Customer Experience

insight6 Surrey Acquired by Paul Matthews

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insight6 Surrey

Customer experience specialist Paul Matthews is expanding his insight6 franchise by purchasing a neighbouring territory, Surrey.


Battle-based, Paul has been building insight6 in Sussex since 2015, turning it into a thriving
customer experience (CX) consultancy. Working with 70 local businesses, including high-
profile clients across the leisure, hospitality, retail and professional service industries, Paul
has increased turnover by 550%.


insight6 provides businesses with first-hand insights into the customer’s experience utilising
its world-class research tool instantinsight, mystery shopping programmes and customer
journey analysis.

“I am thrilled to be taking the next step in growing my business. Investing in a new region was a big step against the backdrop of uncertain economic times, however, the need for businesses to fully understand their customers has never been higher, and enquiries have already increased during the first month of 2024.”

– Paul Matthews, insight6 Sussex and Surrey

Paul bought his first insight6 franchise after experiencing the benefits as a client whilst
working in the leisure industry. Regarding his professional background and new franchise territory, Paul said:

insight6 Surrey: Paul Matthews

“I spent 19 years working in the leisure sector managing high-end health clubs, and monitoring and improving customer experience was always a key part of my roles. CX was always a top priority in my previous role, and I invested a lot in measuring and improving CX. Having been an insight6 client for many years, when the opportunity to buy the Sussex arm of the business arose, it was the ideal opportunity for me to go out on my own and help other businesses.”

Surrey is an established and profitable region for insight6. The previous owner, Jim
Smith will retire after building up the business over the last 15 years. He said:


“Having joined the company in 2009, then known as ‘Shopper Anonymous’, I’ve built up a fantastic client base and become a trusted business partner over the years. Helping a business improve and achieve its goals is rewarding, and I’ve enjoyed every minute. Paul is a fantastic CX Specialist, and I know businesses across Surrey will be excited to work with him as I head off into retirement.”


Paul added: “I look forward to building new relationships across Surrey and forging strong partnerships that drive success for all involved.”


If your business needs to understand its customers better or improve the experience, you
can contact Paul Matthews directly at paul.matthews@insight6.com or 07710 394729.

CX Trends 2024: Top 6 Customer Experience Predictions

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CX Trends 2024 - Augmented and Virtual Reality Experiences

Step into the future of Customer Experience (CX) Trends 2024! Businesses face a pivotal challenge: to elevate their customer experience strategies. Staying ahead requires proactive preparation. Join us as we explore six upcoming CX trends that are reshaping the landscape of how businesses interact with their customers.

Table of contents:

Top 6 CX Trends for 2024

#1 Hyper-personalisation becomes standard 

In 2024, hyper-personalisation will take centre stage. Companies are diving deep into customisation by leveraging the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data analytics to offer highly tailored experiences. From personalised product recommendations to individualised marketing strategies, those who don’t will risk trailing behind those who have a better understanding of their brand through the customer’s eyes. To stay on top, employing customer journey mapping will be critical, allowing you to easily identify opportunities that enable you to provide exceptional customer experiences where it matters most. 

#2: AI integration as CX Trend in 2024

We believe Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be further utilised by businesses to seamlessly integrate into customer experiences. We expect to see more advanced use of chatbots, voice assistants, and predictive analytics. This means that AI won’t merely handle routine inquiries but will be able to predict customer needs, providing proactive assistance in real-time – without putting any extra burden on existing resources. We can see this most keenly in one of insight6’s long-time partners, Moneypenny, who’ve perfected the art of giving businesses large or small brilliant people superpowered by technology, to capture every opportunity and deliver outstanding service on your behalf.

#3: Ethical CX and privacy concerns 

With increased data collection and personalisation, ethical customer experience practices and data privacy will be put firmly in the spotlight. Companies will need to transparently communicate how they use customer data, ensuring processes align with evolving privacy regulations. Recent insights from the Institute of Customer Service’s recent Satisfaction Report show that more than half of the organisations in the UKCSI have received lower customer satisfaction than they did a year ago. Highlighting the growing importance of prioritising ethical practices when it comes to ensuring a satisfactory customer experience.  

#4: Virtual and Augmented Reality Transformations 

Forbes predicts that AR and VR will enhance customer experiences in 2024. They’ll also boost business visibility in competitive markets, leading to higher loyalty, engagement, and profits.

VR and AR technologies will find broader applications in enriching customer experiences in 2024, especially in e-commerce and remote services. From virtual product try-ons to immersive shopping experiences – and AR-powered customer support – these experiences will become integral to delivering the next-level interactions that consumers demand. Interactive product catalogues enabled by AR technology allow customers to see products within their environments, enabling them to understand more about size and fit. VR on the other hand places users in an entirely digital environment that completely shuts out the real world, revolutionising the way businesses engage with and interact with customers.

