{"id":44385,"date":"2022-04-20T11:56:23","date_gmt":"2022-04-20T11:56:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.customer-alliance.com\/?post_type=articles&p=44385"},"modified":"2023-12-13T16:59:55","modified_gmt":"2023-12-13T16:59:55","slug":"understanding-customer-journey-stages-and-touchpoints","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/www.customer-alliance.com\/en\/articles\/understanding-customer-journey-stages-and-touchpoints\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding Customer Journey Stages And Touchpoints"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

There\u2019s no doubt that customer journeys are more complex than ever. But by putting yourself in your customers\u2019 shoes, you can make great strides in both customer experience<\/a> and<\/em> business success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The term ‘customer journey touchpoints’ refers to the various interactions a customer has with your business during their purchasing process. This process includes stages that remain constant, whether a customer is buying a physical or digital product, signing up for a service, or making a booking. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, we’ll unpack customer journey stages touchpoints, helping you to better understand how to effectively connect with and guide your customers every step of the way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s what we’ll be delving into. If you want to jump to a specific section, simply click on the corresponding link, and you’ll be taken right there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

What Is The Customer Journey?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

First things first. What do we really mean when we talk about the customer journey? The customer journey describes the customer\u2019s path to making a purchase and beyond. Customer\u2019s very rarely decide to buy on a whim. Instead, they work through a series of steps to become aware of, consider and evaluate their options before making a decision. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understanding your customer journey is essential for any business. Why? By knowing their goals and expectations every step of the way, you can do a much better job empathising with your customers and<\/em> perfectly positioning your product or service. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Customer Journey Stages<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are many different variations of the customer journey. However you\u2019ll most commonly find it split into five main stages: Awareness, Consideration, Decision, Retention and Advocacy. Let\u2019s take a closer look at each of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"A
The 5 main stages of the customer journey<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Stage 1: Awareness<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This is where someone first encounters your brand, usually when they are looking for a solution to some kind of problem. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, if someone wants to plan a trip to Paris, their first step will likely be to search online for hotels<\/a> or apartments in the city. By clicking on things like booking portals, travel blogs and individual hotel websites, they become aware<\/em> of different accommodation options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s important to know is that at this stage the customer is not ready to make a decision. Rather, they are becoming familiar with what is available. Your goal here is simply to communicate what you have to offer.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To be discovered during this early phase, online visibility is key. Things like online reviews<\/a>, blog posts, social media posts and optimising your website for SEO can all help you show up in search results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stage 2: Consideration<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This stage is where the customer begins to more seriously evaluate their options as opposed to casually browsing. They will be more specific about the features they are looking for in a product or service and will also begin to compare companies or products.<\/p>\n\n\n

[ca-form id=”194451″ align=”left” var1=”http:\/\/www.customer-alliance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/customer-alliance-article-guide-understanding-customer-journey-EN-download-1.pdf”]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your goal here is to convince your target customers that your product or service can resolve their problem (ideally in a way that your competitors can\u2019t)<\/strong>. It\u2019s a really important stage, because it\u2019s one where you\u2019re most likely to have your prospect\u2019s full attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With that in mind, it\u2019s a good point to really focus on providing the best possible customer experience<\/a>. Think about content and interactions that will not only answer your prospects\u2019 questions but also make sure they feel valued. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not sure where to start? Getting feedback<\/a> from your existing customers is a great way to get real-life insights and see where you can improve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stage 3: Decision<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The stage we\u2019ve all been waiting for! The customer has now done the bulk of their research and is ready to take the plunge. But don\u2019t get too excited just yet! It\u2019s still possible to lose your customer at this stage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a business, your role here is to make the purchasing process as easy and convenient as possible<\/strong>. This applies not only from a user experience perspective but also in terms of what you can offer your customer. Things like free demos, trial periods and introductory discounts can be enough to clinch the decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another huge factor here is online reviews. Why? Nearly nine out of ten consumers read reviews before making a purchase<\/strong> (1). To make sure you are getting a steady stream of fresh opinions, a review management<\/a> tool is the way to go. It will not only help to automate the process but will also provide you with valuable analysis that you can use to grow your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Nearly
Is your company getting enough reviews?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Stage 4: Retention <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Remember, the customer journey does not finish as soon as they\u2019ve made their purchase. Research shows that a 5% increase in customer retention can produce more than a 25% increase in profit<\/strong> (2). That\u2019s why it\u2019s essential to keep the contact going at this stage of the customer journey. But how?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Surveys<\/a> are an essential part of the retention stage for any business. They are a fantastic way to get honest opinions from your customers and the insights you need to make sure they stick around. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Metrics like the Customer Effort Score (CES)<\/a> or Net Promoter Score (NPS)<\/a> are a great indicator of customer loyalty and are really easy to implement. If you want to read more about these and other key metrics, you can have a read of our handy article: How to measure customer satisfaction KPI: NPS, CSAT, CES, & CLI<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just bear in mind that to see real change, you not only have to collect customer feedback but also act on it! Individual follow-ups to any issues that arise can go a long way in turning things around. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"A
Customer retention is a huge factor in your company’s success.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

