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Expectation Gap

Satisfaction is not about what happened — it's about how reality compares to expectations.

Satisfaction is not about what actually happened—it's about how reality compares to what people were led to expect. When expectations quietly drift higher than what you can reliably deliver, even "good" performance starts to feel disappointing. If you shape expectations with the same care as delivery, small gaps can turn into pleasant surprises instead of trust-breaking let-downs.

Based on Oliver, 1980 — Expectation-Disconfirmation Theory
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