Dave is one of the world’s top thought leaders and consultants when it comes to customer journey mapping. He’s also the author of the brilliant newsletter, CXPRESSO, so go check that out.
In this chat, we explore some unconventional truths about customer journey mapping to try and challenge industry norms and debunk a few myths.
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Q: What’s one belief or opinion you have about customer journey mapping that nobody else does?
A: If the sales team understands the customer journey—through the customer journey mapping process—they can improve sales performance and grow revenue.
Journey mapping, and CX in general, isn’t just about removing friction or fixing problems for existing customers.
CX and sales should be best friends, but the relationship is usually more like the athletes and theatre kids in high school.
Q: What’s the biggest myth about customer journey mapping that you’ve found to be completely false through your work? What impact has that had on the BPO/CX industry?
A: The biggest myth is that you can create a customer journey map with internal knowledge—imagining yourself “in the customer’s shoes.” Because of ego-centric bias, we tend to project our own preferences on these imaginary customers.
The only way to truly understand the customer journey is through qualitative research: interviews, focus groups, observations, etc. The quality of your research determines the quality of your map.
Sadly, most so-called customer journey maps don’t get used because they aren’t backed by customer research.
Q: What’s a hidden friction point in the customer journey that most people fail to notice but has a massive impact?
A: Companies traditionally focus on the customer’s interactions with the company—sales, onboarding, customer service, the contact center—and try to improve those interactions.
They typically miss the friction points that don’t involve a customer interacting with the company, like waiting or using the product.
Q: What’s the most valuable lesson the BPO/CX industry has yet to learn about customer journey mapping?
A: Customer journey mapping isn’t just a tool, a workshop, or a graphic. It’s the foundation of a successful CX transformation because it helps you make better decisions about where to listen and where to act.
The journey mapping process shows you where to invest limited resources like time, people, and money to have the greatest impact on the customers’ experience and the business’s profitability.
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