On May 7, 2024, I decided to climb St. Jacob for unknown reasons. From that day until the end of the year, I climbed this 961-meter-high hill 108 more times. It became my sacred mountain—a time for reflection, meditation, and listening to podcasts, depending on my mood.
My almost daily recreation has its rhythm. Every time I reach the top, I take a selfie and send it to my aunt, who tells me I'm diligent, and my wife, so she knows I made it halfway safely. But that's not all. I also realized that my routine includes where I park my car and the specific path I take to climb.
During one of my climbs, I wondered why I always take the same path to my sacred mountain. There are dozens of trails, yet I always choose "Juhantova" for the ascent and "Jakobova" for the descent. I started questioning why. And then it hit me: people love routines.
Burdened by this realization, I decided to try an alternative route on my next climb. I can't say I didn't feel uneasy at the mere thought of it. I was worried about something that hadn't even crossed my mind during the previous 80 climbs. And even though "Juhantova" is known as the steepest path to Jacob from Potoče, the alternative route I chose somehow felt more challenging. I'm not sure why—maybe because I didn't know how far it was to the top, how muddy it might be, or what lay around the next bend.
Let's move past my mountaineering adventures and get to the point. I started researching the need for the routine I noticed in myself. I became genuinely curious about why routines bring comfort and how businesses could leverage them to retain customers and increase loyalty. Spending an hour and a half every day climbing gives you plenty of time to reflect. 😊
Science has already delved into this topic extensively—I hadn't discovered anything new. I'd simply experienced it firsthand. That's when I revisited the prospect theory by Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky. Although I read Kahneman's Thinking, Fast and Slow, years ago, my recent experience made me see it in a new light.
I remembered the prospect theory from my first reading, particularly the idea that people focus more on avoiding losses than achieving equivalent gains (hence why we chase discounts). But now I understand the significance of the status quo bias from a new perspective. Simply put, losing a routine feels as emotionally impactful as losing a discount.
Kahneman wasn't the only one who explored this. Years before him, Richard Thaler developed the theory of nudges, explaining how businesses can gently guide customers toward routines with small, predictable changes. While discussing Thaler's theory with my friend Grega as we climbed, he summarized it perfectly: "Thaler explained the 'boiling frog' phenomenon."
BJ Fogg researched similar concepts. His Fogg Behavior Model highlights the role of triggers, motivation, and simplicity in habit formation. He argues that even small changes, if consistent, can create a sense of routine over time. Fogg focuses on how businesses can guide customer experiences toward long-term habits. I haven't read his book yet, but I've explored the Blinkist summary and watched some of his YouTube lectures.
Two more researchers caught my attention during this deep dive into routines. Charles Duhigg studied the psychological and neurological mechanisms behind habits and how businesses can shape them. If you've heard of the "Habit Loop" approach, that's Duhigg's model—a framework for creating and reinforcing customer routines. His book, The Power of Habit, is also summarized by Blinkist.
Nir Eyal, however, struck me as the most practical. He explains how customers become "hooked" on products or services. His model involves triggers, actions, rewards, and re-engagement—a perfect formula for building routines. While his examples often center on platforms like Facebook and Twitter, his insights can be easily applied to any business. His book Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products is also available on Blinkist, and I highly recommend watching his lectures on the topic.
You might already know this—it feels logical. But let's be honest: have you deliberately planned your customer experience to shape and strengthen routines? Or have you left it to chance?
Harness the power of routine—it keeps your customers from thinking about competitors.
You may have invested in marketing automation software and CRMs, hired UX designers, or even considered launching a loyalty program with points and benefit tiers. Yet, have you focused on creating conditions and processes that foster and reinforce routines for your customers? Building such routines will connect your customers to your brand more deeply and for the long term. And it will bring you more revenue. Remember: routines keep your customers away from competitors. There's a lot of untapped potential here.
If Jacob has taught me one business lesson, it's this: we are creatures of habit. Routine isn't just comforting; it's a bridge—connecting you with your customers and fostering loyalty. Think about how routines could reshape your customer relationships. They're not just about comfort but about building long-term connections that lead to lasting business success.
And don't forget: every climb starts with a single step. To this day, I still don't know what fateful event inspired me to climb on May 7, 2024. 😊