By Ed Pierce, Fleet Industry Marketer
Customer journey mapping in the B2C world has certainly been turned upside down by the pandemic for B2C business owners. Consumer needs, shopping, and decision-making all have been affected by roadblocks, detours, and searches for new ways to obtain goods and services.
For B2B companies, where there are already layers of decision makers involved in the buying experience, multiple channels to navigate, and complex steps that need to be taken before the sale ever happens, the COVID-19 era customer journey map now looks like a maze with a multitude of closings, alternate routes and dead ends. It is time for a makeover!
Return To the Drawing Board
Even if the journey was working to perfection pre-COVID, companies need to return to the drawing board. How are customers interacting with their sales representatives, services, client services and account teams? How have decision-making, buyer personas, supplier, and budget processes changed your brand’s touch points with a prospect or customer?
Because B2B customer journey mapping depicts how a business can effectively drive sales, matching your solution to the prospect’s or customer’s business needs, your customer-facing teams should be focused on providing customized solutions to meet immediate needs and address long-term opportunities to strengthen the relationship. A smart business will implement to collect, codify and act upon this informal research, having gained better visibility of new ways to position products and services, new processes to meet changing needs, and uncovering new areas for growth.
Reinforces The Personalized Touch For Your Brand
In a business environment of unforeseen, sudden change, the customer journey mapping process ensures reliable, real-time input on your brand from your customers and your front-line employees. Their perspectives will make your brand a beacon for customers seeking a way forward while allowing you to communicate value.
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