#5: Sustainability-driven experiences

Customer consciousness about sustainability is on the rise – and rightly so. In 2024, companies will need to match this energy and prioritise eco-friendly practices across products, services, and operations, making environmental responsibility a core element of the customer experience. According to Deloitte, a quarter of consumers are prepared to pay more for sustainability. This includes paying more for sustainable products and packaging and choosing for products from suppliers that respect human rights or commit to ethical working practices. This trend reflects a growing awareness and commitment to meeting customers’ expectations for sustainable and responsible business practices across the board. 

#6: Real-time feedback & instant resolution

The advancement of real-time feedback tools empowers customers to share instant reviews and suggestions. In response, companies must prioritise swift issue resolution, employing automated systems to address concerns promptly. Through insight6’s total feedback solution, instant insight, you gain actionable insights from both customers and employees. You can analyse real-time feedback, benchmark against competitors, and improve your offerings. By consistently measuring customer satisfaction and loyalty, businesses can foster ongoing improvement, adapting to evolving demands and driving sustained growth. 

Using instant insight will:  

✓ Help you gain customer feedback.   

✓ Allow you to gain employee feedback.   

✓ Analyse/report on real-time feedback.   

✓ Obtain actionable comments.   

✓ Improve your products and services.  

✓ Benchmark against your competitors.   

✓ Increase positive online reviews. 

Discover the power of feedback with instant insight our total feedback solution.

Summary: CX Trends 2024

As we look ahead, these customer experience trends will redefine industry standards. Plus, they present lucrative opportunities to create memorable and meaningful interactions. Stay ahead of the curve, embrace innovation, and make 2024 a year of unparalleled customer experiences. Get in touch with insight6 today for a no-obligation chat. Or, reach out to request a demo and see how instant insight can transform your business.  

Interested to know more? Sign up for the insight6 newsletter and stay up-to-date with everything you need to know to improve your customer experience.  

The Christmas Experience: Tips For CX-Mas Delight

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Christmas experience.

‘Tis the season to go beyond transactions and craft an unforgettable Christmas experience. During the bustling holiday rush, expectations soar, and your approach to managing them is vital. Beyond retail, every sector plays a role in shaping memorable festive moments. Our six tips are your guide to creating a positive impression by exceeding expectations that resonate long after the tinsel is packed away!

Christmas Experience: Declining Satisfaction

No matter the season, delivering ‘WOW’ moments in customer experiences is key to business success. Yet, The UK Customer Satisfaction Index notes a dip, hitting the lowest since 2015, across all sectors. With 60% of employees in customer-facing roles and 80% of GDP from services, outstanding customer service is vital for our collective well-being.

Christmas Experience: Squeezed incomes

Amidst a cost of living crisis, pressure on incomes intensifies, casting a shadow over homes and businesses. The impact of a subpar customer experience is felt more keenly, with customers enduring longer wait times and heightened frustrations. For those with low financial well-being, empathy and exceptional service are crucial.

Recognising and responding to unique situations isn’t just good practice; it’s essential. How you make people feel is this season’s smartest strategy to deliver an exceptional Christmas experience to win and keep customers. At insight6, we partner with hundreds of happy clients to transform the customer experience. As we dive into the holiday spirit, our six tips are your trusted guide, adding a sprinkle of magic to make this season a CX-Mas delight.

Six Tips To Enhance The Christmas Experience

CX-Mas Tip 1 – Dive into the Data

Begin your journey by mining gold from past seasons. Scrutinise enquiries, sales, returns, and reviews to spot trends. Quantitative data, like demand metrics, offers strategic foresight but doesn’t neglect the qualitative side. Do you know how your customers feel about your products and services? Asking for and acting on regular customer feedback is critical to business success. 

Implement online feedback or mystery shopping to see through your customer’s eyes, and regularly seek feedback to uncover areas for improvement. Remember, data is powerful only when put into action. Learn how to turn customer feedback into actionable insights.

CX-Mas Tip 2 – Ignite Your Team’s Passion

Fuel the holiday spirit within your team by articulating a shared vision for the season. Communicate the organisation’s goals and emphasise the desired customer experience. As the busy season approaches, ensure your team understands the collective mission: to make it easier and more joyful for customers. Employee engagement is the linchpin of business success, and training them on the customer experience process is pivotal. Instil in them the ability to see through the customer’s eyes.

However, tread carefully— an ill-conceived customer experience strategy can be more detrimental than having none. Managing and implementing feedback is integral, making the choice of a reliable customer experience partner crucial. At insight6, we recognise that feedback is data, not judgment. We harness this data, coupled with the expertise of our local customer experience specialists, to conduct workshops that inspire and motivate teams. Discover how our workshops can empower your team and enhance the customer experience.

