Is “Sludge” a Real Customer Service Tactic to Avoid Irate Customers?

There is a term in Cass R. Sunstein and Richard H. Thaler’s book Nudge, first published in 2008, that introduces the idea of sludge–“tortuous administrative demands, endless wait times, and excessive procedural fuss that impede us in our lives.”

“In 2023 (the most recent year for which data are available), the  National Customer Rage Survey showed that American consumers were, well, full of rage. The percentage seeking revenge—revenge!—for their hassles had tripled in just three years … Resear...