Customer journey: what is it and what are its phases
Since the advent of the Internet and online commerce, the customer relationship with establishments has experienced a metamorphosis. Within this transformation, it is important to know the path that users follow until they become loyal, and this is where today’s topic comes into play: the customer journey. In this article we tell you what it is, what its phases are and how it helps us to improve the customer experience on our website.
What is the customer journey?
It refers to the process that a customer or user goes through from the moment they are aware that they need a product until they purchase it. But why is it important to know the customer journey?
Advantages of the customer journey
- Improvement of your weak points: by knowing the customer journey of your clients, you will know at which points they tend to abandon the purchase process. This will allow you to reinforce these phases in order to improve your conversion rate.
- Provide personalised offers: if you know your different buyer personas perfectly (i.e. the profile of your ideal customer), you will be able to give them what they need. This will allow you to carry out, for example, personalised marketing campaigns.
- Upgrade your customer’s experience: by knowing the customer journey, you will be able to eliminate those steps that may ‘hinder’ the process for your customer.
Phases of the customer journey: examples of a real process
The customer journey in the purchasing process has several phases, ranging from the awareness they need of a product to purchasing and using it. Below, we list the most common stages of any customer journey, using the example of a customer who wants to make a hotel reservation:
Awareness-raising phase
At this stage, the customer is aware that they have a problem and need a solution. In our example, we would be talking about a person who is thinking about a weekend getaway. He has been thinking about it for several days until he has finally made the decision. Once he has decided on the destination and transport, one last problem remains: finding a hotel.
It is at this phase when the customer starts to look at the different options available for him. From the point of view of organisations and businesses, advertising their offers can be the gateway for these customers to evaluate their options.
Consideration phase
Here, the customer, who has already done some research to find out about the different options that solve his problem, starts to compare them in order to choose the one that best suits his needs. He can take into account several factors: price, other users’ opinions, service conditions, etc. In our example, the customer will take into account the hotels located in the place where he will go on a getaway, the price of the room per night, if breakfast is included, if it has a private bathroom or if it has a good quality-price ratio according to users who have already stayed there.
To attract customers at this stage, companies will need to include services or features that differentiate them from the competition.
Acquisition or purchase phase
The customer has already chosen the option that best suits his needs and is ready to make the purchase. In the example we are dealing with, the customer opts to enter the hotel’s website, type in the dates and choose the accommodation plan he is interested in. He then proceeds to pay for the reservation thanks to a payment gateway that allows him to make the purchase without having to exit the process. Then, he receives the receipt of his reservation in his email, with the most important details of his stay.
With regard to companies, it is important at this stage to facilitate the process so that it can be done as quickly as possible. In addition, in the event of a transaction, you will need to ensure that it is completely secure and reliable. In addition, the customer journey also helps you to identify the most frequently used sales channels and, therefore, those that need to be reinforced.
Usage phase
The customer journey does not end once the purchase has been made. Now it is time for the customer to use the product or service to check that it has indeed met their expectations. In our example, the user goes away for a weekend and stays at the hotel he has chosen. He expects to get the deal and the features he was promised when he opted for it.
If the purchase is successful, the customer journey will have been successful. However, if the customer feels that their expectations have not been met, the company will have to try to provide a solution and, ultimately, a refund of any money they may have paid.
Feedback phase
Finally, the customer journey is considered closed when the customer has given our company a positive review. In our example, after their stay at the hotel, the customer receives an email encouraging them to leave a review, which they do. This will help to increase the reputation of the establishment and, therefore, improve its chances of being chosen again.
Conclusion
As we have seen, establishments and companies will have to adjust their strategy at each stage of the customer journey. In doing so, you will ensure that you reach your audience in the right way, that they are satisfied with the purchase and, therefore, that they become recurring customers.
A successful customer journey will help to ensure that the user experience with the entity is the right one. Regarding this experience, Book The City offers its appointment management service, something that can serve as an incentive to use a product again. For example, if a dental clinic has an efficient appointment process, customers will see it as a plus to return to it, even if it is not decisive.
If you want to start improving this experience, start using Book The City to increase your conversion rate.