CX-Mas Tip 3 – Navigate Complaints with Empathy

Prevention is the best strategy—anticipate and address issues before they escalate. When things do go awry, resist defensiveness. Acknowledge the problem, listen attentively, and express genuine empathy. Your customers want to be heard. Emphasise your commitment to making things right, and ask them directly how you can restore their experience. In handling complaints with empathy, you turn challenges into opportunities for connection and resolution. Talk to us to explore our approach to empathetic complaint resolution.

CX-Mas Tip 4 – Forge Emotional Bonds for Lasting Impact

Emotional connections are not just sentimental—they’re powerful drivers for customer loyalty and business success. Studies show that emotionally connected customers are more likely to spend more time and money with a brand and become vocal advocates, influencing others. Ensure your teams understand the impact of emotional connections on purchase decisions.

The key is in the details—encourage your teams to serve with a genuine smile, whether in person or over the phone. A positive emotional connection during customer interactions leaves a lasting impression, fostering loyalty and encouraging positive word-of-mouth. Learn how mapping your Customer Journey and understanding touchpoints can shape remarkable experiences.

CX-Mas Tip 5 – Build Trust Through Openness and Authenticity

Trust is the currency of customer relationships. Deliver on promises, whether it’s meeting delivery times or keeping customers informed. In an era marked by concerns over greenwashing and ethical practices, transparency is non-negotiable. Showcase your commitment to authenticity and ethical conduct.

A simple rule applies—be nice. Treat your customers the way you’d want to be treated. The authenticity of your interactions leaves a lasting impression, fostering a sense of trust and loyalty. When customers feel they’re getting the best from you, they become your strongest advocates. Discover how customer satisfaction and a strong CX strategy can help your business succeed.

CX-Mas Tip 6 – Craft Unforgettable ‘WOW’ Moments

Elevate your customer experience by weaving in ‘WOW’ moments that transcend the ordinary. In today’s dynamic business landscape, exceptional customer experiences aren’t just a luxury—they’re essential. A ‘WOW’ moment is that extraordinary interaction that makes customers pause, smile, and remember. It occurs when your service or product goes above and beyond, creating a positive, memorable experience.

Creating ‘WOW’ moments demands a proactive stance. Begin by mapping your customer journey and delving into feedback from your clients. Identify touchpoints and pain points to uncover opportunities for ‘WOW’ moments. Additionally, engaging and empowering your employees is essential to consistently delivering exceptional service.

As we wrap up this festive journey, armed with six invaluable tips to enhance your customer experiences, let the spirit of the season guide your interactions. At insight6, we’re dedicated to helping businesses like yours elevate customer interactions and create lasting impressions.

Ready to embark on a journey of customer experience transformation? Get in touch for a no-obligation chat or request a demo of our online feedback tool, ‘instant insight.’ Let’s make this season one to remember for you and your customers!

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Don’t miss the latest insights and strategies to enhance your customer experience. Sign up for the insight6 newsletter and stay ahead of the competition!

WOW Moments in Customer Experiences

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WOW moments - how to create them.

Creating ‘WOW’ moments will take your customer experience (CX) to the next level. In the fast-paced business world, exceptional customer experiences are not just a luxury – they’re essential. But what exactly are ‘WOW’ moments in customer experiences, and why should companies care about them? Here, we delve into ‘WOW’ moments and explore how you can elevate your customer interactions to leave a lasting impact.

Table of contents:

What defines a WOW moment in customer experience?

A ‘WOW’ moment is that extraordinary interaction that makes customers stop, smile, and remember. It’s when your service or product delivers above and beyond their expectations, creating a positive, memorable experience. Can you think about the moments you received exceptional service or encountered a product that exceeded your expectations? Those are ‘WOW’ moments. Let’s look at some examples:

Example #1 - Imagine walking into a local coffee shop, and the barista not only remembers your name but also knows your favourite coffee order. That personal touch is a 'WOW' moment that can turn a casual coffee drinker into a loyal, repeat customer. 
Example #2 - At an automotive dealership, a 'WOW' moment might involve a salesperson going the extra mile to explain the features of a car, arranging a customised test drive experience, or offering a complimentary first service. Such personalised attention can foster customer loyalty and referrals.
Example #3 - In the case of a law firm, a 'WOW' moment could be delivering a quicker resolution to a client's legal issue than expected or providing them with a comprehensive, plain-language guide to the legal process. Exceptional communication, empathy, and transparency can set the stage for lasting client relationships in the legal field.
In the e-commerce world, Amazon's one-click purchase option is a prime example of a 'WOW' moment. It streamlines the buying process to such an extent that customers often don't think twice before making a purchase.

Why are WOW moments important?

Simply put, these moments are more than just fleeting instances of happiness – they have tangible benefits for your business. ‘WOW’ moments can turn first-time customers into loyal advocates, boost your brand’s reputation, and drive revenue growth. Indeed, research has shown that customers who experience ‘WOW’ moments are more likely to recommend your business and return for more.

