Customer Journey: Definition, Importance & Stages 

What is a Customer Journey? How is it defined and, more importantly, why? I’m sure we all ponder these questions in bed at night until we can’t sleep. But now, some light is shed on the end of the customer journey. 

In this blog post, I will give you a little insight into the customer journey and what it consists of.

What is the customer journey?

A customer path describes your customer’s journey through the buying process. It can start before the customer even knows you exist, and conversely, this journey (hopefully) continues long after the purchase transaction. 

The customer journey includes all actions and interactions the customer has with the buying process. It may be easier to outline the customer journey when it is broken down into different stages. 

In the following, I will outline what I consider to be the stages that best describe the customer journey. I’ll use a fictitious customer and, of course, our very own Kubla as an example.

Five stages in the customer journey

Below, the customer journey is presented in five essential stages. There are many opinions here as well. However, this is my own writing, so I will use the stages that I think best describe it. 

Stage 1: Awareness - this is where the customer journey begins

A customer has told Michael that the business could do better at selling. So he starts to see if marketing could be the solution to increase his company’s sales. 

Michael searches and browses Google and social media for different marketing options. The customer journey has already started at this stage. Michael comes across our advertisement agency in the beautiful world of the internet, where Kalle explains how we at Kubla help businesses with digital marketing. Kubla becomes a viable alternative for Michael. By the way, here is a good link if you want to know more about digital marketing.

Stage 2: Consideration - weighing up the options carefully

Michael now has a tough nut to crack; he has researched the possibilities of print advertising, checked out the websites of various digital marketing agencies, read blogs, watched YouTube videos on marketing, and of course, talked to fellow entrepreneurs. 

Michael carefully weighs his options and is about to turn to print advertising when he comes across us again, Kubla’s effective social media marketing, at a crucial moment. Kalle’s broad smile and positive energy put a tight bend in Michael’s customer path, and he ends up.

Stage 3: The decision - the choice is made

What better way to make your decision than to book a 15-minute quick consultation with Kalle on our website. 

Not surprisingly, the phone conversation with Kalle stretches a little beyond that 15 minutes, but Michael is all the more eager to get involved in the world of digital marketing. A kick-off meeting is arranged with Michael to have a grasp of his company’s current situation and his marketing aspirations.

Before the meeting, however, Michael has had a conversation with another unknown entrepreneur who has told him that digital marketing is a waste of money. As a result, Michael arrives at the kick-off meeting with very mixed feelings. 

At the kick-off meeting, Kalle and his “sidekick,” Jaakko, or me, go over the issue with Michael and take an analytical look at his marketing goals and opportunities. After a good discussion, Michael understands digital marketing a bit better and wants to try it out. This takes Michael’s customer journey to the next stage.

Stage 4: Service delivery - the start of the customer relationship.

Based on the information provided during the initial meeting, our experts start delivering the service. Michael will be kept informed of the progress of the advertising, and his preferences are also consulted during production. This way, the well-interacted advertising will start to bring more visitors to Michael’s business website. Michael also noticed that his sales are showing signs of picking up. 

A few weeks ago, I called Michael to see how things are going. He was happy to inform me that he had set a sales record the previous month and asked me to thank our experts for the achievement. 

Well, I do as I’m told, and I thank our advertising team profusely for a job well done. These messages are a pleasure to pass on. So Michael is moving steadily forward on the customer path, so let’s move on to the next stage.

Stage 5: Loyalty - Michael’s customers are now Michael’s loyal customers

Thanks to well-managed advertising and collaboration, Michael has become our regular customer. He recommends our services to his fellow entrepreneurs, and why wouldn’t he? After all, Michael’s business has grown its own sales nicely. 

With good planning and execution, we have taken Michael through all five stages of the customer journey. We have ended up with a situation where both parties are pleased working together.

A customer journey is a key tool for Kubla, so why is it important?

The example above illustrates a fictitious customer journey for a customer buying digital advertising services. However, this story is not far from the actual customer journey. There are many twists and turns in the story that are important to consider when designing the customer path. 

How the customer is met, how they are presented, and what is discussed with them. All these encounters are essential pieces along the customer journey.

By comparing the scene of the article with the customer path, it can be thought that every twist and turn is a meeting point with the customer. All the twists and turns are equally important to reach the customer. 

Even one twist and turn in the customer journey could result in a completely different outcome. As always at Kubla, we take our own and our customers’ journeys seriously, with a twinkle in our eye, as we always do. 😉

Oh, and here’s an excellent link to an article on Surveymonkey’s customer journey.

If you are willing to take a fair step in the development of your own customer path, we will help you, even if you have reached a dead end. So don’t lose sight of your customer journey, do what Michael did and contact us!

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