How Retailers Can Create Customer Journey Maps - … · Ho Retailers Can Create Customer Journey Maps Page 1 CATALYST WHITE PAPER How Retailers Can Create Customer Journey Maps

How Retailers Can Create Customer Journey Maps Page 1

CATALYST WHITE PAPER

How Retailers Can Create Customer Journey Maps

BY TARA LITCHFIELD, DIRECTOR OF EXPERIENCE DESIGN


60% of shoppers who excluded a business from consideration did so because they had a bad experience or heard negative things.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Retailers are constantly seeking new ways to more accurately predict customer behavior and attitudes. Data models and traditional market research often overlook a research methodology that can tell you what customers are thinking, feeling and doing at each stage of their relationship with you. This methodology, titled “customer experience mapping,” uncovers customer emotions and attitudes through the entire customer life cycle, resulting in these critical opportunities:

• More relevant communications

• Better customer experiences

• Increased sales

• More customer visits

• Higher retention

• Increased lifetime value

By cataloging key customer touch points and talking to customers about their experiences during key touch points, it’s possible to create a customer experience map that provides a concise picture of what customers are thinking, feeling and doing. The map not only identifies gaps in customers’ experiences, it also delivers an actionable framework to improve them.

IN THIS WHITE PAPER WE WILL EXPLORE:

• What a customer experience map is and how to create one

• How to use a customer experience map to pinpoint gaps in yourcustomers’ experiences

• How to apply your findings to create a competitive advantage


WHY DOES CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE MATTER?

Customers interact with your brand across multiple channels. They expect a holistic, integrated experience in and across all of them. Although retail marketers recognize the need to adopt an omnichannel strategy, many are struggling to successfully connect consistently with customers across all available outlets. Most organizations are structured to focus on individual channels, touch points, technologies or features, rather than the overall brand. A customer experience map bridges this gap and examines how customers interact with your brand during each stage of the customer life cycle.

54%68%45%

of customers prefer an omnichannel

shopping experience

of consumers use two or more screens at the same time to

access unrelated content

of marketers cite not having a consolidated customer view across

channels as the biggest roadblock to a successful cross-channel experience

1. BAD EXPERIENCES ARE SHARED … AND SHARED …AND SHARED

Years ago, a bad customer experience took a lot longer to permeatethe public. But today, with social media and ratings and reviewwebsites, word gets around a lot quicker. Here’s an actual examplefrom the automotive services industry:

Sources:

eMarketer, “US Time Spent on Mobile to Overtake Desktop,” August 2013

Retail Systems Research (RSR), “Retailing: OmniChannel Approach Central to Strategies in 2013,” August 2013


2. GOOD CUSTOMER EXPERIENCES MAKE A BRAND STAND OUT

Good reviews are also shared. These two retailers had the confidence to post reviews directly on their website—good, bad or indifferent.

3. YOUR CUSTOMERS’ EXPERIENCES IMPACT THE BOTTOM LINE

When your customers aren’t happy, they vote with their feet. Whenthey’re happy, they’re more likely to recommend you to others and stayloyal—even become advocates. Either way, it affects your bottom line.

When your customers aren’t happy, they vote with their feet.


69%would

recommend the business

to others

THE IMPORTANCE OF A POSITIVE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

93%of customers will take action following poor service

44%will take their business elsewhere

59%of 25–34-year-olds

share poor customer experiences online

34%of them would take

revenge by posting a negative review online

AFTER A POSITIVE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE:

58%49%

AFTER A NEGATIVE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE:

will never use the

company again

will tell friends not to use the business

$41 billion: THE COST OF A POOR CUSTOMER EXPERIENCETO BUSINESSES EACH YEAR

Sources:

NewVoiceMedia, January 2014

North American Technographics Customer Experience Online Survey, Forrester Research, Inc., October 2013

• The higher the quality of a company’s customer experience, the less likely it is to lose sales to competitors.

