The Peak-End Rule: How to Design Customer Experiences People Remember (With Examples)

Peaks and endings by business type

What the research shows

The cold-water study

In the 1993 study, participants experienced two versions of an unpleasant task. Many preferred to repeat the longer version, which ended slightly less unpleasantly, showing that the ending shaped their memory more than the total amount of discomfort.

Duration neglect

Fredrickson and Kahneman described "duration neglect": how long an experience lasts has only a small effect on how people remember it. A short wait with a bad ending can feel worse than a longer one that ends well.

Medical procedures

A 1996 study by Redelmeier and Kahneman found patients judged uncomfortable procedures by the worst moment and the final moments, not the total.

Limits

The rule applies best to experiences with a clear start and end. It does not mean the rest of the experience can be poor, and it is a tendency, not a law.

How to use the peak-end rule in your business

1. Map your customer journey from first contact to after purchase.
2. Find the worst moment (waiting, confusion, surprise fees) and fix it first.
3. Choose one moment to turn into a genuine peak.
4. Design the ending: the last thing customers see, hear or receive.
5. Train staff on the peak and the ending.
6. Add a small, unexpected extra at the end where it fits.
7. Ask for reviews right after the peak or the ending, when feelings are strongest.
8. Measure satisfaction, reviews and repeat purchases before and after.

Original peak-end journey worksheet

• List every step of the customer journey.
• Mark the lowest moment and why it is low.
• Write one fix for the lowest moment.
• Pick one step to turn into a peak and describe it.
• Describe the ending today, in the customer's words.
• Rewrite the ending you want them to remember.
• Decide who owns the peak and the ending.
• Choose how you will measure the change.

A worked example

Imagine a Dubai skincare brand whose customers love the products but complain about delivery uncertainty. Using the peak-end rule, the team first fixes the low point with clear delivery dates and live updates. They then design a peak: a beautifully packed box with a short handwritten note and a sample matched to the customer's skin concern. The ending becomes a WhatsApp message a few days later asking how the first use went, with a simple routine guide. The brand tracks reviews and repeat orders to see whether customers remember the experience more warmly. (Illustrative example.)

Want Husbar to do this for you?

Husbar can map your customer journey, design memorable peaks and endings and build them into your ads, website, packaging and follow-up. Book a free Growth Audit to find your biggest low point.

Peak-end in advertising

Ads are tiny experiences too. A strong emotional high point and a clear, satisfying ending with your brand and one action tend to be remembered better than ads that fade out. In video, place your most powerful moment mid-way and end with a clean brand moment.

Peak-end in sales calls

End every sales conversation with a clear summary, a useful idea the buyer can use immediately and a specific next step. Buyers will remember the call as helpful even if parts of it were long or technical.

Ethical use

Use the peak-end rule to make real experiences better, not to hide problems. A pleasant ending will not save a bad product, and customers notice when a nice goodbye covers a poor service.

How Husbar helps

Husbar designs customer journeys and campaigns around how people actually decide and remember, using principles like the peak-end rule in ads, landing pages, packaging, follow-up and in-store experiences. Our lead generation and growth team can take this on end to end, or support your team. book a free Growth Audit.

Questions to ask before you start

• What is the worst moment in our customer journey?
• What could be a memorable peak?
• What is the last thing customers experience?
• When do we ask for reviews?
• How will we measure the change?

Key terms

• Peak-end rule: people judge experiences by the peak and the end.
• Duration neglect: the length of an experience matters little to memory.
• Remembered utility: how good an experience seems in memory.
• Customer journey: the steps a customer goes through.
• Delight moment: a planned positive surprise.

Mistakes to avoid

• Ignoring the worst moment and only adding extras.
• A rushed or confusing ending.
• Asking for reviews at a low point.
• Making every step "special" so nothing stands out.
• Overpromising peaks you cannot deliver every time.

Why lead generation needs a system, not a campaign

One good month of leads is luck. A steady pipeline comes from a system: a clear offer for one ideal client, two or three channels that reach them, a page that converts, fast follow-up and weekly measurement. Build the system once and every month gets easier.

Related reading: unboxing experience and packaging, luxury retail customer experience, loss aversion marketing examples and the Zeigarnik effect in marketing.