customer journey map

A customer journey map has nothing to do with the German meaning of the word. Rather, the customer journey map is about the way a customer makes contact with a company, how they find out about products and services, and how they are guided through the sales channels and make their purchase decision. The Customer Journey Map also shows communication gaps that can be attributed to devices, sales channels or departments.

There are various models for a customer journey map. Whereby in all models the customer interest is aroused, the information procurement and the product selection up to the purchase are considered. The most important points of a model are the inquiry (Inquiry), the comparison (Comparison), the purchase (Purchase) and the installation. Inquiry is about the general interest of the customer. The customer obtains information about a product or service on the Internet or in social networks, at trade fairs, through product information and advertisements.

The comparison phase is about the customer looking at the product or service in detail and comparing it with competitor products and their functions and characteristics. The comparison phase is about the customer finding the product that best meets his or her requirements, both technically and in terms of cost.

In the purchase phase, the prospect becomes a buyer, where the purchased product or service is installed. And in the installation phase, the installation is completed and the product is fully implemented. This is about long-term customer satisfaction with which the customer is bound to the company.