Do you understand your Customer Journey?

In today's highly competitive PBSA markets, understanding your customers' journey is crucial to providing exceptional service and creating meaningful interactions. A customer journey is the process a consumer goes through when interacting with your brand, from first awareness to post-commitment engagement. Assessing this journey allows you to identify pain points, streamline processes and ultimately improve conversion rates and customer satisfaction. Here's how to assess and optimise the customer journey:

1. Map Out the Entire Customer Journey

Start by creating a detailed map of the customer journey from the first touchpoint (awareness) to post-commitment. The stages typically include:

- Awareness: The customer first learns about your PBSA brand.

- Consideration: They start exploring accommodation options, comparing products and added value.

- Purchase: The decision-making stage, where the customer makes a commitment and signs a tenancy agreement.

- Retention: Post-stay, where efforts are made to rebook the client.

- Advocacy: The stage where satisfied customers become brand advocates.

Each stage involves unique interactions and experiences that need to be assessed for optimisation.

2. Leverage Data and Analytics

Utilise data from various sources like Google Analytics, CRM tools, social media, and customer surveys to understand how customers move through these stages. Key metrics to track include:

- Drop-off points: Where do customers leave or abandon the journey?

- Conversion rates: How many customers proceed from one stage to the next?

- Customer sentiment: What do customers feel during each interaction?

These insights will help you pinpoint friction points and opportunities for improvement.

3. Listen to Your Customers

Engage with customers directly through surveys, Student Crowd, interviews and feedback forms. Social media monitoring and customer reviews can also provide valuable qualitative insights. By listening to their concerns and suggestions, you can identify areas of frustration or confusion that may not be apparent through data alone.

4. Analyse Touchpoints Across Channels

Today’s customers interact with brands through various channels: websites, social media, mobile apps, emails and in-property experiences. Assessing how customers engage with your brand across these touchpoints will give you a holistic view of their journey. Ensure a consistent, seamless experience across all platforms to avoid gaps in communication or user experience.

5. Personalise the Experience

Customers expect tailored experiences. Using data to personalise your interactions - such as dynamic email content or personalised landing pages can increase customer satisfaction and drive loyalty. Personalised journeys are more likely to convert leads into long-term customers.

6. Optimise for Mobile

With more customers using mobile devices, optimising the mobile experience is non-negotiable. Ensure that your website, emails, and other touchpoints are mobile-friendly. Test how users interact with your brand on mobile and make adjustments based on the insights you gain.

7. Use Automation and AI for Efficiency

Incorporating automation and AI tools can streamline the customer journey assessment process. For example, automated follow-up emails, chatbots for customer support, or AI-driven content recommendations can help maintain engagement and reduce friction.

8. Monitor Post-Commitment Experience

The customer journey doesn’t end after commitment. Assess pre arrival experiences, such as arrival communications, customer support and how easily customers can return or gain information or ask questions. A positive post-commitment experience can turn one client into three through recommendation and referral.

9. Iterate and Improve Continuously

The customer journey is not a one-time assessment; it’s an ongoing process. Regularly collect data, listen to customer feedback, and refine your journey map. Small tweaks can have a big impact on customer satisfaction and retention.

By thoroughly assessing and optimising the customer journey, businesses can create meaningful and lasting relationships with their clients. It's about understanding the emotional and rational drivers at every stage of the journey and continuously improving the experience. When done right, a well-mapped and optimised customer journey leads to greater brand loyalty, higher conversion rates, and improved client retention.

If you would like to chat to me about your customer journey then please reach out, a fresh eyes approach during this crucial period in the leasing cycle can make all the difference!

Email: claire@claireprestonconsultancy.com

Telephone: +44 7912145326