Positive experiences play a crucial role in customer satisfaction. Moreover, an astounding 90% of customers who are highly satisfied with a brand say they are highly likely to return to that brand to make more purchases (source: SMG research into CX metrics).

Furthermore, experiences have a direct impact on revenue. Brands that prioritise offering exceptional experiences to their customers witness a positive impact on their bottom line, with 84% of companies reporting increased revenue after improving their customer experiences. Additionally, customers are willing to pay a premium for these exceptional experiences, often contributing to an increase in revenue by upwards of 18% says PWC.

These statistics emphasise the concrete advantages of creating ‘WOW’ moments and underscore the importance of delivering exceptional customer experiences.

How can I identify opportunities to ‘WOW’?

Creating ‘WOW’ moments requires a proactive approach. Start by mapping your customer journey and analysing feedback from your clients. Identifying touchpoints and pain points can lead to opportunities for ‘WOW’ moments. Additionally, engaging and empowering your employees can help them deliver exceptional service consistently.

What strategies can I use to create WOW moments?

To create ‘WOW’ moments that leave a lasting impact, businesses should consider several strategies to prioritise customer satisfaction and exceptional experiences. Likewise, it’s essential to know how your customers or clients feel about your company, the products or services you provide, and the experience they receive if you’re looking to build loyalty and drive profitability. Let’s dive into some strategies to create ‘WOW’ moments.

1. Customer Experience Reviews (CX Reviews):

Often referred to as Mystery Shopping, CX Reviews are one of the best ways to test a company’s service through the eyes of its customers or clients. While Mystery Shopping is commonly associated with those in the retail, leisure, and hospitality sectors, it’s a valuable exercise for firms in any industry keen on enhancing their customer experiences. It enables you to see your business through your customers’ perspective and uncover areas for improvement.

2. Identifying Key Touch Points:

Every customer journey has critical touch points that significantly impact their experience. For example, poor customer service at a crucial touch point can easily throw away sales opportunities. In our market study – The Professional Services Client Journey Report – we discovered numerous areas where accountancy, financial service, property, and legal firms are losing potential revenue due to subpar customer experiences.

3. Effective Customer Experience Strategy:

Implementing a successful customer experience strategy is crucial. Managing and implementing feedback is a significant part of the process. Therefore, employing the right Customer Experience partner is imperative. The process must be carefully considered, ensuring that goals are set from the outset, and reviews and feedback are managed by a skilled team.

4. The Role of Technology:

Technology solutions can streamline processes, making the customer experience more seamless and convenient. Indeed, implementing an online feedback tool to regularly and consistently ask and act on feedback offers many benefits to your business. It makes the feedback process easier and more accessible to customers, increasing their willingness to participate and provide valuable insights.

These strategies are the foundation for building exceptional customer experiences and creating ‘WOW’ moments. They help you uncover areas for improvement and enhance the overall quality of service and products your business provides. As the saying goes, “You can’t manage what you can’t measure” and these strategies offer the tools and insights needed to manage and enhance your customer experience.

How can I transform the customer experience?

Transforming the customer experience isn’t a journey to embark on alone. Consequently, it requires expertise, strategy, and tools to turn insights into actionable improvements. To explore how you can make this transformation and learn more about the solutions available, visit our About insight6 page for comprehensive information on how we can assist you in enhancing your customer experiences.

How we can help you create WOW moments to transform your business

At insight6, we understand that feedback is data, not judgment. We are deeply committed to helping businesses create ‘WOW’ moments for their customers. Furthermore, our services are designed to provide you with the insights, strategies, and technology you need to unlock the full potential of your customer interactions.

From Customer Experience Reviews (CX Reviews) to advanced feedback programs, our local experts in the UK are ready to work with you to transform your business. Moreover, we believe that to build loyalty and drive profitability, it’s not enough to conduct one-off reviews.

Regular, consistent feedback and action are critical. Our online feedback tool makes it easy for your customers to share their insights, allowing you to gather in-depth information about how they feel about your services, products, and company.

WOW moments with insight6: Exploring what we do with our icx6 model.
– Our unique process for transforming your business with insight6

By partnering with insight6, you gain access to a wealth of experience, knowledge, and a deep commitment to elevating the customer experience. We’re here to help you implement effective strategies and make data-driven decisions that lead to increased customer loyalty and revenue growth.

Now that you understand ‘WOW’ moments and their importance, we invite you to get in touch for a no-obligation chat or to request a demo of our online feedback tool ‘instant insight’. Transform your customer experience with insight6 and see the results for yourself!

Like what you have read? Sign up for the insight6 newsletter to keep up-to-date with everything you need to know to improve your customer experience.

Don’t miss the latest insights and strategies to enhance your customer experience. Sign up for the insight6 newsletter and stay ahead of the competition!

Customer Loyalty vs. Satisfaction: What’s the Difference?

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Customer loyalty - a customer giving feedback.

