A few simple tweaks of your spa, store, or clinic music can have a big impact to the customer experience, the level of comfort and luxury they associate with your business, the number of services they book and whether they refer you to friends. Discover how music psychology influences customer decisions, emotions, and experiences in retail and business environments.
The effect of music on customer behaviour:
What one person finds relaxing is not what everyone finds relaxing. Ask customers to choose from a few simple playlists.
In OneMusic’s research into all things music and business, a dental clinic in Manly, Sydney, was found to ask their patients’ favourite genre ahead of their appointment. Playing their favourite genre during their appointment was a simple but powerful tool to show consideration for the wellness of their customers.
If your goal is for your clients to feel fully relaxed, research shows that 45-minutes of music in a relaxed position can encourage a delta brainwave of 5hz, which is equivalent to sleep. There are many studies around the neuroscience of relaxation and music, even some debates about what the most relaxing song in the world is.
One study suggests “Weightless,” a piece commissioned by the British Academy of Sound as the most relaxing.
A 2023 study conducted at Auckland University of Technology found a song by New Zealand pop-alt artist Benee to also be the most relaxing in the world. Whether you use contemporary music or instrumental songs, your music has a profound impact on the inner journey of your customers, and we want them to leave relaxed and rejuvenated.
One Study out of Stanford University showed that “listening to music seems to be able to change brain functioning to the same extent as medication.” A NZ study found that some music alters the human state, that there is temporarily less connectivity of various parts of the brain, slowing the brain – i.e. allowing for a break or rest.
No matter what music you are playing, you need to check you have permission to play it in a commercial setting – even if you have a paid music streaming service.
Soundscapes like rippling water have been proven to be less effective than music for relaxation.
A study of 60 women exposed to a psychological stress test found a significant decreased stress response across all measured parameters when comparing music played to that of sound effects or no sound at all.
It is no surprise that customers prefer music in-store than silence. Suggested in a study by University of Bath’s School of Management, music enhances the customer’s experience and even lifts sales. The study also showed that pleasant music makes customers decision making more intuitive.
Conclusively, using music is not as black and white as many might perceive. The music psychology behind the way you curate your song choices, set the volume and position, and use it throughout your space and sessions, will determine the benefits of it for your clients.
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