What, indeed? That’s a question that many companies are asking themselves these days. As expectations for better service and more personalised experiences continue to rise, CX is at the forefront of many business decisions. However, before organisations can implement the latest communication and customer engagement tools, they need to get to know their consumer a little better.
West , a business committed to providing companies with the solutions they need for better communication, may be able to help. Their upcoming Masterclass in London on the 28th of March 2019 examines the service design strategy and customer journey mapping that today’s businesses need.
According to West, delivering an exceptional user experience is all about designing the meaningful interactions your clients need, by stepping into their shoes. West and the sensational Amy Scott of Sedulous will be teaching attendees how to do just that, in London.
We spoke to Cohan Leon Daley, West’s UK and Ireland acquisition country lead to find out more.
What’s the Purpose of this Masterclass?
Cohan told us that the purpose of the upcoming masterclass is to invite key stakeholders and individuals from an organisation into a space of learning. “We bring people to an environment outside of work where they can focus on a challenge they might have been facing in the office. Often, these challenges get lost in the office environment. By stepping into a new space and interacting with peers, it’s possible for our attendees to gain new perspectives and ideas.”
Crucially, West doesn’t run its masterclass sessions to sell their own products. Although their technology is available as a solution, the idea is also to help people learn from each other. If West can then step in and implement solutions that support what their attendees have learned, that’s great too. “It’s about delivering the combination of people, processes, and technology correctly. We’re trying to build a community that helps people to accomplish more.”
What is Customer Journey Mapping from West’s Perspective?
With so many buzzwords and jargon in the industry today, it’s easy for people to overlook terms like “customer journey mapping.” Cohan told me that for West, mapping the customer journey is all about giving employees the best experiences and tools possible so that they can deliver better experiences to their customers.
“Some people who come to the masterclass get their feelings about the market reaffirmed; others find that they need to start looking at things differently. For us, customer journey mapping allows people to consider their strategy in depth and look for gaps in the way they deliver service.”
“We’ve noticed that when you start putting people in the shoes of their customer, they can do incredible things”
The introduction into customer experience journey mapping will also benefit from the input of Amy Scott – a woman very well-known in her field. Amy Scott is the director of Sedulous – a consultancy that is driven by customer insights. The business specialises in customer experience initiatives and service design. Amy will be able to provide attendees with a complete overview of the journey mapping experience.
What do You Notice About People Coming to This Master Class?
West has been delivering immersive masterclass sessions for quite some time now, and the results have been phenomenal. The company regularly receives positive feedback from people who have learned how to grow their business and evolve as a result of the sessions. I asked Cohan what he notices happening most in the classes.
“We frequently see that a specific team or location has a strategy that doesn’t necessarily align with anyone else in the business. Ultimately, the experience for either the user or the customer ends up crumbling because the teams simply don’t communicate.”
Unfortunately, particularly in the contact centre environment, there’s a common issue with there being no cross-team collaboration. Most IT teams are working completely separately to the customer service agents and vice versa. Every team has its own individual challenges to face.
“When people don’t talk to each other, this creates silos in the workforce, and information gets lost. Experiences start to suffer. For instance, customers phone companies and speak to people who don’t know what the other side of the business is doing.”
What’s the Number One Reason to Attend?
In today’s fast-paced work environment, if people are going to approach their boss and ask for a day out of the office, then they need a good reason. It’s important to show that the sessions you’re going to are going to lead to value for the company. Fortunately, West’s masterclasses always seem to deliver exceptional results.
“The number one reason for people to attend in my opinion is to better understand their role within the marketplace they’re trying to sell to. You need to know how you fit into a bigger picture.”
“Every company wants to be different, but the goal is always to acquire and retain customers. Seeing what you do and how it relates to a bigger marketplace, as well as collaborating with peers, is very valuable”