Welcome to the world of relationships, where two key players take the stage: loyalty and satisfaction. Often used interchangeably, these terms pack distinct punches. Think of loyalty as the rock-solid bond you build and satisfaction as the smile you put on your customers’ faces. Building customer loyalty is critical to business success. Why? So you can drive revenue, cost efficiencies, brand advocacy, and long-term growth. Here, we uncover the differences between the two, enabling you to make the most of their impact on your business. 

What is the difference between loyalty and satisfaction? 

Customer loyalty and satisfaction are crucial for businesses to do well. They contribute to the customer experience, adding different things to how customers feel. Satisfaction is about making customers happy with every interaction. Loyalty is more profound – it’s about the strong connection between customers and a brand. Customers stick with one brand because they trust and like how they feel about it: positive experiences, trust, and emotional engagement fuel loyalty. Satisfaction is more about feeling good right after an interaction.  

While a satisfied customer may be content in the moment, a loyal customer becomes a brand ambassador, repeatedly recommending and returning to the company. Therefore, understanding and enhancing loyalty and satisfaction are essential for businesses to forge strong relationships, drive revenue, and ensure sustained growth. 

Why is customer loyalty important for business success? 

Customer loyalty lies at the core of business success but is often overshadowed by the lure of gaining new customers. Yet, embracing customer retention is pivotal for growth, with statistics indicating that acquiring new customers can cost as much as five times more than satisfying and retaining current ones. 

Retention is the art of nurturing meaningful connections with existing clients that repeatedly keep them engaged – and loyal. More than an accessory, it’s a pivotal driver of business success. By nurturing loyal customers or clients, you solidify your bottom line and unleash many positive outcomes, from word-of-mouth advocacy to candid feedback that can be turned into actionable insights. 

How do you measure customer loyalty?

In pursuing business success, understanding and measuring loyalty is paramount. Customer feedback is a vital source of insights into these experiences, expectations, and pain points. Research shows that a staggering 84% of customer’s expectations are unmet, and 6% say they would cease doing business after just one bad experience. By actively addressing feedback, companies can establish trust and strengthen relationships, increasing loyalty, revenue, and differentiation from competitors.  

Businesses should leverage various touchpoints along the customer journey to effectively measure customer loyalty, employing tools like surveys, feedback forms, and experience reviews (Mystery Shopping). The insights gathered improve products and services and position businesses to stand out, ensuring long-term growth and success.  

When should I survey or gather feedback to measure customer loyalty?

To build customer loyalty, the timing of gathering feedback is critical. The ideal times to get essential insights are at key customer touchpoints. After buying something, getting support, or finishing a service, these moments give a chance to understand how customers feel. By smoothly asking for feedback during these times, businesses show they care about understanding and enhancing customer experiences immediately. 

Where can I get insights to measure and improve customer loyalty?

You can gather insights to measure and improve customer loyalty by focusing on critical touchpoints throughout their interactions with your business.  

At insight6, we partner with our clients to create and deliver customer experience (CX) strategies tailored to their needs. Whether it’s understanding your customer’s journey to improve the experience and operational efficiencies or training, mentoring and coaching teams to implement change and skill development, we can help you. We are one of the UK’s leading customer experience specialists and the only one to offer end-to-end solutions backed up by a team of local experts. 

Using our total feedback solution instant insight, you can seamlessly gain actionable insights from customers and employees. Our bespoke tool is cost-effective and quick to implement, allowing you to analyse real-time feedback, benchmark against competitors, and improve your offerings. You can drive continuous improvement and achieve business growth by consistently measuring customer satisfaction and loyalty. 

Using instant insight will:  

  • Help you gain customer feedback.  
  • Allow you to acquire employee feedback.  
  • Analyse/report on real-time feedback.  
  • Obtain actionable comments.  
  • Improve your products and services. 
  • Benchmark against your competitors.  
  • Increase positive online reviews. 

 

instant insight is your total feedback solution – book your demo today!

At insight6, we’re all about helping businesses build strong customer loyalty for real and lasting growth. Partner with us to understand and boost your customer experience (CX) – a game-changer for your business success. Don’t ignore unhappy customers’ impact on your profits! Let’s chat or book a demo of instant insight to see how quick insights can transform your business! 

Customer Journey: Understanding Touchpoints 

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Customer journey mapping - Customers viewing a business on a mobile device.

Mapping the customer journey gives valuable insights into touchpoints and interactions that shape the overall experience. Many businesses believe they offer a good customer experience, but research shows that only a small percentage of these customers feel the same way. Seeing your business through the customers’ eyes is essential. Why? So, you can improve satisfaction, build loyalty, and boost profitability. Here, we explore the benefits of the mapping process in shaping remarkable experiences.

What is customer journey mapping, and why is it important? 

