Customer journey mapping is a critical part of consumer insights programs, no matter the industry. Our CEO and Founder, Matt Kleinschmidt, writes for Total Retail about how the retail industry can modernize their approach to this important task to better understand shoppers. His article, called "Mastering customer journey mapping: strategies for modern retailers," explores how retailers can ensure their own insights programs "hit the sweet spot."

In the article, Matt emphasizes the importance of understanding the various ways shoppers engage with brands today.Consumers interact with brands through numerous channels and retailers need to have a comprehensive understanding of these engagements. Traditional customer journey mapping methods may be outdated and insufficient in capturing the dynamic nature of today's consumer behavior.

Exploring shopping journeys, pathways and engagements

Matt writes that many retailers rely on static or point-in-time research methods, which can lead to gaps in understanding and siloed information. Modern customer journey mapping should leverage mobile technology to engage consumers where they are. By using mobile-first, conversational research, retailers can gather data in real-time, capturing emotional and contextual insights that traditional methods might miss. 

He writes: “A conversational research approach can blend qualitative, quantitative, video, and artificial intelligence to capture emotional and contextual insights efficiently — all in a chat-powered ecosystem.”

Pillars of effective customer journey maps in retail

Matt shares 4 key things retailers need to have to understand the shopping journey: 

1. Identify key drivers behind consumer journeys, and that understanding the initial motivations and emotions that lead consumers to engage with a brand is foundational. This requires a blend of quantitative, qualitative, and observational methodologies to capture a full picture of consumer behavior.

Matt writes, “With mobile chat-based technology, people tend to open up because they’re participating in a fun interface where they share their authentic feelings. It’s a powerful way to understand the emotions and the context for entering the purchase journey.”

2. Understand common pathways to prioritize efforts for reaching consumers at critical points along the journey. He suggests that using a blend of accessible techniques, in a conversational environment, can help engage with “shoppers while they’re out and about” and empowers researchers with a “full picture of what’s happening, arming brand and retail teams with invaluable data.”

3. Similarly, he writes that it is important to identify pain points along the customer journey. He shares an example where optimizing an e-commerce journey for a CPG leader resulted in significant sales increases. By understanding and addressing triggers and blockers, retailers can improve the overall consumer experience and drive better business results.

4. Ensure that the insights gained from journey mapping lead to actionable deliverables. Matt advises tailoring communication of these insights to different functional teams within an organization to ensure they are used effectively. Sharing video feedback and humanizing the journey can inspire teams to take action and improve consumer engagement.

Finally, a comprehensive journey mapping program should consider the entire journey, including post-purchase behaviors.

“The work is never done, but engaging and re-engaging your audience via a recognizable medium like mobile chat can help you build authentic, ongoing understanding,” Matt concludes.

Read the complete article here: https://www.mytotalretail.com/article/mastering-customer-journey-mapping-strategies-for-modern-retailers/ 

Need help with your consumer journey mapping program? We can help.