• Retailers stand to reap $572 million more by reducing churn and increasing incremental purchases whenthey improve customer experience.

HERE ARE THE FACTS:

50%would use it more often


WHAT IS A CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE MAP?

• Angry. I could kick myself for agreeing to the extra services

• Distrustful because I was upsold• Annoyed by extra fees• Fooled. The cost was more than I was quoted• Frustrated because the cost is too high

• None

Waiting/During ServiceArriving for ServiceScheduling an AppointmentChoosing a Location

Automotive Services Customer Experience Map

Identifying a Need for Service

I NEED TO TRUST YOU

Is that too much to ask? Be up-front and honest with me. If there’s something that needs to be fixed, tell me. But explain it to me in terms I can understand. Because if it’s complicated, I might need to get a second opinion. I don’t want any stress.

I NEED TO BE INFORMED

How much is it going to cost? How long is it going to take? Why does it need to be done now? Can it wait? What happens if I don’t get it done? Will my car be safe to drive if I don’t get it done today? Tell me everything. I don’t want any surprises.

I NEED TO BE RESPECTED AND LISTENED TO

Hear me. If I have a concern, listen to what I have to say. This is a two-way street. I need an advisor. Not a salesman. If something other than what I came in for can wait until my next visit, that would be good to know. If I feel you’re there to help me and solve my problem, I’ll be back. Please respect my decision.

I NEED TO FEEL COMFORTABLE DURING THE EXPERIENCE

I need the experience to be simple. No worries. No complications. And it would be nice to have Wi-Fi and a clean environment while I am waiting for my car. Make me comfortable inside and out.

I NEED CONVENIENCE

Don’t make me waste an entire day on it. I have other things in my life I need to get done.

I NEED YOU TO KNOW ME AND MY CARMy name isn’t “Who’s next?” A friendly greeting would be nice. Know me. Know my name. Know my car. What I had done the last time I was here. The more special I feel, the more loyal I’ll be.

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GUIDING PRINCIPLES:

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• Am I meeting my extended warranty services?• Are the manufacturer recommendations reliable?• Will this be fairly simple?• Can I do this myself?• How much will this cost?• Is the coupon worth it?

Satis

fied

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Diss

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• Appreciate reminders and coupons• Confident. The technician will do the job right

• Is the shop trustworthy? (if new)• What are the skills of the staff?• How close is the shop to me?• Does the shop perform the services I need?• Does the shop know about my car? (new or

historically)• I always go to the same location

• How busy is it if I go now?• Will this be fast?• Will I have to drop off my car? (non-quick lube)• Will they give me a rental? (non-quick lube)• How will my kids be entertained?• Can I schedule at my convenience?

• Feeling guilty I haven’t taken care of this yet

• Have new customer welcome emails and quick surveys to obtain information about their car andmaintenance history

• Offer coupons as an incentive for completing the welcome survey

• Send reminders about upcoming services, so there is no surprise upon arrival; connect them tomanufacturer recommendations

• Advise customers of costs before the appointment, so they can consider the extra services

• Happy because there is a location close by• Comfortable because I always go to the same

location• Content with the location, since reviews are positive

• Offer flexible hours at least one day of the week, especially during the work week

• Prior to service, tell the customer how long service will take, especially at busy times when the wait may be longer

• Indifferent. I just want to get this done• Apathetic. Maintenance is a necessary evil

• Distrustful of clunky online appointment system• Frustrated because I have to drop off my car and

arrange for a ride (non-quick lube)

• Via phone or email, tell customers what to expect at their first appointment (where to park, which bay to use, where they will wait duringservices, approximately how long it will take)

• How long will this take?• Will they honor my coupon?• Why hasn’t anyone greeted me?• Why are they asking me the same questions

already covered on the phone?• Where will I wait while service is being completed?

• What can I do to kill time?• How can I keep my children entertained?• How much is this going to cost me?• Is there coffee in the waiting area?• Is there Wi-Fi in the waiting area?• Why aren’t they telling me the status of my car?• What is taking so long?

