This presentation explores how we map the phases of the customer journey against specific areas of inquiry related to customer needs and then apply this framework to a review of competitive and comparative brand experiences. The outcomes of this analysis deliver both qualitative and quantitative results that inspire our clients and us. In turn, the insights gained enable our design team to deliver far more compelling experiences.

1. the comparative context
JOURNEYS ACROSS THE
DIGITAL ECOSYSTEM
Michelle S Berryman, FIDSA
mberryman@thinkinc.com
@MicBerryman
30 August 2012

2. AGENDA FOR TODAY
Setting the Stage
Defining the Customer Journey
Identifying Competitors & Comparators
Exploring the Digital Ecosystem
Telling the Story
Drawing Conclusions
2

3. setting
THE STAGE
3

4. a few
YEARS AGO...
4

5. We were working for a consumer
electronics company.
They made a lot of products.
Some of them competed with this.
5

6. Their products
were sold online
• Through their website
• Through online retailers such as
Amazon.com, Buy.com,
Newegg.com, etc.
• Through online channels for
traditional retail outlets such as And in brick & mortar
Best Buy, Costco, Target, etc. retail outlets
• Through online channels for
wireless carriers (in some cases) • Traditional retailers and
wireless carriers
• They had no physical retail
presence of their own
6

7. They hired us to
provide insight into
how they could deliver
a better web experience
for their customers.
7

8. Independent of this
assignment, we had
some ideas and a
general philosophy that
guided our thinking —
and still does.
8

9. We believe a website
doesn’t just compete with
other websites in its
category.
9

10. It competes with Nike+,
Amazon, Skype, Mint,
CNN and 100,000 other
sites, social channels,
apps and digital moments.
10

11. We thought about this,
and sketched out the
genesis of a new
methodology.
11

12. the original idea:
MAP THE JOURNEY TO THE NEED.
COMPARE ACROSS COMPANIES.
MEASURE THE EXPERIENCE.
IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES.
12

13. defining the
CUSTOMER JOURNEY
13

14. this is our mental model
SIMPLE, CLEAN & DIRECT
A I have a need.
B
I’ve found
a solution.
14

15. this is reality
SO MANY CHOICES & DISTRACTIONS
A
B

16. the journey doesn’t end at the solution
WE CREATE A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BRAND
Consideration Transact Use Expand Phase Agnostic
I have a need I’ve found a I use it. I need to replace it. Are there reasons
for a product solution that to interact with the
or service. matches my needs. How do I . . . ? I want another brand on an on-
one. going basis?
I buy it. Can I . . . ?
Should I buy the What is the brand
I want to . . . same one again? doing to maintain
my awareness
I need to . . . Is there a newer level?
one?
How is the brand
Should I buy a building passion or
different brand? loyalty with me?
16

17. basic methodology
GO DEEP & GO BROAD
Consideration Transact Use Expand Phase Agnostic
Findability: Monetization: Usage: Engagement: Digital Channel Usage:
• Once a user establishes • What are the paths to • How does the company • Are there relationship- • To what extent are digital
a need, how easily can monetization and how help customers based efforts to keep channels leveraged (e.g.
the company be found are they presented (e.g. maximize their customers loyal website, social media,
within the competitive click to chat, trial offer, experience? between purchases? partnerships, content
landscape? buy, etc.)? • Are training or • Is there a compelling syndication)?
• What can be purchased educational services reason to interact with
Acclimation: online and how? offered? the company on an Experience Consistency:
• How is the company ongoing basis between • How consistent is the
acclimating prospects Support: purchases/transactions? experience across digital
(features and • How is support and channels?
experiences)? customer service • How integrated/aligned is
positioned? the brand throughout the
Product Positioning: • What primary support experience
• How are offerings interactions are
positioned/leveraged? offered? Social/Community:
• How are offerings • Are there ways to interact
presented alone and with the brand on social
integrated together? platforms?
• Are offerings shown in a • How are social/community
comparative context interactions handled?
with competitive • Are they integrated with
offerings? accepted platforms?
Differential Treatment:
• To what extent are
customers differentially
treated?

18. identifying
COMPETITORS &
COMPARATORS 18

19. our “client”
JIMMY CHOO

20. identifying competitors
THIS PART IS EASY
Clients generally have a pretty good
idea about their competitive set.
It’s our job to look beyond their list to
find those companies from which a
client can learn.
And we need to apply both macro and
micro lenses.
20

