Think About the Products You Love

Your favorite app, website, or even those shoes that feel like they were custom-made for you what do they all have in common?

They were designed with you in mind.

The companies behind them took the time to understand your needs, wants, and what makes you happy. That’s the magic of user-centered design.

But what happens when products aren’t built for the user? Confusing websites, slow interfaces, or hard-to-find features can make you frustrated enough to quit.

This is where customer journey maps come in. They help businesses see their products through your eyes and improve the experience at every step. Designers, developers, and teams use these maps to make things easier and more enjoyable for you.

Let’s get started.

What Is a Customer Journey Map?

Let’s break it down simply:

A customer journey map (CJM) is like a storybook of how you interact with a product or brand. It starts with how you first hear about it maybe from a friend, an ad, or social media—and follows every step you take, like visiting their website, reading reviews, or making a purchase.

It’s a tool that shows every moment you connect with the company, called "touchpoints." These include:

• Exploring Online: Looking through website pages, checking features, and comparing prices.

• App Experience: Discovering how the app functions and testing its capabilities.

• Social Connections: Engaging with social media posts, asking questions, or getting a feel for the brand.

• Feedback Loop: Reading reviews to see what others think and getting social proof.

• Staying Informed: Receiving emails with special offers or updates that keep you connected.

• Help Desk: Reaching out to customer support for assistance and evaluating their service quality.

A CJM helps businesses see things through your eyes. It shows them where you might feel frustrated (like a confusing website) and where they can make things better. Fixing these pain points creates happier customers and boosts loyalty.

In short, it’s a powerful way for companies to understand your experience and make sure every interaction feels smooth and enjoyable!

When to Use a Customer Journey Map

Think of a customer journey map as your secret weapon for designing or improving a product. Here’s when it’s most valuable:

1. Turning Research into Action
You’ve gathered tons of data—customer interviews, market research, website metrics—but now what? A CJM organizes all that information into a clear story. It shows how customers interact with your product, highlights problem areas, and gives you a roadmap to improve their experience.

2. Brainstorming and Prototyping
When it’s time to brainstorm new ideas, a CJM keeps the focus on the customer. Ask questions like: “Does this solve a pain point we found?” or “Will this make the process easier for users?” It ensures every idea aligns with what customers actually need.

3. Testing and Refining
Launching something new? Use your CJM as a before-and-after snapshot. Track how changes affect customer behavior and see if they fix pain points—or create new ones. This feedback helps you fine-tune the experience even further.

By using a customer journey map at these stages, you’ll create better experiences, solve real problems, and keep customers coming back for more!

What Makes Up a Customer Journey Map?

A customer journey map (CJM) is like a storybook for how customers interact with a product or service. It shows their experience step-by-step from their perspective, highlighting what they do, think, and feel along the way.

Most CJMs include these key parts:

1. The Customer Profile
This is where you introduce your target customer. It includes details like their background, personality, and goals—basically, who they are and what they want.

2. The Journey Stages
These are the steps customers take, like learning about the product (awareness), comparing options (consideration), making a purchase, using the product, and what happens after (post-purchase).

3. Actions and Emotions
Here’s where you map out what customers do and feel at each stage. For example, during the purchase stage, they might be comparing options while feeling excited or nervous.

4. Problem Areas and Opportunities
This section highlights where customers get stuck or frustrated (pain points) and identifies ways to fix those issues to make their experience smoother.

Customer journey maps are flexible tools that help businesses see their products through the customer’s eyes. They build empathy and uncover ways to improve the overall experience, leading to happier customers and better results.

How to Build a Customer Journey Map

Creating a customer journey map doesn’t have to be complicated. Follow these simple steps:

1. Gather Your Insights
Start with the information you already have about your customers. This could include:

• Customer Stories: Interviews or feedback from real users.

• Behavior Data: Usability tests and website analytics showing how people interact with your product.

• Surveys and Reviews: What customers like, dislike, or suggest for improvement.

• Support Feedback: Social media comments and customer service tickets revealing common issues.

2. Bring in the Right People
A great map needs input from different perspectives. Include team members like:

• Designers: To ensure the product looks and feels right.

• Developers: To address technical possibilities and limitations.

• Sales & Marketing Pros: They know what customers want and say.

• Customer Support Experts: They deal with customer pain points daily.

3. Collaborate and Brainstorm
Get everyone together to share insights and discuss customer experiences. Map out the journey step-by-step, identifying where problems occur and what makes customers happy.

4. Choose Your Mapping Tool
Use tools or templates to sketch out your map. Customize it to fit your product and goals, adding sections for customer actions, emotions, and opportunities for improvement.

5. Refine and Share
Polish your map so it’s clear and easy to understand. Share it across your company to ensure everyone stays aligned on improving the customer experience.

Remember, this map isn’t static it’s a living tool you’ll revisit as you update your product or set new business goals.

What Are the Extra Benefits of Customer Journey Mapping?

We’ve already covered how CJMs help create better products and happier customers, but the perks go even further:

1. Uniting Teams
Ever feel like different departments are speaking different languages? CJMs bring everyone together—design, sales, marketing, and support—by creating a shared understanding of the customer’s experience. This teamwork breaks down silos and gets everyone working toward the same goal.

2. Finding Frustrations
CJMs make it easy to spot where customers get stuck or annoyed—like a confusing website or a clunky onboarding process. Identifying these pain points is the first step to fixing them and improving the overall experience.

3. Building Loyalty
Happy customers stick around. By solving pain points and making the experience smoother, CJMs help boost satisfaction and retention, turning one-time buyers into loyal fans who keep coming back.

Customer journey maps aren’t just tools—they’re game changers for creating seamless experiences that benefit both your customers and your business.

House of Founders Helps You Put Your Customers First

A customer journey map is your guide to always keeping the user at the center of your business decisions. It helps you identify areas for improvement, simplify processes, and create experiences your customers will love. This is how you build a thriving business rooted in customer success.

Want to learn more? There are tons of resources online showing how companies use CJMs to achieve incredible results take a look and get inspired!

At House of Founders, we’re all about building businesses that prioritize the user. Sign up for our House of Founders newsletter or apply to the House of Founders Program for an in-depth dive into user-centric strategies.