• Happy because I can just go there without an appointment

• Glad I have a standing appointment every three months (non-quick lube)

• Pleased because I was greeted enthusiastically• Happy to be greeted by name• Glad. There was no waiting - greeted me right away• Relieved. The same maintenance technician from

last time was there to help me

• Annoyed. I have to answer the same questions asked over the phone

• Frustrated. No one has greeted me• Angry. I have no idea how long I will have to wait

• Greet customers by name and review the last services performed. They want to be understood

• Display mechanic’s experience, training or certificates in waiting areas, bays or check-in area

• Include wait time signage outside bays or in reception areas

• Happy. They have a nice waiting area• Glad. There is a coffee shop nearby where I can wait

• Indifferent. The service area is mediocre. At least I can get my work done

• Inform the customer immediately about add-ons.Clearly explain why they are needed

• Consider whether this service can wait untilanother visit. If not, explain the urgency

• Present service recommendations with prices• Develop a tool to estimate cost of services or

access customer service history, includingrecommendations/pricing

• Keep a running tally of costs visible• Above all, act as an adviser, not a salesperson

• Worried because I lack knowledge about maintenance needs

• Annoyed because I have to do this• Irritated by reminders• Frustrated because the reminder is too soon• Angry because I don’t agree with recommendations

• Resigned because I’m not looking forward to the service

• Rushed. Glad to get in quickly, but feel a little like I’m part of a production line

• Disappointed the waiting area has stale coffee and old magazines

• Frustrated. I am not getting status updates• Annoyed by lack of Wi-Fi. What am I supposed to

do?

Step

s

Selecting Services and Add-Ons Completing Service and Making Payment

• What are the suggested services?• Is my car (value) worth the investment in add-ons?• Can I afford this?• Will this impact my family’s safety?• Should I get a second opinion?• Is this add-on service necessary?

• How expensive will this be after fees?• Will the service match the cost I am expecting?• Will they honor my coupon?

• Appreciative of heads-up regarding servicing needs, especially if it doesn’t need to be donetoday; I can plan for it

• Happy. No additional services were needed

• Extremely pleased it cost less than expected• Happy the service is covered by extended warranty• Glad to take advantage of a coupon• Grateful service and payment were handled quickly• Relieved there were no surprises

• Nervous. I don’t want to pay the extra money but am concerned about safety

• Content. One more item off my to-do list

• Build a relationship by having a dialogue with customers about their concerns. If you sense skepticism, explain the need carefully

• Offer a referral for a second opinion. This can instill trust and may bring customers back to you

• During service, communicate with the customer about their car’s status. Consider waiting room progress board, app or communicate to thecustomer by text or phone

• For declined services, give customers the option of having them emailed/texted at a later date

• Send customer links to maintenance history (nologin required)

• Hesitant about upsell recommendations because my car is old and might not be worth it

• Pressured to pay for add-ons• Skeptical. I don’t believe the add-on is really needed

• Discouraged because reviews are negative • Aggravated. I have to research additional locations• Frustrated because this is an inconvenience

SUBSCRIPTION PLAN OPPORTUNITIES• Fixed pricing would result in annual savings• Encourage customers to be more proactive about their car maintenance • VIP Bay - the longer you wait, the less you pay• VIP Express Lane• House call oil change• Prepay for services• Segmentation campaigns (e.g., parents of students)

“More than a subscription service, I would like to build a service partnership that would include all routine maintenance.”— Mike

“I am absolutely interested in such a service. If it covers routine maintenance, checkups, and oil changes (3-4 times annually). I think such a service is worth it and would give me peace of mind.”— KD

“I would definitely be interested in a discounted, annual “subscription.” The services to be included would be basic oil change and any other basic service features needed.”— Phoebe

Choose location RENEW

Self (relies on memory)