21. jimmy choo competitors
SIMILAR PRODUCTS AT SIMILAR PRICES
Christian Louboutin Christian Dior
One of the world’s top fashion houses
Luxury women’s footwear. Signature
and largest luxury groups. Owns Louis
red lacquered soles. Luxury Institute’s
Vuitton. Founded in 1946. Marlene
“Most Prestigious Women’s Shoes”
Dietrich wore Dior. New .com site
2007, 2008 & 2009
launched in 2011.
Manolo Blahnik Brian Atwood
Luxury women’s footwear since 1972.
Couture fashion designer known for
Blahnik stilettos have become symbols
thigh-high boots. “High chic. High
of pure classical style for the 21st
drama. High heels.” (.com is in
century. Famously worn by “Sex and
development)
the City” character, Carrie Bradshaw.
PRADA Shanghai Tang
China’s only luxury brand. Style is
Italian fashion label specializing in
inspired by traditional Han Chinese
luxury goods for men and women
clothing of the 1920s and 30s
since 1913. The brand became a
modernized for the 21st century. No
premium status symbol in the 1990s.
shoes — yet! Compete in handbags
and accessories.
21

22. comparator brands
THEY’RE MUCH HARDER TO DEFINE
We look for brands that might:
• Have similar cache.
• Appeal to a kindred audience or market segment.
• Be in the same industry, but have a radically different business
model and/or target audience.
• Be aspirational.
• Have analogous history.
• Be faced with similar challenges.
22

23. jimmy choo comparators
UNIQUELY DIFFERENT BUT RELEVANT
Toms Shoes W Hotels
Inexpensive, casual footwear based on Starwood's luxury boutique hotel
the Argentine alpargata design. The brand. Marketed towards a younger
opposite of haute couture. For every crowd. Spare, minimalist modern
pair of Toms Shoes purchased, Friends decor and hip, informal names such as
of Toms, a non-profit affiliate, gives a the "Living Room" for the lobby.
pair of new shoes to a child in need. Concierge service is called “Whatever,
Whenever.”
Virgin Atlantic Airways Vertu
Cool, sexy and glamourous. Harkens Manufacturer of luxury mobile phones.
back to a bygone era of travel with Prices range from $5,500 to
perfectly primped flight attendants. $330,000+. The screens are made of
The biggest fully flat bed, an in-flight ultra-thin sapphire crystal that takes
bar, and London terminals equipped fifteen days to create. Every key is
with salons to help you get properly individually ground and cut from
coiffed before or after a flight. sapphire. Known for exquisite
attention to detail.
23

24. exploring the
DIGITAL ECOSYSTEM
24

25. you’re a scientist
UNCOVER THE FACTS
Listen to what your client tells you about their
industry, business and competition — but don’t
draw conclusions.
Dismiss previous assumptions.
Suspend belief.
Probe for as much information as possible — from
the client and the digital ecosystem.
Let the evidence guide you.
25

26. you’re a scientist
BE METHODICAL IN YOUR APPROACH
Always work with a partner.
Take copious notes.
Screen cap EVERYTHING.
Engage in detailed reviews with your partner.
Reference the Areas of Inquiry and the Customer
Journey often.
Score each brand against each Area of Inquiry.
26

27. click & capture
GO EVERYWHERE & FOLLOW EVERY LINK
Explore the brand.
• At a high level, get a sense for the brand.
• Learn about the breadth and depth of their offerings.
• Understand the digital brand presence.
• Engage with the brand in as many channels and forums as
possible.
• Audit the digital ecosystem for tone, voice and intent.
27

28. click & capture
GO EVERYWHERE & FOLLOW EVERY LINK
Pick a product or service.
• Learn about it.
• Try to buy it.
• Use it like the target audience does.
• Try to get it serviced or repaired.
• Find the manual.
• Find user forums.
• Find support forums and online communities.
• Engage with users.
28

29. click & capture
LEAVE THE .COM
29

30. click & capture
COLLECT. ANALYZE. UNDERSTAND.
30

31. prepare to be surprised
BRANDS TELL UNEXPECTED STORIES
Look again — literally. Do a visual scan of your
screen caps.
Discuss your findings.
Revisit the online channels as necessary to validate
and verify your findings and your hypotheses.
31

32. prepare to be surprised
BRANDS TELL UNEXPECTED STORIES
Revisit the areas of inquiry and the stages of the
customer journey AGAIN.
Was your client right?
• About their own digital ecosystem?
• About their competition?
What did you learn?
32

33. telling
THE STORY
34

34. initial perceptions
DESCRIBE THESE BRANDS
34

35. listen to the brand
JIMMY CHOO CROWD SOURCES STYLE

36. listen to the brand
TOMS IS A MOVEMENT FOR GLOBAL GOOD
36

37. high-level analysis
SHOW US YOUR SHOES
JIMMY CHOO TOMS
Growing social engagement with Massive social engagement.
participatory contests and crowd-
sourced photos. Customers *love* the brand.
Aspirational brand with a strong fan Wearing TOMS is a statement about
base. giving and caring.
Clear desire for engagement from Makes consumerism feel good.
customers and fans.
Choo 24:7 mixes elite fashion with
aspiring fashionistas.
37

