Five things you need to remember when mapping or designing the Customer Journey

1. FIVE THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN YOU ARE MAPPING
OR DESIGNING THE CUSTOMER’S JOURNEY
By Wim Rampen - Customer and Brand Strategy - http://wimrampen.com - @wimrampen
1. The Customer’s Journey is exactly that: the Journey of the Customer
I know you have a inappeasable desire to make things better when Customers interact with you. If you feel that urge it’s
good to remember that the Journey probably does not begin - nor ends - with an interaction with you. Indeed, the journey
will not limit itself to touch-points with your company, your service provided by another or your products. The Customer’s
Journey does not resemble your process-flow.
2. There’s Customer Journey’s on all kind of different levels
It all starts with the Customer’s higher level goal. What is it she wants to accomplish in life, and what does he or she wants to
get done when trying to meet those life’s goals. A bit deeper: what products or services does the Customer hire to get her
jobs done, and what does she need to get done to keep using the product or service? They’re all journey’s and small or big
you need to get to the bottom of it.
3. Not one Customer Journey is the same
This one is easy, yet relevant. It is also important to keep in mind that this even goes for one and the same Customer. If
context changes, the entire Journey can change. It may even result in different needs all together. But for sure it will result in
a different experience. No matter how many Customer Journey’s you’ve mapped, or designed, never make the mistake of
thinking you know it all.
4. Touch-points are value propositions
I know you want to talk channels, but channels are just that, channels. This goes for both distribution channels and
communication channels. Touch-points should be regarded as value propositions in itself and probably require the same
design rigor as your products do. The purpose of a touch-point is to aid a Customer in a specific context to get a part - or
step - of her job done and move along. Have no idea what the value proposition of your touch-point is? Than it probably
isn’t a good one anyway.
5. Touch-points need to be connected
The most important characteristic of a good touch-point is that it is connected with its predecessor and the next one in line.
They should be orchestrated if you will. This of course requires an understanding of the entire journey the Customer is
embarking on and to keep the Customer’s end-goal in mind. If you don’t connect the dots the Customer will choose her
own path and you will be left alone wondering why no-one is staying for dinner.