Refer to car manual

Talk withmechanicCar dashboard or window sticker

Personalcar files

Email, phone, text, and mail reminders Web search near me

Web searchfor reviews

Talk with friends

Go to same location

Set up appointment

Use standing appointment

Drop off night before

Just show up

Arrive atlocation

Greeted ornot greeted

Waitin line

Go towaiting area

Start service

Waits in caror waiting room

Goes to restaurantor nearby location

Goes home or to work

Entertains self

Talk withmechanic

Make payment

Schedule appointment During appointment

Technician makes recommendation

Offers upsell

Ask questions

Reviews servicesrendered

Customer life cycle stages

Illustration of customer journey Customer thinking Customer feelings: positive, indifferent and dissatisfied

Opportunities for improvement

A customer experience map is a strategic tool for presenting your customers’ points of view. It includes these key components:

SAMPLE CUSTOMER JOURNEY MAP


HOW TO DEVELOP A CUSTOMER JOURNEY MAP

1. INVENTORY ALL TRIGGERS, TOUCH POINTS AND CHANNELS

Begin by listing all of your current customer touch points by channel under each customer life cycle stage. This important exercise will show the gaps in your touch point inventory, and you’ll immediately see where the opportunities are.

STAGES > Identifying a Need for Service

Choosing a Location

Scheduling an Appointment

Arriving for Service

Waiting/During Service

Selecting Services and

Add-Ons

Completing Service and

Making Payment

CHANNELS

In Store

• This is the first listing

• Second listing is here

• Listingn umber three

• A fourth listing goes here



• Listing number three comes next









• Number five is another listing



• Listing number two





Email









• Listing number two




Web














Social Media






Mobile








Mail





• This is the first listing • This is the first listing





• Listing number t




• Listing number t


Out of Home








Ongoing nonlinear Time-based nonlinear Linear

TRIGGERS, TOUCH POINTS AND CHANNELS INVENTORY

KEY:

GAPS

Look at the gaps in your touch point inventory— are they opportunities?


CUSTOMER FEEDBACK:

“ I wish I could have earned more rewards, but when I’m just buying for myself the rewards didn’t add up fast enough.”

—Jessica F. (lapsed member)

“ Make us feel special for choosing your store. We pay your paychecks, so we make you feel special.”

— Bill M. (longtime member)

—Linda C. (newbie)

“ … if I knew that I was close to another service date, I’d be more likely to go to the store sooner than I might have otherwise.”

2. IDENTIFY AND RECRUIT FOR TARGET CUSTOMER SEGMENTS

Use customer personas and customer analytic data to identify the primary customer segments you want to study in detail. After you have identified customer segments that will present the greatest opportunities, create a plan to recruit and schedule those customers for research participation.

As you recruit, you’ll need to:

• Identify segments using your customer personas and analytic data

• Decide how you will communicate the research opportunity to customers (website recruitment, email, phone)

• Create a screener for recruitment that provides relevant background information about potential participants so that you will have a good mix of qualified participants for each segment

• Decide on an incentive that will motivate your target customers

• Recruit 30% more participants than you need

• Create and distribute a consent form or process to potential participants

• Create research descriptions and other communications to use during the scheduling process

• Schedule all qualified participants on the researchers’ calendars

3. CONDUCT RESEARCH

After you’ve completed your inventory, you are ready to start doing some qualitative research. Of course, you can pull comments from social media, surveys, or ongoing research, but it is also very important to set up direct qualitative research to create your customer experience map.

As you plan your research, you’ll need to:

• Decide which research methods will produce the best results

• Develop a discussion guide that will encourage people to tell a story about what they are doing, thinking and feeling

• Prepare questions and other contextual materials, such as prototypes or websites, that will help you probe for clarification

• Rehearse to ensure the technical setup is working properly and the research facilitator is fully prepared


When stakeholders read customer comments and feelings firsthand, they develop empathy and are more likely to act on and resolve customer experience problems.

