When was the last time you tried out your consumer sales journey?
When was the last time you mystery-shopped your own business?
I recently posed this question to a startup team during a strategy session. Their response? A few awkward looks and the admission that the leadership team hadn't done this for a while. They'd invested thousands in ads, meticulously crafting their message and visual identity. However, a crucial element was missing: no one had actually experienced their full customer journey from an outsider's perspective.
The result? High bounce rates. Unclear next steps. Lost sales opportunities. This scenario is more common than you might think. In fact, a 2023 McKinsey study shows that a strategy focused on enhancing the customer experience, especially for your existing customer base, can deliver breakthrough growth, with CX leaders achieving more than twice the revenue growth of their peers.
Your digital touch-points are your modern storefront. In today's digital-first world, every click, scroll, and interaction shapes perceptions and influences decisions.
Want to boost conversions and create loyal customers? Start by auditing your own customer journey
1. Be your own customer
- Sign up for your service or purchase your product
- Use incognito mode to simulate a new user experience
- Take notes on your emotional reactions at each step
2. Document every step
- Create a detailed flowchart of the entire process
- Include all possible paths and decision points
- Note the time spent on each step
3. Identify friction points
- Look for moments of confusion or frustration
- Check for consistency in messaging and branding
- Evaluate the mobile experience separately
4. Test, refine, repeat
- Implement changes based on your findings
- A/B test critical elements like CTAs and landing pages
- Continuously gather and analyse user feedback
Remember: A seamless journey converts curiosity into cash. But more importantly, it builds trust and creates brand advocates.
In my experience working with growth-stage companies, even small tweaks can yield significant results. One client saw a 10% increase in form completions simply by restructuring their signup flow based on user behaviour data.
Keen to optimise your customer journey?
Watch my webinar with Enterprise Nation and Vodafone Business on how to build a customer journey that converts.