Customer touchpoints

Through numerous forms of interaction and communication, customers accumulate cognitive and emotional experiences with the brand. These have a long-lasting effect on customer acquisition and customer loyalty. In relation to the lifecycle, the phases of attention, discovery, first purchase or first order, active customer relationship, complaint, and referral are to be viewed. These take place in diverse channels from stationary or mobile to technology-driven distribution, from communication in mass media to personal dialog, from print to online ….

At all these points of contact between the customer and the company with its staff members, products, and services, experiences arise on an ongoing basis — experiences that are able to cement the customer relationship and perception of the brand. The experiences blend together in the customer’s perception into one big brand experience.

Brand analysis in the sense of brand perception at the customer touchpoints aims, therefore, more at the questions of what customers expect, which services they receive, and how they respond to these items. The view of the customer influences the customer touchpoints, directly influencing the company. A leadership culture, a customer-oriented attitude of management, and framework conditions that make staff members at all customer touchpoints brand ambassadors are the solutions of tomorrow. Because at the end, the employees in various departments of the company are the most important contacts for the customers, these employees should also be involved intensively in analyzing the contact points and in improvements, so that process efficiency and identification go hand in hand.

The clearer the brand positioning and brand personality are, the simpler it is to develop brand experiences at the customer touchpoints along the customer journey. When the foundation of the brand is built solidly, many touchpoints practically present themselves.