Five Principles Behind the Customer Experiences People Never Forget
The Psychology of CX 101 Fieldbook
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I’ve been immersed in this project for months, and it feels good to finally share the news: The Psychology of CX 101 is out—and it launched in the top ten bestsellers.
The idea came from a pattern I kept noticing in boardrooms and team meetings. Companies had the tools, dashboards, and data pipelines. What they lacked was the missing layer that actually drives choices: the human brain.
This book is meant to close that gap. It lays out 101 psychology principles that explain how people think and decide, paired with ways to design customer experiences around those realities.
To give you a taste, I’ve pulled five of my favorites—each with examples you can use right away.
Products rarely fail because they’re broken. They fail because the experience around them doesn’t feel right.
Every decision your customer makes runs through mental shortcuts, emotions, and biases they don’t even realize are shaping them. If you ignore that, you lose them. If you design for it, you win them.
That’s what The Psychology of CX 101 is built on. A playbook of 101 principles you can flip open whenever you’re designing a journey, writing a campaign, or launching something new.
Here are five that show you just how powerful psychology really is.
Principle #5: Cognitive Load Distribution
Ever started a form online, saw ten questions staring you down, and thought: Nope, I’ll do this later—only you never did?
That’s cognitive load. The harder something feels, the faster people abandon it.
The UK government ran into this with their online services. Forms were long and painful. Their fix? Break it into one question per page. Same questions, but now in bite-sized steps. Completion rates shot up.
Think about your own onboarding or checkout—does it feel like a heavy lift? Or does it feel like something you could breeze through? That difference decides whether customers keep going or drop out.
Field Notes:
Progress bars reduce drop-offs by giving people a sense of completion.
Mobile-first design forces you to simplify—try writing your flow as if it must fit on a small screen.
Use responsibly: reduce friction to help customers, not to bury hidden fees or pressure them into commitments.
Principle #27: The Social Proof Shortcut
Here’s a little secret: customers don’t believe you. They believe each other.
That’s why reviews run the internet. It’s why you’ve probably booked a five-star Yelp restaurant sight unseen or bought something on Amazon just because “1,237 verified buyers” said it worked.
It’s not logic—it’s trust. And trust spreads faster peer-to-peer than brand-to-customer.
So, ask yourself: are you asking people to take your word for it, or are you showing them proof that other people already have?
Field Notes:
Place testimonials right next to calls-to-action, where doubts peak.
Numbers work: “Trusted by 10,000+ teams” feels safer than “Great for businesses.”
Authority counts—endorsements from experts, press, or well-known clients carry more weight than ad copy.
Use responsibly: fake reviews and inflated numbers destroy trust quickly.
Principle #36: The Reciprocity Effect
Humans are wired for give-and-take. When someone gives to us, we feel the urge to give back.
There’s a famous study where restaurant servers who left mints with the check made significantly higher tips. Not because people loved mints, but because the gesture triggered reciprocity. Costco samples? Same deal. Free versions of SaaS tools? Yep, reciprocity again.
Now, think about it: what small, unexpected thing could you give customers that makes them feel compelled to give back with loyalty, attention, or action?
Field Notes:
Free tools, templates, or guides outperform generic lead magnets.
Reciprocity hits harder when it feels personal—handwritten notes, small surprises, or tailored thank-yous.
The smaller the ask that follows the gift, the more effective the exchange.
Use responsibly: don’t disguise a sales push as a gift. Genuine gestures work best.
Principle #39: Loss Aversion
Be honest—how many times have you bought something just because you didn’t want to miss out?
We feel losses about twice as strongly as gains. That’s why a “deal expiring tonight” often moves us faster than “save $100.”
Travel and e-commerce sites lean heavily on this. Limited rooms, shipping countdowns—people act quickly when the risk of missing out is clear.
Field notes:
Countdown timers only work if they’re real. Fake urgency backfires.
Flip your message: “Don’t lose $100” hits harder than “save $100.”
Pair scarcity with social proof—“Only 3 left, 500 people viewing now.”
Use responsibly: highlight real limits, never invent them.
Principle #66: The Peak-End Rule
When people reflect on an experience, they don’t recall every detail. What sticks are the high points and the way it ended.
The Magic Castle Hotel in Los Angeles is a classic example. Average rooms, ordinary pool. But they had the “Popsicle Hotline”: a red phone by the pool that summoned a butler with popsicles on a silver tray. Guests remembered that moment—and the warm checkout farewell—far more than the standard amenities.
Field notes:
Train support teams to always close interactions on a positive note.
Small surprises often outweigh big investments.
Even end-of-journey surveys can become memorable if handled warmly.
Use responsibly: don’t rely on flashy peaks to distract from weak fundamentals. Strong basics come first.
Why These Principles Matter
These aren’t tricks. They’re psychological realities that shape choices every day.
GOV.UK improved usability by reducing complexity.
Reviews built the modern trust economy.
A mint boosted tips through reciprocity.
Scarcity tactics sped up decisions.
Popsicles turned an average hotel into a legend.
When you design with psychology in mind, you stop guessing what customers want. You start creating experiences that fit how they think.
The book unpacks all 101 principles with:
Research explained in plain language.
Brand examples across industries.
Field tips you can apply right away.
Guardrails for ethical use.
It’s built as a desk-side reference—something you can flip open when designing a journey, writing a campaign, or planning a launch.
Want the Rest of the Playbook?
If these five sparked ideas, imagine what 101 will do for your business.
👉 Grab your copy of The Psychology of CX 101
👉 Then get the 7 exclusive launch bonuses (offer ends tonight)
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👋 Please Reach Out
I created this newsletter to help customer-obsessed pros like you deliver exceptional experiences and tackle challenges head-on. But honestly? The best part is connecting with awesome, like-minded people—just like you! 😊
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Got feedback? Tell me what’s working, what’s not, or what you’d love to see next.
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— Mark
www.marklevy.co
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