Fast-forward to today, and Boden’s Starling Bank isn’t just thriving – it’s a key player in the financial world, crowned the UK’s best bank four years running. The secret? Ripping up the old customer journey playbook and designing a fresh, intuitive path for modern users. Anne Boden didn’t just tweak a few processes; she completely reimagined the system and started a movement. And it all began with rethinking the customer journey.
So, let’s start from the top. What exactly is a customer journey, and why should you care? More importantly, how can you leverage tools to create a journey that goes beyond expectations? Let’s find out.
What is a customer journey, really?
The customer journey is a sequence of touchpoints that begins even before a person becomes a customer. It starts with brand awareness, progressing to a purchase, and ideally, culminating in lasting loyalty. By analysing and optimizing this journey, businesses gain insights into their customers’ experiences, enabling them to enhance every interaction along the way.
In a world where trust is harder to earn than ever, optimizing every single touchpoint isn’t optional – it’s the difference between being the brand people rave about – or the one they ghost.
Why does it matter?
Here’s why mastering your customer journey is critical.
1. Retention is the new acquisition
Acquiring new customers is expensive – up to five times more costly than retaining existing ones. A well-crafted customer journey ensures satisfaction and fosters loyalty, turning one-time buyers into repeat customers. Loyal customers spend more, refer others, and act as advocates for your brand.
2. Experience is the ultimate differentiator
Products and services can be copied, but a stellar experience is unique to your brand. In fact, 73% of customers say that experience is a key factor in their purchasing decisions. When you prioritize the customer journey, you’re doing more than just selling a product – you’re delivering value and building trust.
3. Revenue follows relationships
A seamless, engaging customer journey directly impacts your bottom line. Studies show that brands with a good customer experience can increase revenue by 2–7%. Every interaction – from the first click to post-purchase follow-ups – can be optimized to drive conversions and revenue.
4. Customer journeys give out valuable inputs
Your customer journey is a goldmine of data. Tracking behaviours, preferences, and pain points provides invaluable insights to refine your strategy. This data helps you predict future trends, personalize interactions, and stay ahead of the competition.
Key elements of the customer journey
Here are the elements to be mastered to create an unforgettable experience.
1. Awareness
This is where it all begins. How do potential customers discover your brand? It could be through an ad, a social media post, or a recommendation from a friend. Effective SEO, well-targeted advertisements, and a strong online presence can ensure your brand gets noticed. The goal here is to spark curiosity and make a memorable first impression.
2. Consideration
At this stage, customers are evaluating their options. What makes your brand stand out? High-quality, personalized content such as case studies, testimonials, and engaging product demonstrations can make all the difference. Stellar reviews and competitive advantages should shine here, to build confidence in your offering.
3. Purchase
This is the make-or-break moment. Is the buying process smooth, intuitive, and secure? A seamless checkout process with multiple payment options can significantly reduce cart abandonment rates. Eliminate unnecessary friction – because even the smallest hiccup can send customers running to your competitors.
4. Post-purchase
The journey doesn’t end when the transaction is complete. Post-purchase is your chance to turn a customer into a loyal advocate. Strategies like personalized thank-you emails, proactive customer support, and loyalty programs keep customers engaged and coming back for more. This stage is also crucial for gathering feedback to refine future interactions.
Here’s a visual breakdown of a customer journey mapping, highlighting key touchpoints, essential stages, and the channels that shape the experience.
How to create an exceptional customer journey
It’s time to create a strategy that’s data-driven, customer-centric, and tech-empowered. Here’s how to make it happen.
1. Understand your customers inside and out
Before you design anything, you need to know who you’re designing for. Gather insights about your customers – what motivates them, what frustrates them, and what they value most. Use surveys, analytics, and interviews to get a crystal-clear picture of their needs.
Actionable steps:
- Develop buyer personas: Create detailed profiles representing your ideal customers, including demographics, pain points, and behaviours.
- Listen actively: Pay attention to social media comments, support tickets, and feedback forms to understand your audience’s real-time needs.
2. Map the journey, from start to finish
A journey map is your blueprint. It visualizes every interaction a customer has with your brand, from discovery to loyalty. Don’t sugarcoat it – be honest about where the gaps and pain points are.
Actionable steps:
- List all touchpoints: Identify every place your customers interact with your brand. It could be ads, websites, apps, support teams, among others.
- Assess the flow: Map out how customers move from one stage to the next. Are there bottlenecks or unnecessary friction?
- Use tools to simulate the journey: Low-code platforms can quickly help you prototype and test improved workflows without overhauling your entire system.
3. Prioritize personalization
Today’s customers expect experiences that feel tailored to them, but there’s a fine line between helpful and intrusive. Use the data you’ve gathered to create meaningful interactions at every stage of the user journey.
Actionable steps:
- Segment your audience: Group customers based on shared characteristics and preferences to deliver more relevant experiences.
- Automate smart recommendations: Tools like Salesforce AI can recommend products or services based on past behaviours therefore increasing conversion rates.
- Keep it real-time: Personalization works best when it’s immediate – whether it’s a dynamic email, custom landing page, or in-app message.
4. Streamline processes for speed and simplicity
Customers are impatient. If they hit a roadblock, they’ll move on. Simplify every step of the journey, from discovery to post-purchase, to keep them engaged.
Actionable steps:
- Eliminate unnecessary steps: Audit your processes and remove redundancies. For instance, cut down on the number of clicks needed to make a purchase.
- Integrate systems seamlessly: Use custom software to connect your CRM, e-commerce platform, and communication tools for a frictionless experience.
- Offer self-service options: Let customers solve simple issues on their own with FAQs, chatbots, or an intuitive help center.
5. Gather feedback and iterate continuously
Your user journey is a breathing system that requires constant attention. Collect feedback regularly and use it to refine the experience.
Actionable steps:
- Monitor customer satisfaction: Use surveys like NPS (Net Promoter Score) to gauge how happy your customers are.
- Track KPIs: Keep an eye on metrics like conversion rates, churn rates, and average resolution times to spot issues early.
- Test and optimize: Run A/B tests on different touchpoints to see what works best and adjust accordingly.
6. Future-proof your journey
Technology and customer expectations change rapidly. Ensure your journey evolves by building a framework that’s flexible, scalable, and ready to adapt.
Actionable steps:
- Adopt omnichannel strategies: Create a unified experience across all channels, from apps to in-store touchpoints.
- Use predictive analytics: Data is the fuel that drives a future-ready customer journey. Leverage data tools like Salesforce to anticipate customer needs and act proactively.
- Invest in scalable technology: Build custom software that can grow with your business without requiring constant reinvention.
Time to transform: where do you start?
Creating a fast, flexible, and future-ready customer journey is a necessity. And the best part? You don’t have to do it alone.
At Near Partner, we specialize in crafting customer journeys that deliver real results. Whether through cutting-edge software development, intuitive low-code platforms, or Salesforce consultancy, we have the expertise to help you:
Because when your customer journey thrives, so does your business. Let’s talk.
