Have you heard of the concept of the customer journey?

It’s a phrase to describe how people go through your business. From the initial conversation to giving you an order. To becoming a regular customer.

The biggest most successful businesses you deal with have mapped out the customer journey, and work hard to make every stage of it a more pleasant experience. Because good experience = greater net profits.

Improving the journey starts with mapping it out. Literally drawing out a visual representation of every step someone goes through with your business. From first contact, to sale, to bonded customer.

It’s only when you understand and can see each stage of the process, can you improve it.

Here are four steps we recommend you take:

1) Understand your customers’ objectives:

What do they need and want when they buy from you? Conduct surveys; ask for feedback on your website or conduct face to face interviews

2) Record the touchpoints:

Every time a customer contacts you, that’s a touchpoint. Mapping these interactions will help you understand your customers’ behaviours and learn how to adapt your service accordingly

3) Think of the big picture. Look for the bad:

It’s not just about individual points of contact; it’s about your customers’ entire experience with your company. That means the good, the bad and the ugly. So think about things that haven’t gone so well and learn from them

4) Visualise:

It’s helpful to draw the map on a whiteboard or sheet of paper to better understand their journey with you and identify areas to work on

IT will always be an important part of the customer journey. If we can help you review it (and look for ways to make it better for your staff, which makes the experience better for the customer) then please let us know.