Have you ever managed departments who point the finger at others, passing the buck, rejecting responsibility and accountability? Of course you have. As organizational structures gain in size, siloes begin to take hold, even at the smallest groupings of employees allocating responsibilities and tasks.
Seldom does a challenge or problem lie with only one element of a company – research shows that the most effective paths to a solution are often diagnosed from the customer perspective, then solved from the ground up by groups of team members.
By applying a perspective that encourages innovation and problem solving from every employee who engages and connects with the public, we create effective solutions that are owned by those who will execute them, transforming a corporate culture to one of active engagement.
Customer Journey mapping creates a strategic AND tactical tool that shares ownership of the customer experience across all levels, helping individual employees understand their role in the complicated environment of a business; and owning the areas of their responsibility. That is why it is such a vital part of the Ignite Strategies analytical process.
Optimizing a single customer journey is tactical; shifting organizational processes, culture, and mind-sets to a journey orientation is strategic and transformational. Journey-based transformations are not easy, and they may take years to perfect. But the reward is higher customer and employee satisfaction, increased revenue, and lower costs. Delivering successful journeys brings about an operational and cultural shift that engages the organization across functions and from top to bottom, generating excitement, innovation, and a focus on continuous improvement. It creates a culture that’s hard to build otherwise, and a true competitive advantage goes to companies that get it right.
