In a traditional value chain, from procurement to the consumer, the customer arrives at a service guided by advertising. However, in the value chain of the digital age, the consumer usually encounters a business or brand for the first time digitally, either on a mobile device or online. A poor or problematic customer experience will drive customers away in no time. Social media provides positive and negative feedback faster than an enterprise is able to react to it. A good customer experience is a basic feature and a prerequisite for competition, regardless of a company’s size and sector. Even in peripheral markets like Finland, customer experience must reach the level of international super brands.

In order for a company to provide a seamless customer experience, it must understand the customer journeys of its main target groups. Service and UX designers can identify the problem areas and key moments along customer journeys, where customer expectations can be exceeded by creating a positive memory. Key moments should be unique to the brand and speak to a specific customer.

When problem areas are known, the company’s processes, operating models and responsibilities can be formulated to support the desired customer experience. Utilising customer data at different stages of the customer journey is an essential part of customer experience design.

Furthermore, employee experience contributes to a good customer experience as well. A satisfied employee equals a satisfied customer, as a satisfied employee is more prepared to exceed the customers’ expectations, time and again. A good customer experience is about addressing the customer’s problem and solving it completely across all the organisation’s silos, regardless of the boundaries between processes, systems and employee responsibilities.