Customer journey mapping allows marketers to better understand – and so improve – the customer experience. This chapter considers the origins of the practice and its new relevance as digital transforms the customer journey, making them exponentially more complicated. It covers:
- Moments of truth: The then CEO of SAS Jan Gösta Carlzon brought the idea of ‘moments of truth’ into marketing consciousness in the 1980s, advocating the view that this collection of ‘moments’ with the customer would determine whether the airline succeeded or failed. How has customer experience management evolved since then, and what principles are still important today?
- The opportunity: Research continues to link good customer experiences with business success. What is the role of customer experience mapping in nurturing the brand-customer relationship, and why are more organisations using maps than ever before?
- The impact of digital: Digital and internet technology including apps, marketplaces, social media and search engines have revolutionised the customer journey, while disruptive tech such as AI and augmented reality will continue to change the space. What do marketers need to know about these technologies, and which digital platforms can help manage them and the new touchpoints they create?