There are a variety of ways to gather qualitative research from customers: conduct customer ethnographic research with contextual inquiry, interview customers, conduct baseline usability studies online using screen-share tools, and/or run traditional or online focus groups. We decide which method would be most appropriate by evaluating a client’s existing research, budget and research goals.

4. HOLD CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE WORKSHOPS

Customer experience workshops are conducted with your internal stakeholders—the people who can impact the final customer experience. When stakeholders read customers’ comments and feelings firsthand, they develop empathy and are more likely to act on and resolve customer experience problems.

During the workshops, we:

• Read all the comments customers made on the online bulletin boards

• Create a sticky note for each comment — each color indicates a specific research segment

• Group similar comments into themes: disappointment, frustration, surprise, communications timing, etc.

• Look for emerging patterns

5. DEVELOP AN INITIAL MODEL OF CUSTOMER FEELINGS

We focus on feelings to identify highs and lows in the customer experience throughout the life cycle. The three lines in the model below represent optimal, average and poor experiences.

SAMPLE FEELINGS MODEL

UNHAPPY

ELATED

NEUTRAL

Most Positive Experience Average Experience Poor ExperienceKEY:


Choosing a Location




Selecting Services & Add-Ons

Completing Service & Making

Payment


This analysis pulls all your research together to show you what your customers are thinking, feeling and doing at each stage of their journey with you.

6. DO A COMPLETE ANALYSIS OF YOUR CUSTOMER RESEARCH

This analysis pulls all your research together to show you what your customers are thinking, feeling and doing at each stage of their journey with you. The consolidated research is used to build your customer experience map.

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE MAP IN ACTION

Since every business model is unique, we chose an example that anyone can relate to—visiting an automotive services provider. The typical customer life cycle looks like this:

Now, let’s take a closer look at what customers are doing, thinking and feeling at the very beginning of the journey—the consideration stage.

When considering visiting an automotive service center, the customer is influenced by many touch points, including advertising and direct mail solicitations. Here is a visual representation of the customer journey at this stage:


Choosing a Location




Selecting Services & Add-Ons

Completing Service & Making

Payment



• None




I NEED TO TRUST YOU








I NEED CONVENIENCE



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GUIDING PRINCIPLES:C

UST

OM

ER J

OU

RNEY

THIN

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G


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• Have new customer welcome emails and quick surveys to obtain information about their car and maintenance history


• Send reminders about upcoming services, so there is no surprise upon arrival; connect them to manufacturer recommendations









• Via phone or email, tell customers what to expect at their first appointment (where to park, which bay to use, where they will wait during services, approximately how long it will take)















• Inform the customer immediately about add-ons. Clearly explain why they are needed

• Consider whether this service can wait until another visit. If not, explain the urgency


access customer service history, including recommendations/pricing








do?

Step

s




• Appreciative of heads-up regarding servicing needs, especially if it doesn’t need to be done today; I can plan for it







• During service, communicate with the customer about their car’s status. Consider waiting room progress board, app or communicate to the customer by text or phone


• Send customer links to maintenance history (no login required)










Refer to car manual


Personalcar files



Talk with friends

Go to same location

Set up appointment



Just show up

Arrive atlocation


Waitin line

Go towaiting area

Start service




Entertains self

Talk withmechanic

Make payment



Offers upsell

Ask questions



THINKING

What are people thinking about when they are considering an automotive services provider?

FEELING

How does a customer feel when interacting with your brand? Are you exceeding, fulfilling or falling short of his or her expectations? Gaps will be easy to see here.

OPPORTUNITIES

Gaps can pinpoint opportunities for improvement in each stage of the customer life cycle:

• Which segments?

• Which channel or touch point?



• None




I NEED TO TRUST YOU








I NEED CONVENIENCE



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GUIDING PRINCIPLES:

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Satis

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Indi

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Diss

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do?

