"It is remarkable to see everything laid out on paper like that," the new customer remarked, looking at the comprehensive documentation we had created to chart their customer journey. Through a thorough analysis of the lead flow, detailed reporting on the early funnel and deal stages, and the development of a strategic approach to sales outreach for cold and marketing leads, our objective was to streamline the process for their sales representatives.
Our goal was simple yet crucial: to make it effortless for Sales reps to engage with leads, schedule demos, and qualify deals, regardless of whether the leads were inbound or outbound. Additionally, we wanted to empower the Marketing team to identify the most promising leads to nurture and effectively measure the success of their campaigns.
To achieve this, we crafted a visual overview that covered every aspect of the customer journey:
1. We examined how leads entered the CRM system, ensuring a clear understanding of the entry points and capturing all necessary information at each step.
2. We delineated the specific actions taken by each team involved in the process, ensuring a seamless collaboration.
3. We developed a system for assigning leads based on predefined rules, ensuring fairness and efficiency.
4. We outlined the steps involved in the sales outreach process, carefully selecting the appropriate sequence for each lead to maximize conversion rates.
5. We identified potential reasons for disqualification and mapped out the various touchpoints in the customer journey where a lead could be deemed unqualified. Additionally, we defined the follow-up procedures and reporting protocols for these unqualified leads.
6. We established clear deal stages, specifying the required information and implementing automation at each stage to streamline the process.
7. Finally, we outlined the handover process to the Customer Success team, ensuring a smooth transition and continuity in customer experience.
This documentation was particularly beneficial for our fast-growing scale-up client as their processes were still evolving. However, I firmly believe that even larger teams with well-established processes can benefit from such a comprehensive mapping exercise. Over time, processes tend to change, and if not properly aligned with the workflows of other teams, it can create friction during lead handovers. Similarly, early-stage startups transitioning from a founder-led sales process to a growing Sales team can greatly benefit from mapping their customer journey.
So, I pose the question to you: Do you have your customer journey mapped? And when was the last time you updated and shared it across teams? By taking the time to document and communicate your customer journey, you can foster better collaboration, streamline processes, and ultimately drive success for your business.