It is a powerful tool to learn the hidden gems of customer interactions with your business. Tracing the customer’s steps and illustrating their journey gives you invaluable insights into their trials, delights, and frustrations. Armed with this knowledge, you can proactively find areas where they may stumble and take decisive action to improve their experience. 

Personalised customer journey maps allow you to laser-focus your efforts, addressing pain points and implementing strategies to deliver a seamless experience. The result? Enhanced customer satisfaction, reduced churn, and exponential business growth. You can unlock remarkable experiences and forge lasting customer connections with customer journey mapping.

How can the mapping process benefit businesses? 

The customer experience is everything. Mapping the journey will give you insights to transform your businesses. Effective implementation based on real insight will improve the overall experience, enabling you to win new business, increase satisfaction, foster loyalty, and drive profitability. A well-crafted map should reflect the customer’s reality.

In contrast, meaningless maps hinder progress. Despite billions spent on customer experience technologies, customer satisfaction is declining, according to the latest ICS UK Customer Satisfaction Index. Getting an independent third-party review is important to avoid bias and to protect your investment.

What is involved in creating a customer journey map? 

Creating a journey map involves turning customer feedback into actionable insights. You can overcome common pitfalls and identify improvements with mapping workshops. A customer experience solution like this will enable you to visualise scenarios based on customer interactions with your business.

Customer journey mapping – a step-by-step approach:  

  • Conduct thorough research: Gather data to gain profound insights into customers’ experiences.
  • Develop detailed personas: Capture the goals, needs, pain points, and behaviours of your target audience.
  • Detail touchpoints: Find where customers interact with your business online and offline.
  • Break it down: The customer journey into stages, outlining key actions, emotions, and expectations at each step.
  • Visualise the journey: Use diagrams or infographics, aiding effective communication and understanding.
  • Analyse the map: Find pain points and areas for improvement.
  • Prioritise improvements: Base these on impact and feasibility, focusing on areas that influence the overall experience.
  • Implement targeted changes: Monitor and measure their impact and refine the map accordingly. 

Following these steps, businesses can create comprehensive and actionable customer journey maps, resulting in remarkable experiences and heightened customer satisfaction. 

How can mapping improve the overall experience? 

With a holistic view of the customer experience, companies can explore pain points and identify ways to improve the customer experience. These insights enable businesses to make informed decisions, helping them to increase efficiencies and deliver seamless interactions. Customer journey mapping is pivotal in creating remarkable experiences that exceed expectations by addressing common pain points and ensuring consistency across touchpoints. Ultimately, this leads to increased customer satisfaction, improved loyalty, and a competitive edge in the market. 

How do touchpoints affect the customer journey? 

Touchpoints play a crucial role. These interaction points, whether digital or physical, directly affect the customer’s experience and perception of a company. Positive touchpoints can create moments of delight, build trust, and strengthen the overall journey. On the other hand, negative touchpoints can lead to frustration, dissatisfaction, and even customer churn. By effectively managing touchpoints, businesses can create a positive and cohesive journey that leaves an impression on customers. 

What are some common customer touchpoints? 

There are several common touchpoints appear across various customer journeys. These touchpoints can occur at various stages and through various channels. Here are some examples:

  • Website: Customers visit to gather info, explore, buy, or seek support.
  • Social Media: Engage for communication, feedback, and updates.
  • Physical Stores: Browse, get help, and buy in-store.
  • Customer Service: Address enquiries and resolve via phone, email, and chat.
  • Mobile Apps: Access services, track orders, and engage loyalty via apps.
  • Email Communication: Newsletters, promos, updates, offers.
  • Online Reviews: Influence others via platform or site reviews.
  • Post-purchase Follow-up: Feedback, cross-selling, and support after purchase.

By recognising these common touchpoints, businesses can focus on optimising each interaction to give a seamless and consistent experience across various customer journeys. 

Mapping is a powerful tool that empowers businesses to see through the eyes of their customers. By gaining valuable insights into the genuine customer experience, companies can bridge the gap between their perception and reality.

At insight6, we partner with thousands of companies to transform their businesses by delivering a world-class customer experience. We bring teams together through the journey mapping process to understand what happens for your customers. Enhancing how your customers see and interact with your business will improve satisfaction, encouraging advocacy and repeat business. You work hard and spend money to find and attract new customers. Do not let the cost of unsatisfied customers affect your reputation and bottom line. Get in touch today for a no-obligation chat to see how we can transform your business. 

Sign up for the insight6 newsletter to keep updated with everything you need to know to improve the customer experience.

Read more: Customer Journey: Understanding Touchpoints 

Christmas CX: six ways to shine

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Christmas CX

The holiday season is a time for connection, celebration, and creating memorable moments. It's also a golden opportunity for companies and brands to strengthen customer relationships by delivering exceptional customer experiences (CX). How you make customers feel can set you apart and create loyalty beyond the festive season.

