Why Customer Experiences Matter More Than Ever

It’s a hot Sunday afternoon in Munich. The local soccer stadium, the impressive Allianz Arena, is alive with color and sound: flags waving, chants echoing, tension building before kickoff. Tens of thousands of fans stand shoulder to shoulder, wearing the colors of German record champion Bayern Munich, full of excitement and nerves. Yet for most fans, the journey began hours earlier: meeting friends, pulling on jerseys, posting selfies on social media, and soaking up the atmosphere outside the gates. The 90 minutes of soccer that follow may be the main event, but what makes the day unforgettable happens around it. The rituals, the sense of belonging, the highs and lows shared with strangers who suddenly feel like family. Even if Bayern should lose this match, the experience stays.

This example captures what truly drives success in today’s business world: products and services matter, but experiences endure. A soccer match isn’t just about the performance on the field. A theme park isn’t just about its rides. A digital platform isn’t just technology. What connects people to brands is how an experience fits into their lives, the emotions it evokes, and the stories it allows them to tell.

So, what exactly is “Customer Experience”? From an academic standpoint, it includes the cognitive, emotional, social, behavioral, and sensory responses consumers have to a company’s offerings (Santos & Gonçalves, 2021). In simpler terms, it’s the sum of all impressions and feelings a customer develops toward a brand, product, or service, shaped by every interaction across the entire customer journey (Rusnjak & Schallmo, 2018).

A few decades ago, business success was straightforward: a good product, reliable service, and a fair price. But the game has changed. In today’s globalized world, people increasingly choose to spend on experiences rather than possessions — whether it’s teenagers saving for concert tickets or retirees treating themselves to a once-in-a-lifetime trip.

Why? Because experiences give us stories to tell. They connect us to others. They become part of who we are. Of course, people still buy products, but even then, it’s often the experience around the product that makes the difference. In recent years, the importance of experience has become even more critical. In saturated markets, where products and services can be copied overnight, it’s the experience that drives loyalty and purchase decisions (Pine & Gilmore, 2013).

Take the car industry. Seventy years ago, the Volkswagen Beetle was revolutionary The Beetle made personal mobility affordable. In the 1980s, a Mercedes symbolized durability and prestige, while Hyundai was seen as a budget brand. Today, Hyundais rival Mercedes in reliability and technology. So what’s the difference? The feeling of driving a Mercedes. It still represents status, confidence, and success and this emotion is what customers truly buy.

The same is true for theme parks. Roller coasters, shows, and restaurants matter, but what guests remember are the glowing eyes of their children, the music that triggers nostalgia years later, and the shared moments that become family memories.

In sports, it’s no different. Stats and merchandise have value, but what truly binds fans is the sense of belonging, the thrill of sharing the same emotions with millions of like-minded supporters around the world.

Products and even services can be copied in a relatively short amount of time. Prices can be undercut. But the feeling a company creates for its customers is one of a kind. And that feeling is what keeps them coming back.

by Joern Schlimm