A customer journey is the process a customer goes through when interacting with a business or organization, from the initial point of contact through to the final purchase or service experience. It involves all of the touchpoints a customer has with a business, including their interactions with the website, customer service, advertising, social media, and more.

The customer journey is often broken down into several stages, which can vary depending on the specific business or industry. Some common stages include:

1. Awareness: The customer becomes aware of the business and its products or services, usually through advertising, marketing, or word-of-mouth.
2. Consideration: The customer begins to research and compare different options, looking for more information about the business and its products or services.
3. Purchase: The customer decides to make a purchase and completes the transaction.
4. Post-purchase: The customer has an experience with the product or service and may provide feedback, leave a review, or become a repeat customer.

Mapping the customer journey can help businesses understand their customers’ needs and preferences at each stage of the process, and identify areas where improvements can be made to enhance the customer experience. This can lead to increased customer satisfaction, loyalty, and ultimately, improved business performance.

Are there any tools to help me build a customer journey?

Many people find these tools helpful in understanding their core customers better, leading to a more effective customer journey.  Try these for size:

Empathy Mapping

An empathy map is a visual tool that is used to help businesses or individuals better understand their customers or users by focusing on their feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. It is often used in the early stages of product development, marketing, or customer experience design to gain insights into the customer’s perspective and identify potential pain points, opportunities, or areas for improvement.

An empathy map typically consists of four quadrants, each focusing on a different aspect of the customer’s experience:

1. What the customer sees: This quadrant focuses on the customer’s environment and external factors, such as their physical surroundings, interactions with people, and external stimuli.
2. What the customer hears: This quadrant focuses on the customer’s interactions with other people or media, such as conversations, advertisements, or social media.
3. What the customer thinks and feels: This quadrant focuses on the customer’s thoughts and emotions, such as their fears, aspirations, motivations, or concerns.
4. What the customer says and does: This quadrant focuses on the customer’s actions and behaviors, such as their goals, actions, frustrations, or desires.

By considering each of these quadrants and filling in the corresponding information based on customer research or observation, businesses can gain a more comprehensive understanding of their customers and develop more targeted and effective strategies to meet their needs and expectations. The empathy map can also be a useful tool for facilitating collaboration and communication among team members, stakeholders, or customers themselves.

Get started with your own empathy map here.

Here are some options for you to start creating your own customer journey map.  There are many tools available, ranging from simple, low-tech options to more sophisticated, high-tech solutions. The best tool for creating a customer journey map will depend on your specific needs and preferences, as well as your budget and technical expertise. Here are a few popular options:

1. Pen and paper: One of the simplest and most effective ways to create a customer journey map is to use a pen and paper. This low-tech option can be quick, flexible, and easy to share and modify.
2. Post-it notes and whiteboards: Another popular option is to use post-it notes and a whiteboard or large sheet of paper to create a physical representation of the customer journey. This can be a collaborative and interactive way to involve team members or stakeholders in the process.
3. Online tools: There are many online tools available for creating customer journey maps, ranging from free, simple options to more advanced and paid solutions. Some popular online tools include Canva, Lucidchart, Miro, and Xtensio.
4. Design software: For more advanced and customized customer journey maps, design software such as Adobe Illustrator, Sketch, or Figma can be a good option. These tools offer more control over the design and layout of the map, as well as the ability to add more visual elements and annotations.

When choosing a tool for creating a customer journey map, it’s important to consider factors such as ease of use, collaborative features, customization options, and cost. Additionally, it’s important to ensure that the tool you choose can effectively capture the key elements of the customer journey, such as touchpoints, emotions, and pain points, and help you identify areas for improvement.