Content Type:

Glossary

Journey Mapping Definition

Journey mapping is a tool companies use to help document the customer experience from their own perspective. It documents the experience from initial contact, through the process of engagement and into a long-term relationship. The goal is to understand the customer’s greater motivation, What they wish to achieve and their expectations of the company.

Journey mapping is a tool that marketing and business professionals use to help document customer experience from their own perspective. 

The process documents the experiences of customers from initial contact, through the process of engagement and into a long-term relationship. Journeys often are non-linear and may include loops, re-entry, dropouts, etc. A journey map visually illustrates and analyzes the entire customer journey or experience with a brand, product or service. It is data driven, combining quant, qual, behavioral analytics, etc., and involves tracking and mapping the touchpoints, interactions and emotions that a customer goes through from their initial awareness to the final purchase and beyond. The goal is to understand customer motivation, what they wish to achieve and their expectations of the company. 

Journey mapping offers a holistic view of the customer experience. It goes beyond isolated interactions and considers the end-to-end process. It's a powerful tool for staying competitive in a market where customer satisfaction is a key differentiator.

Who relies on journey mapping?

Journey mapping is used by such business and marketing professionals as product developers, customer service departments and senior management - including but not limited to cross-functional teams (e.g., UX, customer support, operations). Essentially, anyone involved in improving customer experiences and optimizing marketing strategies can benefit from journey mapping insights. 

Why should I care about journey mapping?

Journey mapping provides insights into customer experiences and emotions. Understanding the customer journey allows business and marketing professionals to identify areas of friction, delight and missed opportunities. The goal is to enhance customer satisfaction, increase loyalty and drive better business results, as journey mapping encourages customer-centric thinking, aligns teams around common goals and fosters data-driven decision-making.

How has technology changed journey mapping?

Modern journey mapping integrates digital analytics, AI and machine learning to analyze customer behavior at scale. These tools help researchers identify hidden patterns, unmet needs and emotional drivers.