Customer experience is now a leading factor in why people choose to buy from a business. It’s often more important than price or product quality. Yet, many businesses overestimate how well they’re doing—while 80% of companies believe they offer superior service, only 8% of customers agree. That’s a big gap, but it’s also a huge opportunity.

Want to make your customer experience sparkle this holiday season? It’s not just about delivering great service; it’s about creating moments that make customers feel valued and remembered. After all, Christmas isn’t just a season—it’s a feeling. Let’s make sure your business delivers it. 

Christmas CX: Six ways to sprinkle some magic

1. Engage and empower your team 

Your employees play a pivotal role in service delivery. Have a clear service plan and communicate it regularly to your team. 

The festive period can be a stressful and busy time. Understand the work pressure that squeezed deadlines, increased footfall and sales can bring on service delivery. Regularly check in on staff well-being.

80% of the UK's workforce work in customer-facing roles. Sadly, research shows that more than half of customer-facing staff have faced abuse from customers since the start of the pandemic. 

Consider what to do when things go wrong. Empower your staff to act, fix problems and handle complaints cheerfully.  

Disengaged staff do not go the extra mile for your customers. Think about the best ways to recognise and reward great service.  

2. Manage customer expectations  

Christmas is a busy time of year for everyone. Encourage frontline staff to be honest to avoid overpromising and under-delivering.  

Handling new enquiries effectively can make or break a sale. Understanding your customer journey will help you to engage staff, prepare for the unexpected and polish your frontline service. 

Customers may look for alternative ways to get in touch or complain, such as webchats, email and social media during busy periods. Make sure your staff and outsourced service providers are ready.  

Delays can't be helped but you can turn a potentially frustrating experience into a pleasant one. Make hanging on the telephone joyful, and switch traditional hold music to upbeat festive favourites.  

After a busy year, everyone looks forward to a break. Be clear about your opening hours, ability to deliver and shipping deadlines. Don't forget to put your out-of-office on and include a seasonal sentiment. 

The festive season brings unique CX challenges and opportunities. Read our blog for key CX considerations for B2B businesses over Christmas.

 3. Create WOW moments 

WOW moments are memorable experiences that you create for your customers by exceeding their expectations. Delighting your customers will help turn them into loyal fans and keep them coming back. 

First, do what you say you are going to do. If your service delivery falls short, you can still WOW customers when they complain. Empower staff to tackle issues, say sorry and offer suitable compensation. 

Christmas is the season of giving. Offer something your customers didn't know they needed. Look for ways to WOW with an upsell or make small gestures that show you pay attention.
 

Examples to create WOW moments: 

    • Send handwritten Christmas cards. 
    • Carry their shopping bags to the car. 
    • Remember the names of spouses and kids. 
    • Donate to a cause close to their heart. 
    • Offer discounts or free delivery. 
    • Send a bottle of their favourite tipple.

4. Draw on past experiences 

An effective way to prepare for the holiday season is to draw on past trends. Review data and customer feedback from past seasons. 

Look at enquiries, sales, returns, complaints, reviews. Spot when you first saw an uplift and when things started to return to normal. Demand data such as this can help you prepare and plan for what might come. 

The more data you have, the better prepared and more strategic you will be. Don't just consider quantitative data. To improve the customer experience and create WOW moments you need qualitative data. 

Mystery shopping is a wonderful way to see the business through the eyes of the customer. Repeatedly asking for feedback will enable you to understand what you are doing well and show what can be improved. 

Remember, if you've invested in data and customer feedback, be sure to use it. Many businesses collect valuable information but many more fail to act on it. 

5. Optimise self-service for higher satisfaction 

Self-service is about enabling customers to answer their questions whenever possible.  

One of the easiest ways you can do this is through the content on your website. Make sure your content is correct and easily accessible. Spread some holiday cheer by adding festive imagery. 

Create seasonal FAQs which can be added to your homepage to quickly answer specific Christmas-related questions. 

Another fantastic way to help with customer self-service is a conversational virtual agent. Live chat and outsourced telephone answering services can support you to meet increased demand. 

 6. Commit to service excellence 

Engaging your employees is critical to business success. Training and developing your staff on the customer experience process is essential so that they can see things from the customer's perspective. 

A word of caution, having an ill-thought-out customer experience strategy can be more damaging than not having one at all. Managing and implementing feedback is a crucial part of the process, therefore working with the right customer experience partner is imperative. 

At insight6 we understand that feedback is data, not judgment. We use feedback and the experience of our local customer experience specialists to deliver workshops that inspire and motivate teams. 

Are you ready to transform your business? 

Giving an exceptional customer experience can be challenging during the peak periods like Christmas. 

Unfortunately, customer demands and expectations don't decrease during this busy time. They are far more likely to skyrocket! 

With the tips shared in this article, you can take essential steps to make your customer experience shine this holiday season. 

