Have journey maps fallen out of favor? A few years back they were all the rage. I have to admit that I was smitten. They just made sense to me as a way to capture how a brand could be relevant and meaningful to those it hoped to serve by understanding what people needed wherever they were in the process of engaging with the brand.

I believe the problems emerged when some started treating them like the end-all-be-all for making marketing decisions. Since then, criticisms of journey maps have popped up. Here are a few:

• They oversimplify things. Some characterize the maps as a way to lock down a definition of the customer experience across the journey. The danger here lies in missing the nuances and complexities that characterize the ever-evolving real-world customer interactions.

• They can lack objectivity. Journey maps can become biased if they are based solely on assumptions or limited data. Without accurate and comprehensive data, the maps may not reflect the true customer experience, leading to misguided decisions.

• They can become stale. Customer behavior and touchpoints are constantly evolving. Critics argue that journey maps can become outdated and fail to account for these changes if they are not regularly updated. A static map might not serve a business's evolving needs effectively.

• They can too easily become generic. It can be easy to fall back on cookie-cutter representations of prospects and customers that do not capture their unique aspects. 

• They can be misinterpreted. Journey maps are only as valuable as the understanding of those who use them. Misinterpretation or miscommunication can occur if the maps are not well-documented or if stakeholders do not fully comprehend them.

Journey maps are still important

So should we hold a big bonfire where we burn all those customer journey map templates?

No. Despite the criticisms, journey maps continue to be indispensable tools for brands. Here are the reasons why.

They emphasize customer-centricity

Journey maps are all about understanding and improving the customer experience. They provide insight into customer needs, pain points, and emotions throughout their interactions with a brand. By focusing on the customer, brands can better tailor their strategies and offerings.

They promote alignment

Cross-functional alignment is often a challenge for a brand. For example, getting the sales team and the marketing team on the same page. Journey maps serve as a common visual representation of the customer experience, fostering collaboration and a shared understanding among different departments. This alignment is vital for delivering a consistent and seamless customer experience.

They encourage continuous improvement

Customer journey maps help businesses identify areas where they can enhance the customer experience and prioritize efforts to make real changes. Moreover, a quality journey mapping process recognizes the need to continuously update and refine the maps as customer behaviors and preferences evolve. This iterative process keeps businesses agile and responsive to changes in the market.

They build empathy

Journey maps encourage team members to put themselves in the customer's shoes, helping them better understand customer experiences, emotions, and frustrations. This understanding helps fuel human-centered design – an approach that ensures that products and services are designed with the user's needs and preferences in mind. In short, empathy drives better decision-making that results in more impactful outcomes.

They boost innovation

Journey maps can be a source of inspiration. By revealing customer pain points and unmet needs, businesses can identify opportunities to enhance existing touchpoints or create new ones. This provides brands a valuable opportunity to innovate.

They help mitigate risk

By identifying potential issues and bottlenecks in the customer journey, these maps enable businesses to mitigate risks and prevent customer churn. Proactively addressing pain points helps retain customers and even build brand loyalty.

Despite the criticisms, customer journey maps remain indispensable tools for enhancing customer experiences, aligning teams, and driving innovation. 

For an overview of journey mapping, check out the post How to get to a better brand? There's a map. Or check out this series on The 5 Steps Of Customer Journey Mapping.