A customer journey map outlines how a customer moves through the modern marketing funnel, both before making a purchase and after that purchase has been made. This map is typically broken out by the various stages of the bow tie funnel, and then detailed with the touchpoints, departments, and steps taken to reach the next stage.
In order for organizations to get inside the hearts, minds, and actions of their target audience, they must take an empathetic look at what that customer experiences as they traverse their path-to-purchase. This requires a deeper level of empathy that spans not only the customer’s viewpoint, but also the employee’s vantage point.
Looking through a microscope at how the customer thinks and feels, as well as what the customer says and does, helps organizations better understand the behavioral economics of what takes place as the customer moves through their journey. Looking at the corresponding employee experience allows organizations to ensure that the customer is met with a positive experience at every touchpoint along the way.
Too often, organizations will stop their customer journey map once the customer whips out their credit card. But, when it comes to building higher lifetime value (LTV) of a customer, organizations must also understand what happens post-purchase too.
The bow tie funnel allows organizations to outline the customer journey map beyond the purchase, taking into account the path that customers take to becoming brand loyal. By looking at this post-purchase behaviors, needs, and path, organizations are able to take a more holistic view of the lifetime value of a customer.
The impact of content mapping goes well beyond the scope of simply serving up content to the customer. There’s a ripple effect that transcends throughout the entire organization.
The way a customer thinks and feels at every stage of their journey determines whether or not they continue moving forward or they fall out of the funnel and move to a competitor. With a customer journey map, you can identify exactly where there are leaks in the bucket and specific areas where you can fix those leaks to retain more leads and customers.
Each stage of the path-to-purchase requires unique metrics to understand what’s happening and where you’re losing buyers. By attaching key metrics, such as Net Promoter Scores (NPS) or Customer Satisfaction Scores (CSAT), you can better understand which paths to purchase earn business fastest, are most lucrative, and more, allowing organizations to make better spending decisions.
Too often, an employee’s experience will differ from a customer’s experience. In those moments, organizations stand to lose, not only customers, but top talent too. Both losses are costly. By understanding the customer’s needs along the customer journey map, businesses can avoid friction in both experiences.
The customer journey mapping exercise allows organizations to see where there are opportunities for growth. In addition, businesses can then weigh which projects, initiatives, or strategies to pursue by better understanding the impact it’ll have on their revenues and growth.