But the customer experience is for life (if done right), not just for Christmas. Repeatedly asking your customers, clients, and staff for feedback is critical to building loyalty and driving profitability. 

And that's where insight6 comes in. 

Our total feedback tool, instant insight, along with our team of local experts, will transform your customer experience. 

By analysing feedback from your team and customers in real time, instant insight will provide you with actionable comments. You will also be able to generate positive customer online reviews. 

In addition, instant insight enables you to benchmark your business against others within your sector.  

The more feedback you receive, the more confident you will be in making great decisions for your business. 

So, what are you waiting for? Book your instant insight demo with us today and take the first step to delivering a world-class customer experience.  

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2022: The Year of Customer Experience (CX)

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As we start the year with a cautious, but more positive outlook on the pandemic than in January 2021, businesses can start to contemplate a world beyond mass restrictions, lockdowns, and purely virtual interactions. But what will this look like? Will we slot back into pre-pandemic ways? Or has the landscape changed forever? 

One thing for certain is that customer expectations have changed. The trend for a more personalised and meaningful experience started pre-pandemic, but what Covid has done is supercharge the acceleration across mass industries. People will increasingly be inclined to seek out brands that make them feel special or provide added emotional connections.  

In a similar vein, businesses can no longer hide poor service behind Covid. Consumers have seen many businesses adapt and flourish through Covid driven alterations - proving it not only possible to deliver the same standard, but in many circumstances, improved services during Covid times.  

Employee experience will also be more influential than ever this year. It’s likely going to be tough with higher levels of staff absence due to isolation periods and your team could feel overwhelmed. As their experience directly translates to your customer experience, treating your team well is vital, including asking regularly how they are doing and then acting on the feedback. 

By putting CX at the top of your Boardroom agenda, you can give your business the best chance of succeeding, and growing, in what we hope will be the year of post-pandemic.  

22 things to consider in 2022… 

1. Numerous studies globally and our own research confirms that those with above average customer experiences outperform others financially.

2. It is time to stop using Covid as an excuse for poor service. It is time to review your customer journey through the customers eyes and deliver a service that represents your business in a way you can be proud of.

3. Understand your customers 'WHY’, this will help drive greater loyalty, lower churn rates and increase revenues, because you’ve provided your customers with what they want, when they need it, and how they expect it.

4. If you don't measure it, you can't improve it.

5. Gathering immediate feedback enables you to be quicker to adjust to your customers’ needs and wants – making informed choices rather than guessing will increase retention.

6. If you don't take care of your customers, someone else will.

7. The deepest principle of human nature is the craving to feel appreciated. Never underestimate how important it is to communicate positively and regularly to your team members and your customers and show your appreciation.

8. Gaining employee feedback is crucial to making sure that your most important customer is listened to, as they are every business’ most valuable asset for creating and delivering the best CX.

9. How your team treat your customers, reflects how you treat your team.

10. It isn't what you say, or often what you do; it is how you make someone feel that they will never forget.

11. How do you keep doing the things that customers love if you don't know what those things are, and how do you fix the things that don't work if you don't know they’re not working? Measuring CX helps shine a light on these blind-spots.

12. All marketplaces are crowded and very few businesses sell anything that is truly unique. Do you know why your customers choose you? Do you know why some of your competitors customers chose them over you? Benchmarking your CX against your competition will answer these questions for you and provide valuable insights into how you can grow your business.

13. Before pouring more water into your bucket, it makes sense to fix any holes at the bottom! What causes your customers to leave you and try your competitors? How many new customers does your business have to get to replace the ones you've lost? Having a great customer retention strategy supports your bottom line and delivers the maximum amount of return on any marketing strategy, adding genuine customer growth and not just customer replacement.

14. Delivering an amazing CX, in 3 words: Product, Process & People. Focus energy, investment & time on each, and you will be a leading player in your sector.

15. Every customer interaction with your business is crucial. When answering a call, replying to an email, or speaking to a customer face to face. If you want to deliver fantastic CX, it's vital the team believe in the business, the leaders, value each other and the customers they deal with each day.

16. It's the simplest of things, like using your manners and having a smile on your face, that make the biggest difference.

17. Does your out of office message represent you well? Always check your spelling, the dates you are away and ensure it has the right tone - as importantly, check it is turned on and off at the right time as that first impression counts!

18. A great customer experience is when it is easy, personalised, memorable and they never have to ask you for anything.

19. Don't invest in a great external marketing campaign that will bring more customers to you, until you have invested in a joined-up customer experience strategy that enables your team to meet and exceed your customers’ expectations.

20. Put simply: Your customers may not remember what you said or indeed what you did, but they will remember how you made them feel.

21. You cannot not communicate! Whether you are in regular contact with your customers or rarely interact with them, a message is being sent, loud and clear! Take time to review your communications.

22. Ask for feedback.*77% of customers favour businesses that request feedback (*Microsoft Global State of Customer Service 2015) 

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