How to do journey mapping to effectively to improve the customer experience; what it is, dos and don'ts, and the process from start to implementation.

1. Design the initial solutions in detail. This can include anything from
simple communications and process changes to new product,
service processes and business step changes.
Prioritize solutions based on
customer and business value.
Focus not only on quick wins but
on long-term sustainable and
differentiating solutions.
Look at enterprise data that
may inform on customer
attitudes or behaviors including
customer enquiries, complaints,
customer satisfaction and
transactional data.
Share insights, journey maps and
recommendations with
stakeholders. Gain consensus on
the problems to be solved and
needs to be addressed.
If taking a phased approach to a new
product or service, the first version of
the solution must constitute
significant new value to target
customers.
Essential part of journey mapping, first conduct observational
research and in-depth interviews (sometimes called ethnography)
to objectively map the step-by step journey and understand the
customer context, decision-making processes, drivers, emotions
and expectations throughout.
Pain points and unanswered needs
will emerge from the research, but
often so will their solutions.
Sometimes a single insight may
even lead to a major improvement
or innovation idea.
Ideate solutions to address
customer problems and
needs identified. These can
range from individual
touch-point improvements
to business model or
service step changes. If the
solutions involve changes
in the journeys, illustrate
the recommended
journeys.
Review and analyze research notes and other
data. Search for and identify patterns, ideas
and explanations on customer behaviors,
drivers, emotions and needs. If necessary,
conduct additional research to clarify some
points.
Summarize insights, the current state
customer journey map and
recommendations in a presentation.
Illustrate the step-by-step journey
from the customer perspective
highlighting pain points and customer
emotions throughout.
Conduct initial analysis into
operational processes and
root cause of some issues.
Test the solutions with customers through
research or pilots. Identify improvement
opportunities and make adjustments.
RESEARCH
ANALYSISAND IDEATION
ALIGNMENT
DESIGN THE SOLUTION
LAUNCH ANDMEASURE
Journey mapping does not end here. It should be conducted on an ongoing
basis across the entire customer experience lifecycle, in conjunction with
continuous incremental improvements based on different types of customer
feedback.
Launch the new journey or touch-
points to the entire customer base or a
segment.
Customers who experience the new
journey are delighted.
Measure results over time on
the customer sentiment and
the business. This will help
gain support for further
journey mapping.
The journey of
JOURNEY MAPPING
KEYS TO EXPERIENCE IMPROVEMENTS
THE JOURNEY MAPPING PROCESS
STARTBYIDENTIFYINGTHEPROBLEM,NOTWITHASOLUTION
Don’t start with a solution in mind and try to retrofit it in the existing journey.
Objectively conduct the research first, identify real problems and needs and then
determine which solutions to best address them.
IT’SABOUTTHEDESTINATION,NOTTHEJOURNEY(MAP)
Journey mapping is not only about illustrating the current customer journey. It is
about translating insights into new journeys and implementing customer
experience improvements. There is no point in doing journey mapping if
improvements are not implemented.
IT’STHECUSTOMERS’PERSPECTIVE,NOTANINTERNALONE
A journey map is not an internal process map. It is the end-to-end view from the
customer’s perspective. For example, an application doesn’t start and end from
the moment the application is submitted and when it is approved. It starts when
the customer feels a need for the product or service and ends after it is received.
LOOKATTHEJOURNEYEND-TO-END, NOTATINDIVIDUALINTERACTIONS
Improving a single interaction can be good in the short term, but looking at and
redesign the journey end-to-end may result in eliminating some interactions and
steps entirely for a much better experience.
WHAT IS JOURNEY MAPPING?
Journey mapping is an approach for organizations to identify true customer needs
and improve the customer experience by looking at the customer journey end-to-end
from the customers’ perspective.
©2018 by David Jacques. LICENSED UNDER
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
DAVID JACQUES
http://linkedin.com/in/davidjacques
If necessary, gain additional
buy-in by involving stakeholders
in ideating solutions.
This work is free to share and adapt with attribution.