S5 | 418: Better Customer Journey Mapping with Percy Rose, Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Digital StrategyTechnologyConversational AI

Sep 11

About the Episode

Today we’re going to talk about why customer journey mapping matters, and how it can improve customer loyalty, and drive other customer and business outcomes.

To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Percy Rose, Customer Success Strategy Executive, Hewlett Packard Enterprise.

About Percy Rose

Percy Rose is a Customer Success Leader at Hewlett Packard Enterprise where he is responsible for driving strategic improvements in their multi-billion dollar services portfolio based on insights gained from the voice of the customer. Through outcome engineering and customer journey mapping, Percy helps HPE connect the dots between what the company offers, what customers value most, and the strategic transformation initiatives needed to bridge any gaps. He is an outside-in thinker who believes that delivering value for the customer as well constantly improving the ease of doing business is at the core of increasing customer retention rates.. Percy is a passionate leader who is committed to enabling business outcomes for his customer through HPE products and services.

Prior to joining HPE, Percy worked at Accenture where he gained an expertise leading complex global SAP systems integration programs for Fortune 500 clients. As a seasoned account leader, he has extensive experience working internationally with customers in England, Sweden, France, and Germany. Percy received his BA of Communications and Broadcast Journalism degree from University of Notre Dame in 1997.

Resources

Hewlett Packard Enterprise website: https://www.hpe.com

The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcast

Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/

For consulting on marketing technology, customer experience, and more visit GK5A: https://www.gk5a.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems.Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow

The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

Synopsis

In this episode, the guest speaker emphasizes the crucial role of gathering customer data and understanding their goals and desired outcomes in order to create a successful customer journey map. They stress the importance of conducting persona work and gathering strong intelligence about the customers before starting the mapping process. This includes understanding the key individuals in the tech industry such as heads of infrastructure and operations, CTOs, and CIOs. By understanding their goals, how they are measured, and their desired outcomes, organizations can engage in meaningful conversations with customers and gather the necessary information.

The guest speaker also highlights the need to directly communicate with customers rather than relying solely on survey data. They believe that simply collecting survey data is insufficient and that skipping the step of talking to customers is a significant oversight in the customer journey mapping process. By engaging in conversations with customers, organizations can gain valuable insights into their experiences and preferences, which can then be used to create an accurate and effective customer journey map.

Overall, the episode emphasizes that gathering customer data and understanding their goals and desired outcomes is critical for successful customer journey mapping. This information allows organizations to create a customer journey map that not only accurately reflects the customer experience but also provides insights into why customers continue to do business with the organization or choose to expand their business with them.

According to the episode, the ideal output of a customer journey map should clearly demonstrate the current state of the ability to retain and expand with customers. This means that the map should provide a clear understanding of whether customers are choosing to continue doing business with the company or if they are interested in expanding their business with the company. The map should also identify the specific areas of the customer's journey and experience that are making the biggest difference in these retention and expansion numbers.

To achieve this ideal output, the speaker suggests starting with metrics such as renewal rates, net retention rates, and bottom line numbers to determine how well the company is currently performing with its customers. From there, the map should work backwards to identify the areas that are impacting these numbers the most. This could involve analyzing customer needs and identifying any gaps in meeting those needs. The map should clearly state which areas are impacting the numbers and where there are opportunities for improvement.

In essence, the ideal output of a customer journey map is not just a process document outlining the steps customers take, but rather a strategic document that provides insights into why customers are choosing to continue or expand their business with the company. It should highlight areas where the company can deliver more value to its customers and address any gaps in meeting customer needs.

The inclusion of the customer voice in the mapping process is crucial for linking it to financials and understanding the reasons why a customer will continue to do business with a company. The transcript highlights the importance of directly talking to customers rather than relying solely on survey data or internal discussions. By conducting interviews with customers, companies can gather valuable information that can inform the customer journey mapping process.

The podcast emphasizes that gathering survey data is not enough and that skipping the step of talking to customers is a major oversight in the mapping process. The interviews provide insights into the customers' experiences, emotions, and perspectives, which are essential for understanding the impact on their overall journey.

Including the customer voice in the mapping process is crucial for linking it to financials. By understanding how emotions and experiences impact various stages of the customer journey, companies can identify areas where improvements can lead to better financial outcomes. This includes the onboarding process, purchasing experience, and support process. By integrating financials into the journey maps, companies can gain buy-in from senior leadership and demonstrate the direct linkage between customer experience and financial success.

When it comes to who should be involved in the mapping process, the podcast suggests a balanced approach. While it is important to have the right people with diverse perspectives, it is also important not to overcrowd the room. The podcast mentions including representatives from different organizations such as marketing, sales, delivery, customer success, pricing, and finance. This ensures a comprehensive view of the customer journey and allows for collaboration and alignment across different departments.

Overall, including the customer voice in the mapping process is essential for understanding the impact on financials and the reasons why customers will continue to do business with a company. It provides valuable insights and helps align the organization's efforts towards improving the customer experience.