Cognitive biases are irrational judgements made by the mind. The fundamental attribution error is one such instance. We assume that people’s actions result from their natural personalities. We don’t factor in the circumstance that affects their behaviour. For example, someone who gets angry in front of us appears “always angry.” This fundamental attribution error occurs only with others. We are fair to ourselves and see the effect of different situations on our behaviour.

This bias affects the trustworthiness of brands. Creators and businesses need to be careful about user experience and customer engagement. It helps to maintain an overall good impression. For instance, a customer service executive who sounds frustrated or a Twitter account that responds to complaints discourteously can tarnish the brand’s image. We begin to judge the brand by one negative experience without looking at the situation that caused it.

For seamless customer interaction, a brand must have certain practices in place across the different content distribution channels. Though it seems small on its own, every channel or means of communication feeds into the larger image of the brand. Consistency is vital when it comes to customer engagement.