It is now widely accepted that customers are a company’s biggest asset. Customers who have positive experiences become brand advocates, and are more likely to pay a premium for that brand and recommend it to others. On the other hand, those customers who have had negative experiences are more likely to switch brands and broadcast these negative views to the people around them. So, focussing on providing the best possible customer experience is vital for the success of any organisation.
Recent research, however, has highlighted the startling reality that while b2b companies are starting to invest more and more into improving the customer experience, more than half admit that the results have so far been ineffective. With this in mind, what are the possible approaches to understanding and improving the customer experience?
Customer journey mapping is one such approach, and helps to visualise the entire customer experience as it currently stands, identifying every interaction a customer may have with a company in order to determine where the company may fall short in delivering a positive customer experience. Mapping out the customer experience in this way means stepping into the shoes of the customer and understanding how each stage of the journey impacts on the experience had with that brand or company.
Undertaking customer journey mapping is just one starting point in becoming a more customer-centric organisation. Efforts must be made to place the customer at the heart of everything the company does, and only then can you begin to design your customer experience. Your customers are the greatest advocates of your brand, and it pays to treat them that way.
To learn more about customer experience management and customer journey mapping, follow the link below.
