Situation: Ruthie’s Office Furniture sells office furniture to offices that need furniture. Ruthie believes passionately that all contracts should be signed by hand, so she requires her clients to send them to her using a fax machine. This is an example of:
- Adding force
- Removing friction
- Adding good friction
- Adding bad friction
Explanation: Ruthie’s insistence on requiring her clients to send contracts via fax machine, despite the prevalence of digital alternatives, such as email or electronic signature platforms, is an example of Adding bad friction. In today’s digital age, fax machines are considered outdated and inefficient compared to electronic methods of communication and document signing. By mandating the use of fax machines, Ruthie introduces unnecessary friction into the contracting process, which can inconvenience clients, delay transactions, and hinder business operations. This outdated requirement imposes burdensome limitations on clients, as they may need to locate a fax machine, print documents, and manually transmit them, leading to inefficiencies and frustration. Additionally, faxed documents are more susceptible to errors, loss, and security risks compared to digital alternatives. Ruthie’s insistence on using fax machines reflects a reluctance to adapt to modern technological advancements and industry standards, which can negatively impact customer satisfaction, competitiveness, and overall business performance. Therefore, selecting ‘Adding bad friction’ accurately characterizes Ruthie’s outdated approach to contract management, which unnecessarily complicates and impedes the client experience without providing any tangible benefits.