fur coat you bought this autumn will remain buried in your cupboard as soon as March arrives next year. Equally, your flared jeans are not making an appearance any time in the near future (we hope). Like our clothes, our desires are fluctuating and ever-changing and this transiency has fundamentally affected our view on the value of longevity and quality.
As consumers, we have a contemptuous relationship with quality. Our expectation of quality has become jaded, and many of us feel that the worth of our money is decreasing year on year. We expect to have to spend more to buy ‘good quality’ food, or clothes, or equipment. If you buy something for a ‘reasonable price’ from a high street store, you’re unlikely to be offended if it breaks within 6 months because, realistically, you’ve got our money’s worth.
This is the stigma that Kinsu wants to break: you shouldn’t have to spend above and beyond an item’s worth in order to receive good quality. The same applies for customer service. You should be able to buy for a reasonable price and receive thoughtful and kind service for free.
Equally the service you receive should be long-term: we promise not to break up with you if things get tough; you can claim as many times as you need and we won’t charge you more; you can ask as many questions as you want because we are here to support you and provide you with the long term security you deserve.
Given our growing culture of instant rewards, it is harder work for companies to provide us the service we expect. The more we are given, the more we demand: if a company promises to respond to our needs in 24 hours, we are personally offended if they don’t react within 12. Sometimes we forget that at the other end of our web chat, or email, or phone, is another human being, doing their very best to deliver the service we deserve.
Kinsu is bringing the world a ‘human’ kind of insurance, treating our consumers to stripped back, sensible language, a beautiful, usable product and lovely human beings to answer the tricky questions.
We hope that if businesses and consumers alike treat each other as humans we can deliver on the instant gratification that everyone craves, but also that our customers will be able value our product and service.
At the heart of it, despite our world of instant gratification, we truly hope you value kindness.
Published 14th Jan 2019
