In the last couple of years, more and more companies have been investing in Customer Relationship Management (CRM). CRM is an effective way of improving the customer experience. The main objective of CRM is to develop a strong relationship with the customers. It can be defined as a strategy that aims at creating a positive experience with customers. This strategy also helps in building customer loyalty. CRM is basically used by companies to improve customer service and enhance customer satisfaction.

The customer journey is the path followed by a customer from first interaction till the end of the transaction. In this journey, there are various touch points where the customer interacts with the company. The first touch point is the initial contact with the company. This may be a phone call or a letter. The next step would be to interact with the sales person or the customer service representative. Then comes the actual sale. After the sale, the customer will receive the product and then he will have to go through the post purchase experience.

Nowadays, the customer journey has become extremely important. Most of the companies have realized the importance of the customer journey. Hence, they have started using various marketing strategies to improve their customer experience.

Companies are now realizing that it is not enough to just focus on the customer during the initial contact. They need to build a good relationship with the customer. This is done by creating a good customer experience. So, companies need to understand the customer journey and use it to create a better experience for the customer.

Let us discuss some of the key points of the customer journey.

1) Initial Contact

Most of the customers make their first contact with the company through the phone. There are various ways of making the initial contact. Some of the most common ways include:

  • Phone calls
  • E-mails
  • Direct mailers
  • SMS

2) Sales Person

After the initial contact, the customer may move to the sales person. This is a very important stage in the customer journey. At this stage, the customer needs to understand what the company offers and how it can benefit him. The sales person should provide all the information regarding the product. He should also explain about the features and benefits of the product.

3) Post Purchase Experience

After the sales, the customer will have to go through the entire process of receiving the product. At this stage, the company will have to explain to the customer about the post purchase experience. This includes the warranty period, the return policy, the shipping details etc.

4) Feedback

After the customer has received the product, he will have to provide feedback. The company will need to understand the customer’s experience at this stage. This is a very important part of the customer journey. If the customer is happy with the product, then he will be satisfied with the company’s services.

5) Loyalty Program

Most of the companies offer some kind of loyalty program. This is one of the best ways to retain the customers. The companies can give rewards to the customers who are loyal to them.

6) Next Order

Some of the companies offer special discounts and coupons to the customers who order regularly. This helps the customers to buy products at discounted prices.