Customer Journey Mapping

At Stoke-on-Trent City Council, the Best Practice and Service Review Team have developed their own Customer Journey Mapping methodology and toolkit for use across the authority. This was created in line with guidance from the Cabinet Office and through liaison with other local authorities.

This toolkit can help the authority to:

• Understand the experiences, thoughts and feelings of customers as they encounter a council service or set of services
  
• Deliver information, messages and services at the most appropriate time.
  
• Deliver a seamless, streamlined experience that cuts across council departments by recognising where and when it is appropriate to join things up for the customer.
  
• Get it right when it really matters e.g. when emotions are highest or when the need is greatest.
  
• Compare the current situation with the 'ideal' side-by-side, giving a chance to genuinely redesign the customer journey.

This can benefit the organization by:

• Helping to bring customers' stories to life. This can challenge preconceptions surrounding service delivery.
  
• Helping to shape strategy and policy, leading to better customer experiences and more efficient government.
  
• Helping deliver efficiency savings in many areas, including in line with NI14 (Reducing avoidable contact).
  
• Leading to more satisfied customers, which are cheaper to serve and easier to deal with. Good customer understanding is also good business.

We are more than happy to share this methodology with any local authorities that are considering developing their own approach to Customer Journey Mapping.

Further information: Sue Craig (sue.m.craig@Stoke.Gov.Uk)

Thanks for this.

UPDATE!

Customer Journey Mapping Workshop

In response to all the feedback we've had about our blog posting about our Customer Journey Mapping model we've decided to hold a half day workshop.

The workshop will be held in Stoke-on-Trent at our Civic Centre on the morning of the 4 November. The workshop will be £95 per person for public sector employees including lunch. If anyone is interested in finding out more or coming along to our workshop please contact will.haywood@stoke.gov.uk or telephone Will on 01782 237610. We'll be providing more information about our workshop soon.

UPDATE 2! More information now available at:

http://www.stoke.gov.uk/ccm/content/ce/bestvalue/customer-journey-mapping.en

UPDATE 3! I have blogged about this whole issue on my other blog here - concerning attendance allowance and the need to see the process from the viewpoint of the claimant.

UPDATE 4!: It is my understanding that this team has now been disbanded.