UnSelling: The New Customer Experience

Chapter 15Why Boston Will Have Fewer Check-Ins

We've already seen some great examples of how there is no such thing as a neutral brand interaction and how each pulse point is an opportunity to create a great, shareable experience. Some examples are straightforward: We get a bad product or experience bad service, and we move on to a competitor's brand and post on Facebook about the whole thing. Here the line between an external factor such as horrible coffee and the pulse reaction of changing coffee shops is clear and straight. But what about when the pulse point is less clear?

The 2014 running of the Boston Marathon was historic. One year after bombs exploded near the finish line, killing three and injuring more than 200, the city and the world were behind the athletes like never before. Determination and a refusal to let the tragedy of 2013 stop them was felt everywhere. Images of the crowd and runners filled social media, television, and newspapers. You couldn't help but feel inspired by the marathon.

The excitement led to a lot of runners, and fans, wanting to be a part of the day. To qualify you had to run the qualifying time, be at least 18, and sign up by the deadline. People train and prepare for years to be a part of it. There is a pride to wearing one of those bibs and crossing the finish line, as there should be. So when it started coming out that some runners who hadn't qualified or signed up in time to earn theirs had decided to run with fake ones, the reaction was ...