At this stage, keep the focus on strengthening the relationship with your customer and ensuring they have the best possible experience.<\/strong> Do that, and chances are they\u2019ll keep coming back for more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stage 5: Advocacy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This is the stage where happy customers turn into brand advocates! They let others know about their experience by leaving online reviews and generate more business through word of mouth marketing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The core concept at the advocacy stage is creating a community around your brand and making your customers feel appreciated<\/strong>. Of course, not every customer will reach this stage, but those that do are invaluable to your brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The advocacy stage should always include proactive ways of managing customer feedback<\/a>. This means not just collecting customer feedback but also responding to it in a personal and timely way. In other words, show your customers that their opinions really matter!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Incentives are also key here. Personalised rewards, offers and referral programs are all great ways to encourage customers to spread the word. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Customer Journey Stages Work In Practice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s all well and good explaining the customer journey stages, but perhaps now you\u2019re wondering how they really work in practice. Let\u2019s have a look at one together!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take the example we used earlier of someone who wants to plan a trip to Paris. Here is an example of how they may work their way through the customer journey stages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Awareness <\/strong>– They begin by doing a basic online search for \u2018hotels in Paris<\/em>\u2019. They click on a few different links and become aware of some accommodation options. While searching, they also read a few articles on some of the best things to see in Paris and the best neighbourhoods to stay in.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
      \n
    1. Consideration <\/strong>– Following on from their initial search, they decide that they want to stay in a hotel in the Montmartre neighbourhood. Ideally they would like to stay somewhere with a hotel bar that offers breakfast as part of the rate. With this in mind, they begin to narrow down their options, comparing amenities, prices and reviews.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
        \n
      1. Decision – <\/strong>The guest finds two hotels that fit their needs. The prices are almost exactly the same, so they take a closer look at the reviews for each. Option A has good reviews, but the latest is from several months ago and so they\u2019re not sure how relevant it is. Option B, on the other hand, consistently gets good reviews, with one left as recently as last week. Because of this, the guest makes the decision to book option B.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
          \n
        1. Retention –<\/strong> The guest has a great stay at the hotel. They can check in easily online, make requests to the front desk straight from their device, and the service and amenities exceed their expectations. They are offered a 5% discount on their next stay and feel happy about booking again for their next stay in Paris.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
            \n
          1. Advocacy<\/strong> – When they get home they receive an invitation from the hotel to leave an online review, which they do gladly. Back at work the following week, their colleagues ask them about their trip and they tell them all about the hotel and how excellent it was. One particular colleague was thinking about planning a trip themselves, and asks them for a link to the hotel website where they later make a booking.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

            Customer Journey Stages Vs Customer Touchpoints<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

            When looking at the customer journey, you may also come across the phrase customer touchpoints. While the phrases sound similar, there is a key difference between the two that it\u2019s important to understand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Customer touchpoints are the individual interactions that someone has with your company during<\/em> each customer journey stage. For example, in our hotel example, touchpoints might include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n