Commercial businesses that successfully make people feel at home can create an emotional bond so powerful, customers naturally become company “ambassadors,” according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research.
Think of your favourite, under-the-radar restaurant, where you can linger for hours and chat with jovial staff who know you by name. You likely rave to friends about it.
A commercial space’s “homey” vibe comes from a combination of familiarity, authenticity and security, said Zeynep Arsel, assistant professor of marketing at Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business and the report’s co-author. The feeling is not just about how a place looks, but also the way that the owner and employees interact with customers.
Arsel said when clients feel a place is truly extraordinary, they perceive the experience as a “gift” and want to return the favour with, for example, through fierce loyalty, higher tips or word-of-mouth support.
The study, which entailed interviewing consumers in France, found that bars and restaurants were the settings most often described as “homey.” But while it may be easier for indie neighbourhood haunts to cultivate that aura of comfy domesticity, it’s possible for big brands to use the same techniques.
“I think that Starbucks has done this really well. When I was doing my PhD, I remember there was a fireplace in the Starbucks I frequented and it was always on,” said Arsel, who points out that franchise chains often mimic the style of small establishments to achieve a comfortable feeling. Since 2009, Starbucks has been opening unbranded, “stealth” locations (such as Seattle’s Roy Street Coffee & Tea).
What chains do offer is familiarity, Arsel said, noting that other researchers have found some people frequent the same chain hotels because they know the shampoo, or how the shower works. “The consistency acts as a sense of security and safety.”
Sometimes “homeyness” has unintended effects: “People in China like to go to IKEA to sleep!” said Arsel. Last month, IKEA parlayed this odd consumer behaviour into the Sleeptober promotion – a “sleepover party” at a Hong Kong hotel where 100 fans were invited to crash on IKEA beds.
For marketers in general, Arsel recommends thinking about all the little details you can adjust to imbue a homey feeling, whether it’s the style of a door, the employee uniforms (or lack thereof) or a seating policy.
Not surprisingly, places with a no-loitering rule, intrusive staff or pushy promotional tactics tend not to feel warm and cozy. When “homeyness” works best as a marketing tool, Arsel said, customers should almost forget they’re in a business.
