The journey of customer experience is no simple journey. It has to do with every single aspect of your brand and company. Luckily for us, it is something that can be observed and optimized. Just like anything else in your business, you shouldn’t miss your opportunity to strategize it and optimize it. So, how exactly do you focus on optimizing the journey of a customer’s experience? The answer lies in the customer journey.
|THE CUSTOMER JOURNEY |
The customer journey is a map of the step-by-step process by which your consumer interacts with your brand. The map works to identify three key elements of the customer’s journey:
1. Knowing exactly what your consumer sees
2. Identifying exactly what your consumer needs
3. Seeing the whole picture of your brand and how it’s perceived by others
The customer journey begins as soon as the person even thinks of your brand. For this reason, your company may not be able to control every single aspect of your customer journey. However, there are aspects that can be controlled. One way to start is to lay out your customer journey step by step. By laying out your customer’s journey, you’d be surprised by what you can identify within the process. Not only will you have a clearer understanding of how your consumer is potentially viewing your brand in the process, but flaws in your processes will begin to reveal themselves. Pretty cool, right?
| LISTEN TO YOUR CUSTOMERS |
Everyone’s experience is valuable. Put sensors out wherever you can. You want to know as much as possible about your consumer’s experiences; the good, the bad, and the ugly. Oftentimes, this will give you a hint as to what you’re doing wrong way before you even lay out your customer journey map. Regardless, recognize what your customers have to say and make them aware that you’re listening. Knowing that they’re being heard also contributes to your brand and their experience, so this is key in showing that you care and making them feel good that they’re being heard!
| HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE |
Your brand has the unique ability to make a person feel a certain way. During any encounter of customer experience, it is within your brands power to alter the person’s emotions and perception. Recognize that in all your interactions with your consumers, you want to be sure you’re making all of your consumers feel better, safer, and more powerful.
1. Better: In any situation, your goal should be to make them feel better then when they entered.
2. Safer: Make them feel safe physically, and make them feel safe to speak or be expressed.
3. More powerful: Giving a person the power in a transaction is the best way to ensure they have a great experience with your company or brand.
| WHAT’S NEXT? |
So you’ve taken the time to map out the customer’s journey, understand your customer experience, and recognized flaws and holes in your business and practices. Follow-up is absolutely crucial at this point for your business. Now that you have a great view of what your company is doing exceptionally well and exceptionally wrong. This varies from company to company, but the general answer is make plans for actionable change!
If your current marketing strategy just isn’t cutting it anymore, you’ve come to the right place. Our team of experts here at Blackwood Creative would be more than happy to work with you and help you meet and exceed your business goals. We’re in the business of building remarkable brands – yours could be next. Reach out to us today!