What is customer journey mapping?
A customer journey map is a visual tool that depicts a customer's experiences, needs and interactions with a company or brand throughout the buying process. This representation shows how customers come into contact with a brand, what steps they take to purchase a product or service and how they interact with the brand after the purchase. A customer journey map is used to understand and improve the customer's view of the company. For example, touchpoints can be identified and optimized to create a better customer experience.
What is the difference between a customer journey map and a customer experience map?
The difference between a customer journey map and a customer experience map lies in their purpose and scope.
A customer journey map focuses on a customer's buying process, from the first interaction with a brand to the post-sales phase. It shows the different journey stages a customer goes through to purchase a product or service, as well as the customer's thoughts, feelings and needs at each stage of the journey.
A customer experience map goes beyond just the purchase process journey to include other aspects of the customer experience, such as overall interaction with a brand, technical support experiences and product usage. It shows a more comprehensive picture of how customers interact with a brand and provides a deeper understanding of the overall customer experience.
Both types of maps can be useful for understanding and improving the customer experience, but the customer experience map provides a more comprehensive view of the customer experience and is therefore often useful for a better understanding of the customer process.
Tools for creating a customer journey map:
There are a variety of tools you can use to create a customer journey map:
- Mind mapping tools: Such as Xmind or MindMeister, which you can use to visually represent your ideas and information.
- Customer feedback tools: Like Qualtrics or SurveyMonkey, which you can use to collect and analyze customer feedback.
- Project management tools: Like Asana or Trello, which you can use to plan and track processes and activities.
- UX design tools: Such as Sketch or InVision, which you can use to create an interactive and visual representation of your customer journey map.
- Analytical tools: Such as Google Analytics or Adobe Analytics, which you can use to collect and analyze data about your customers' buying process.
It is important to note that none of these tools alone will provide all the functionality required to create a customer journey map. You may need to combine several tools to create a comprehensive customer journey map. Select the tools that are best suited to your needs and combine them to create a customer journey map that meets your requirements.
Example of the creation of a customer journey map
A customer journey map is a visual representation of the various phases, touchpoints and steps that a customer goes through (the journey) when interacting with a company. A customer journey map depicts the entire process of the customer journey from initial contact to purchase and beyond.
As an example, you can look at the "journey" of a customer buying a car. The customer journey map can look as follows:
1st phase: Inspiration
In this phase, the customer becomes aware of the company and begins to take an interest in the product (in this case, the car). This can happen through advertising, recommendations or online research.
2nd phase: Decision-making
In this phase of the customer journey, the customer makes a decision as to whether they actually want to buy a car and, if so, which model it should be. Direct contact with the company (e.g. consultations, test drives) plays an important role here.
3rd phase: Purchase
In this phase of the customer journey, the actual purchase of the car takes place, either in the dealership or online.
4th phase: Use and service
In this phase, the customer uses the car and may also make use of the company's services, such as maintenance and repairs.
The individual steps and touchpoints within these journey phases are shown on the customer journey map and can be examined in more detail with the aim of identifying weak points and potential in the customer journey. By mapping the customer journey, the company can better understand the needs and wishes of customers and take targeted measures to improve the customer experience and build long-term customer relationships.
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