Step

s























Refer to car manual


Personalcar files



Talk with friends

Go to same location

Set up appointment



Just show up

Arrive atlocation


Waitin line

Go towaiting area

Start service




Entertains self

Talk withmechanic

Make payment



Offers upsell

Ask questions




• None




I NEED TO TRUST YOU








I NEED CONVENIENCE



Doin

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GUIDING PRINCIPLES:

CU

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Satis

fied

Indi

ffer

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Diss

atis

fied











































do?

Step

s























Refer to car manual


Personalcar files



Talk with friends

Go to same location

Set up appointment



Just show up

Arrive atlocation


Waitin line

Go towaiting area

Start service




Entertains self

Talk withmechanic

Make payment



Offers upsell

Ask questions



GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Guiding principles will emerge as you begin to understand the customer journey as a whole. Use them as a litmus test for the success of current and future organizational initiatives. Here are a few examples:

“ Know me”—get better connected with your customers, personalize the experience

“ Remember me”—stay connected to customers with more relevant touches through direct mail and email

“ Make me feel special”—proactively optimize customers’ accounts and suggest services tailored to them

“Help me succeed”—continue to improve online tools and technology

“ Always be there for me”—be available to customers 24/7, whenever/wherever/however

PROCESS SUMMARY

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

1. Use touch point analysis, personas and analytics to select the study’s scope and target customer segments

2. A customer journey map tells you what your customers are thinking, feeling and doing at each stage of the customer life cycle

3. The process pinpoints where, when and why opportunities lie within each customer segment and life cycle stage

4. Create guiding principles and a roadmap to improve the overall customer experience

Developing a customer experience map is an excellent first step toward improving your customers’ overall experiences and satisfaction. The research and analysis can be completed fairly quickly, providing you with a roadmap for the coming year and beyond.

Developing a customer experience map is an excellent first step toward improving your customers’ overall experiences and satisfaction.

1. Triggers,

touch points and channels

inventory

2. Customer research

(online focus groups)

3. Stakeholder workshops

4. Develop

initial model of customer

feelings

5. Build your customer

experience map


As Catalyst’s director of experience design, Tara develops engaging and effective experiences for clients’ customers. She leads research initiatives to uncover new insights, then translates those insights into optimized customer experiences.

Her tool kit includes personas, journey maps and touch point analyses to help clients understand their customers in new ways, which leads to new business opportunities. She is an experienced UX designer who creates information architecture, workflow diagrams, detailed wireframes, interactive prototypes, user experience requirement documentation, content strategy, and heuristic evaluations to define and detail customer-focused creative solutions. She conducts in-depth usability studies to validate and measure a solution’s effectiveness.

Tara holds an MA in visual arts and a BS in psychology. She has worked with a variety of Fortune 500 clients, including American Express, Honeywell, Kaspersky Lab, Paychex, Sears, Anthropologie, Carpet One, Reebok, Verizon, and Campbell’s Soup, among others.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

TARA LITCHFIELD Director of Experience Design


ABOUT CATALYST

Catalyst is a marketing agency that combines complex data analysis, marketing technology and experience design to help retailers develop more profitable customer relationships. We develop specific solutions to increase store traffic and sales, both online and offline.

Headquartered in Rochester, New York, our retail clients include Valvoline Instant Oil Change, TTI Floor Care North America (Oreck, Hoover, Dirt Devil), AAA, Kroger, and others.

800.836.7720 | www.catalystinc.com | [email protected] Facebook Twitter LinkedIn © 2017 Catalyst

HOW TO CONTACT US

Need help conducting a retail assessment? Catalyst has worked with major retailers for over 26 years. Give us a call at

585.453.8313 or email Christian Banach at [email protected]

http://www.catalystinc.com/

http://catalystinc.com/

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How Retailers Can Create Customer Journey Maps - … · Ho Retailers Can Create Customer Journey Maps Page 1 CATALYST WHITE PAPER How Retailers Can Create Customer Journey Maps