Customer Journey (Customer Journey)

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Customer-centric approach, customer relationship management is evaluated in distinct segments, ranging from potential customers to actual buyers and loyal customers (in some cases, brand representatives).

Each stage/phase has its own scope. Each scope may include solutions to potential issues customers may face, recommendations to facilitate their experience, and support touchpoints. Generally, this process can be expanded to include sales cycles that repeat within the customer lifecycle. Below are some fundamental insights regarding the customer journey, a key component of the customer experience, which transitions from a traditional linear approach to a cyclical one.

Customer Journey (Customer Experience)

Customer Journey (customer journey) refers to the sequential steps and interactions a customer (in the remaining sections of this text, I will use the term “customer” exclusively) experiences prior to making a purchase decision regarding a company, product, and/or service.¹ For this reason, the relevant process may also be referred to as the customer decision journey (consumer decision journey). These definitions, previously published in my customer statuses article, will provide a bit more clarity.

The customer journey is also a key component of the customer experience. Of course, it may not always be possible to define the decision-making process with precise boundaries. Customers may exit the marketing funnel by altering their research and purchasing behaviors, moving beyond the traditional marketing funnel model.² In such cases, marketing experts evaluate potential undefined or new areas and update the conversion journey accordingly.³

However, while it is useful during the phase of identifying the key touchpoints of the funnel, it does not cover the steps that follow a sale. The recommended circular structure expresses the entire process in four phases. These four phases are framed around two key touchpoints: the initial consideration and the moment of purchase, while the active consideration or the research phase for potential purchase actions encompasses the stages that follow a purchase. Below, you can see the circular process developed by McKinsey⁴. This circular process can also be referred to as the customer lifecycle.

Again, depending on customer definition, the length and scope of the customer journey may vary according to factors such as market, product/service, and other elements. For instance, Starbucks has a relatively short customer lifecycle. This is because, after each purchase, customers return and repeat the transaction. However, this does not hold true for products such as cars, real estate, and similar services. Therefore, companies in these sectors strive to transform customers into brand advocates or representatives instead of expecting immediate returns.

As can be seen, the customer journey in question exhibits variability. Although a one-to-one similarity may not exist, a common end-to-end customer journey can still be established. The process by which a customer becomes aware of a company, product, or service (awareness), investigates it, purchases it, uses it, and ultimately internalizes it—transforming into a brand advocate (advocate) who then influences others—can be evaluated under key thematic headings. This structure is generally referred to as the 5 A’s: Awareness > Acquisition > Adoption > Assimilation > Advocacy⁵.

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Customer Journey Map

Companies can evaluate each stage their customers pass through, enabling them to anticipate and meet specific customer needs (customer-centric approach) and improve service quality and customer satisfaction⁶. Therefore, they develop stage-specific strategies that accelerate or support the customer’s purchase decision. In summary, a customer journey map enables a company to think like a customer and proactively prepare solutions for potential issues⁷.

5 Steps to Map the Customer Journey

When designing a customer journey map, the following fundamental points should be considered⁸.

Timeline (Timeline / Time Flow)
: Changes occurring in brand-customer relationships, significant turning points.

Personas (Characters)
: Hypothetical characters that can serve as references for a broader customer group, based on data collected from user research alongside web analytics.

Emotion
: Symbolic emotional states representing the customer’s emotions/mental state and emotional shifts at the moment of interaction.

Channels
: All tools encompassing brand-customer interactions and touchpoints.

Touchpoints
: Moments when the customer interacts with the company or its products and services.

Footnotes

1. Nicolas Maechler, Kevin Neher, Robert Park. (2010). From touchpoints to journeys: Seeing the world as customers do ↩
2. Victoria Bough, Ralph Breuer, Nicolas Maechler, Kelly Ungerman. (2020). The three building blocks of successful customer-experience transformations ↩
3. Gadi BenMark, Maher Masri. (2015). Cracking the digital-shopper genome. McKinsey & Company ↩
4. David Court, Dave Elzinga, Susan Mulder, Ole Jørgen Vetvik. (2009). The consumer decision journey. McKinsey & Company ↩
5. Customer Journey Definition. Transformation ↩
6. Kim Kosaka. Customer Lifecycle Marketing: The Complete Guide ↩
7. Customer Journey Mapping Nedir? Euromessage ↩
8. Digital Customer Journey Mapping: Improving the Customer Experience ↩