The Art of Crafting A Distinct Customer Journey: A RevOps Strategist's Perspective on Maximizing Customer Success

Introduction:

As a professional Agency RevOps Strategist, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of distinguishing between the buyer's journey and the customer's journey.

In our #RevOpsLife series, we've previously explored the buyer's journey and now it's time to dive deep into the post-purchase customer journey.

This separation is crucial in maximizing value, improving customer satisfaction, and reducing churn rates.

The Four Key Areas of the Customer Journey:

1. Order Complete
2. Onboarding
3. Consumption/Utilization
4. Renewal

While the order completion and onboarding stages are standardized in their nature, they must be tailored to each organizations unique value proposition to ensure what was sold is delivered right out of the gate, however, the greatest challenge and opportunity for differentiation resides in the consumption/utilization stages.

It's here that reducing time to value becomes critical, requiring organizations to segment the journey into well-defined time zones that mirror the feelings that the customer is experiencing.

Example: A Comprehensive Post-Purchase Customer Journey for a SaaS Organization:

Let's consider a SaaS company as an example. Here's a detailed breakdown of a typical post-purchase customer journey:

1: Order Complete:

Ensure a seamless transaction and provide immediate access to the product or service.

2: Onboarding:

Offer personalized, step-by-step guidance to help customers get started, and provide resources for self-service learning or on larger tickets a personalized welcome and onboarding call.

3: Week 1: Time to Value Focus:

Monitor usage and identify any obstacles that may hinder customers from achieving their desired outcomes. Offer targeted support to address these issues.

4: Week 2-4: Utilization Build & Confidence:

Share success stories, best practices, and tips to help customers build confidence in using your product or service. Encourage them to explore new features and functionalities. Send a CSAT (Customer Satisfaction Survey)

5: Month 2: Utilization - Expand Features to Increase the Value of Investment:

Introduce or offer help guides on more advanced or additional features and integrations that enhance customers' experiences and create opportunities for upselling and cross-selling later down the road in their journey. Send a CSAT (Customer Satisfaction Survey)

6: Month 3: Utilization - Create Product Champions:

Identify power users and nurture them into becoming advocates for your product or service. Offer incentives for referrals and testimonials. Send an NPS (Net Promoter Score Survey)

7: Quarter 2: Utilization - Build Advocacy & Cross-sells:

Engage with customers through webinars, events, and online communities to foster loyalty and encourage advocacy. Promote complementary products and services to expand your customers' solutions portfolio. Send monthly CSAT and Quarterly NPS Scores.

8: Quarter 3: Utilization - Build Advocacy and Referrals:

Continue to strengthen customer relationships and reward loyal customers with exclusive offers, early access to new features, and other benefits. Send monthly CSAT and Quarterly NPS Scores.

9: Quarter 4: Utilization - Renewal: 

Proactively address potential concerns and demonstrate the ongoing value of your product or service. Showcase how renewing their subscription or contract can deliver even greater benefits. Send monthly CSAT and Renewal Communications.

Key Questions to Ask & Refine Each Stage of Your Customers Journey:

To truly excel in each stage of your defined customer journey, consider the following questions with the key stakeholders in your team:

1: How are customers feeling at this particular point?

Example: During the onboarding phase, customers may feel overwhelmed by the amount of new information and unfamiliar features. To address this, provide clear and concise documentation, interactive tutorials, and even a dedicated customer success manager to guide them through the process.

2: What actions are customers taking or trying to take?

Example: In the Week 1 Time to Value Focus stage, customers may be attempting to set up and configure their accounts or integrate your product with their existing systems. Observe their actions and offer targeted support, such as detailed guides or personalized assistance, to help them complete these tasks more efficiently.

3: What touchpoints are needed to ensure customers are well-served, gain great value, and build utilization?

Example: In Month 2 Utilization - Expand Features to Increase the Value of Investment, customers might be ready to explore advanced features or integrations. Schedule regular check-ins, webinars, or product demos that showcase these capabilities and provide opportunities for customers to ask questions and receive hands-on support.

4: What friction points can be identified and removed to provide a super-slick experience that reaffirms customers' choice in your solution?

Example: During Quarter 3 Utilization - Build Advocacy and Referrals, customers may experience difficulties navigating your referral program or redeeming their rewards. Streamline the process by simplifying the steps, providing clear instructions, and ensuring timely and efficient reward fulfilment. This will enhance the overall experience and encourage more customers to participate in your referral program.

Brainstorm, Prioritize, and Justify Your Top Answers:

After brainstorming each question, prioritize the top three responses and identify the #1 answer for each question at each stage. 

Encourage your team to justify why their chosen answer is the most effective and determine the customer service enablement assets needed to empower your team to deliver world-class customer service.

Conclusion:

A true RevOps strategy that emphasizes the separation of the buyer and customer journeys ensures that the customer experience remains at the heart of everything you do.

By focusing on each stage of the customer journey, addressing key questions, and optimizing the process, your organization will be better positioned for success in today's competitive landscape where the customer remains the king of the jungle, an apex predator and top of your P&L food chain….if you believe differently you WILL get left behind in today's world where buyer centricity is the only game in town.

If you are a SaaS company that continuously refines its customer journey - you are in a prime position to anticipate and proactively address customer needs at every stage. Continuously learning from real feedback and utilization.

This proactive approach not only increases customer satisfaction but also reduces the likelihood of churn.

When customers feel supported and valued, they are more likely to become advocates for your brand, leading to increased referrals and a stronger market presence.

Understanding and optimizing the separate buyer and customer journeys is a powerful approach to maximizing customer success. It is often combined as one and that's where distortion and lack of focus creep in.

By investing time and resources in refining these experiences, your organization will build stronger customer relationships, improve retention, and fuel growth.

Ready To Transform Your Customer Journey?:

Are you ready to transform your customer journey and maximize the value you deliver to your clients?

Ready to refine your Customer Journey?  book a FREE GamePlan strategy consultation with one of our expert RevOps Strategists!

During this personalized session, our specialist will work closely with you to analyze your current customer journey, identify areas for improvement, and develop a tailored action plan to help you drive customer satisfaction, loyalty, and success.

Unlock your organization's full potential and elevate your customer experience to new heights. Schedule your no-obligation GaPlan strategy consultation today and start your journey towards a more effective and customer-centric approach.