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Reimagining customer service through journey mapping and measurement

Charles H. Patti (School of Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia)
Maria M. van Dessel (Department of Marketing, Daniels College of Business, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado, USA)
Steven W. Hartley (Department of Marketing, Daniels College of Business, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado, USA)

European Journal of Marketing

ISSN: 0309-0566

Article publication date: 9 April 2020

Issue publication date: 4 November 2020

4195

Abstract

Purpose

How can customer service be so bad in an era when companies collect endless data on customer interactions? The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the important challenge of elevating customer service delivery by providing guidelines for when and how to select optimal measures of customer service measurement using a new decision framework.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses a comprehensive, multi-dimensional review of extant literature related to customer service, journey mapping and performance measurement and applied a qualitative, taxonomic approach for model development.

Findings

A process model and customer journey mapping framework can facilitate the selection and application of appropriate and relevant customer service experience metrics to enhance customer service experience strategies, creation and delivery.

Research limitations/implications

The taxonomy of customer service metrics is limited to current publicly and commercially available metrics. The dynamic nature of the customer service environment necessitates continuous updates of the model and framework.

Practical implications

Selection of customer service performance measures should match relevant stages of the customer journey; use perception-based, operational and outcome-based metrics that track employee and customer behaviours; improve omni-channel measurement; and integrate data-sharing and benchmark measurement initiatives through collaboration with customer service communities.

Originality/value

A reimagined perspective is offered to the complex challenge of measuring and improving customer service, providing a new decision-making framework for customer service experience measurement and guidance for future research.

Keywords

Citation

Patti, C.H., van Dessel, M.M. and Hartley, S.W. (2020), "Reimagining customer service through journey mapping and measurement", European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 54 No. 10, pp. 2387-2417. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJM-07-2019-0556

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited

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