38. recommendation
CREATE TWO-WAY DIALOGUE*
With 1.2 million fans on Facebook and 99,000
followers on Twitter, Jimmy Choo has a large
interested and socially active fan base.
Engage in more two-way dialogue.
Respond to fans.
Create opportunities for fans to “live chat” with
designers and fashion critics via Facebook forums
or similar.
*Based on a very high-level and rapid ecosystem scan performed specifically for this presentation.
No review of competitor sites was performed.
38

39. Is this what you
expected from Jimmy
Choo or TOMS?
40

40. initial perceptions
DESCRIBE THESE BRANDS
40

41. listen to the brand
APPLE IS FRIENDLY, CONFIDENT & ASSURING
41

42. listen to the brand
IBM INSPIRES CHANGE
42

43. listen to the brand
CISCO IS SOCIAL, APPROACHABLE & HUMAN
43

44. listen to the brand
SKYPE IS AN EDUCATION JUGGERNAUT

45. Is this what you expected
from each brand?
46

46. sample deliverable
COMPETITIVE & COMPARATIVE SCORECARD
Competitor Brands Comparator Brands
Brand Brand Brand Brand Brand Brand Brand Brand
Areas of Inquiry Client
“A” “B” “C” “D” “E” “F” “G” “H”
Findability
(How easily can the company be found in the competitive
landscape?)
3 4 4 3 3 4 4 3 4
Acclimation
(What is the company doing to acclimate
prospects - features and experiences).
4 3 4 2 1 3 4 2 4
Product Positioning
(How are products/offers defined and differentiated 4 4 4 2 0 3 4 4 3
in the market?)
Monetization
(What can be purchased online and how? What are the 4 3 3 3 1 4 3 2 3
paths to monetization?)
Usage and guidance
(How does the company shepherd users through 3 3 3 1 1 3 3 1 4
the purchase/application/registration process)
Support Content & Availability
(is the content available, contextual and appropriate?
4 3 2 2 3 3 3 3 4
Does the site provide multiple ways to get help?)
Engagement
(Site engagement and interaction nuance as well as 2 4 3 1 1 3 4 1 3
communication style along multiple touch-points)
Digital Channel
(To what extent are digital channels leveraged - e.g.
1 3 2 1 1 2 4 2 4
websites, social media, partnerships, content syndication?)
Experience Consistency
(Is there consistency between messaging,
4 2 3 3 1 4 4 3 4
graphics, etc?)
Social & Community
(Does the site support a community or sharing of
2 3 3 1 1 2 4 1 4
information? Can users engage on social platforms?)
Differential Treatment
(Are each user type segmented within the experience?
2 4 3 2 3 2 3 1 4
Is the experience tailored to differentiated users?)
Competitive Analysis: Comparative Analysis:
Assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of current and Assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of comparable
Score: potential competitors, to provide both strategic context and alternatives, processes, products, sets of data, or systems, to
to identify opportunities. provide both strategic context and to identify opportunities.
Low 0 1 2 3 4 High

47. sample deliverables
DETAILS, ANALYSIS & PRESENTATION
47

48. drawing
CONCLUSIONS
49

49. qualitative quantitative
PERCEPTION-BASED EVIDENCE-BASED
Methodology explores the “why” Properly applied, the
and “how” of customer behavior methodology should be very
and experience, as well as the systematic, repeatable and
“what,” “where” and “when” guided by the areas of inquiry
Balanced approach that serves marketing, business
and IT groups simultaneously.
Outcomes represent a snapshot in time, but are
based on definitive evidence.
Hypotheses are validated through quantifiable
metrics — particularly with regards to community
and social engagement.
49

50. yin and yang
BUILDING A BIGGER TOOLBOX
The competitive/comparative assessment is often
performed in conjunction with another proprietary
methodology called Flow Score.
Attraction – How are visitors reaching the site?
Attention – How do visitors interact with the site?
Appeal – How do visitors react to the site within social media?
Benefit – How does the site affect a visitor’s opinion of the company?
Impact – How does the site drive visitors to complete desired actions?
50

51. yin and yang
SIMILAR PROCESS, DIFFERENT LENS
51

52. insight & inspiration
IT’S A TWO-FOR-ONE, GUARANTEED
We use the competitive/comparative methodology
to gain insights and to inspire our team - as well as
our clients.
We expect to be amazed when we start a new
project.
We know clients will be astounded by the
outcomes.
52

53. inspiration abounds
EVERY JOURNEY IS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE
“I had no idea we were competing against [brand].”
“I’m amazed at the social presence of [brand]. We’re
nowhere near that.”
“Thank you. I can use this information to make sure
this project is properly funded.”
“I wouldn’t have thought to use Facebook as a
platform for support and continuing education for
our customers.”
“Fascinating.”
53

54. Thank you.
mberryman@thinkinc.com
@MicBerryman