This morning, I underwent a gastroscopy. I was really looking forward to it. Am I a masochist? I don’t think so. The gastroscopy peaked my interest because it’s often referred to in psychological studies. The doctor was visibly confused with my enthusiasm while scheduling the procedure.
Generally, a gastroscopy is not a pleasant experience. The peak-end rule states that people judge an experience by its peak(s) and how it ends. Meaning, people don’t remember things based on the average of an experience. What sticks is the highs, the lows, especially towards the end.
Interestingly, the peak-end rule can be used to improve both good and (inherently) bad experiences.
Granted, you only get one first impression. Those still matter tremendously. However, whether your product is used once or a service that’s used often, knowing that people overemphasize the end of events, make sure to end on a high note.