From Trigger to Retention: How Customer Journey Mapping Enhances Your Business
Introduction
In today’s highly competitive market, understanding your customers' experiences is crucial for delivering exceptional service and fostering loyalty. One powerful tool that can help businesses achieve this is Customer Journey Mapping (CJM). CJM has long been a valuable business tool, utilised by technology companies such as Uber and large, complex organisations like hospitals and government entities. Its effectiveness in mapping the entire customer journey to improve satisfaction and optimise business processes is truly significant.
What is Customer Journey Mapping?
Customer Journey Mapping is a strategic method for visualising and comprehending the entire experience customers have with your brand. It spans from their initial awareness of your products or services through to the final purchase and beyond.
CJM allows businesses to identify and evaluate every interaction and touchpoint. Its strength lies in its ability to foster collaboration by bringing together various perspectives, and it becomes even more impactful when used as a co-design tool with the end customer.
Key Stages of the Customer Journey
Trigger/ Research: A life event or motivation prompts the customer to start considering the need for a product or service and begin researching their options.
Awareness: Customers first learn about your brand through research, marketing campaigns, social media, word of mouth, etc.
Consideration: They research and compare your offerings with competitors.
Purchase: Customers decide to buy your product or service.
Post-Purchase: This includes customer support, follow-up communication, and feedback.
Retention: This is where customers stay in touch with the brand for future purchases, or we provide them with relevant reasons to maintain engagement, such as valuable content or updates.
Real-World Examples
Many businesses have successfully leveraged CJM to enhance their customer experience. Here are a few examples:
Example 1: St. Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne - Improving Patient Experience
Before CJM: Patients experienced long waiting times for appointments and procedures, leading to dissatisfaction. Additionally, there was a lack of clear communication between different departments, causing confusion and frustration for patients.
After CJM: By mapping the patient journey, the hospital identified bottlenecks in the scheduling process. They implemented an online booking system and a centralised communication platform to streamline appointments. As a result, waiting times were reduced, communication improved, and patient satisfaction was significantly enhanced, with a notable decrease in no-show rates.
Example 2: ANZ Bank - Enhancing Customer Onboarding
Before CJM: New customers faced a complex onboarding process with numerous forms and verification steps, leading to drop-offs. Additionally, inconsistent support experiences across various channels caused frustration and delays.
After CJM: By implementing customer journey mapping, ANZ Bank simplified the onboarding process with digital verification tools and a user-friendly online portal. This improvement led to a faster, smoother onboarding experience, significantly boosting both customer acquisition and retention rates.
Conclusion
Customer Journey Mapping is a powerful tool for businesses looking to improve their customer experience. By understanding and optimising each stage of the customer journey, businesses can enhance satisfaction, increase loyalty, and drive growth.
P.S. To explore how we can collaborate to implement CJM for your business's success, learn more on our website: https://www.socialstar.com.au/customer-journey-mapping
