The Customer journey was big news in Google’s recent highly-anticipated teleconference, in which they announced their planned innovations. It got us thinking more about customer journey and experiences – should small businesses be mapping their customer journeys? How could it help them in terms of sales and success?
We thought we’d take a closer look at what customer journey mapping is and how you may be able to use it to benefit your business.
What is Customer Journey Mapping?
When mapping your customer’s journey, you’re creating an image of their entire experience with your business.
The data, which is usually gathered using customer surveys and feedback, can be as simple or sophisticated as you’d like it to be but usually includes their initial contact, the engagement process and how this develops into a long-term relationship.
It also looks at the consumer’s key touch points or interactions with your business and how this has motivated them to do business with you.
Why is it Important?
As a business owner, you can use this vital customer data to your advantage. You can get a clear picture of your customers, including context – where they’ve come from and what they’re hoping to achieve.
This, in theory, will help you get a better idea of how the customer feels about their experience and from there, you can identify any opportunities or improvements you can make to enhance their experience.
How Can I Use it?
Once you’ve looked at the timeline of the customer journey, you’ll be able to identify any potential barriers that may be stopping the customer from moving to the transaction stage of their journey.
For example, do they abandon their shopping cart once they’ve discovered there isn’t the right shipping options? We know that this is a key factor to whether or not a customer will complete a transaction with you and if this is the case, then there’s an easy fix – use a professional delivery service such as TNT to help you offer a range of standard and express delivery options for your customer.
Customer journey mapping allows you to identify any weak spots in your business and its processes, and improve them to keep your customers happy.
Your Journey to Customer Satisfaction
Don’t forget to consider your customer journey when you’re looking for ways to improve or streamline your business. By carefully analysing their behaviour, their motivation and any barriers within their journey, you can put the measures in place to make sure they connect with your business and complete their journey from initial contact to completed transaction.
By focusing on the customer in this way, you can make sure their journey is positive, which will encourage them to continue returning to do business with you, as well as recommending you to others.
