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Improving service quality through customer journey analysis

Ragnhild Halvorsrud (Department of Networked Systems and Services, SINTEF, Oslo, Norway)
Knut Kvale (Department of Research, Telenor Research, Fornebu, Norway)
Asbjørn Følstad (Department of Networked Systems and Services, SINTEF, Oslo, Norway)

Journal of Service Theory and Practice

ISSN: 2055-6225

Article publication date: 14 November 2016

26523

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a framework based on customer journeys for a structured portrayal of service delivery from the customer’s point of view. The paper also introduces customer journey analysis (CJA) for empirical investigation of individual service experiences in a multichannel environment.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper presents case studies for onboarding new customers on broadband services. CJA starts with modeling of the service process in terms of touchpoints. The individual customer journeys are reconstructed through methodological triangulation of interviews, diary studies, and process tracking.

Findings

The paper provides empirical insights into individual customer journeys. Four types of deviations during service delivery are identified: occurrence of ad hoc touchpoints, irregularities in the sequence of logically connected touchpoints, occurrence of failures in touchpoints, and missing touchpoints. CJA seems effective in revealing problematic and incoherent service delivery that may result in unfavorable customer experiences.

Practical implications

For a service company, the proposed framework may serve as a unifying language to ease cross-departmental communication and approach service quality in a systematic way. CJA discloses the gap between the planned and actual service delivery and can be used as a tool for service improvement.

Originality/value

The framework provides concepts, definitions, and a visual notation to structure and manage services in terms of customer journeys. CJA is a novel method for empirical studies of the service delivery process and the associated customer experience.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

CJF is the result of work that was initiated in 2007, and draws upon academic research, empirical studies, operational experience, as well as close interaction with several of Telenor’s international operations. The authors would like to thank all the involved persons for their contributions and support in developing the customer journey framework and the toolbox. The work in preparing this manuscript was funded by Explore, a research collaboration between Telenor Research and SINTEF ICT, Telenor’s partnership in Center for Service Innovation funded by the Research Council of Norway (RCN), and SINTEF’s participation in the VISUAL project funded by RCN (Project No. 219606).

Citation

Halvorsrud, R., Kvale, K. and Følstad, A. (2016), "Improving service quality through customer journey analysis", Journal of Service Theory and Practice, Vol. 26 No. 6, pp. 840-867. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-05-2015-0111

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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