What role does the ‘customer journey’ play in service management?

The role of the 'customer journey' in service management is crucial because it allows organizations to gain insights into user experiences throughout their interactions with the service. By mapping out the customer journey, organizations can identify key touchpoints where customers engage with the service, helping them to understand how customers perceive and experience each interaction.

This understanding is essential for several reasons. First, it facilitates the identification of pain points or areas of friction that customers might encounter, which can then be addressed to improve overall satisfaction. Second, it aids in aligning service delivery with customer expectations, ensuring that the service is designed around real user needs rather than assumptions. Thus, it ultimately drives continuous improvement in services, helping organizations to enhance the quality and effectiveness of their offerings.

In contrast, focusing only on internal processes would neglect the customer's perspective, while emphasizing the speed of service delivery might overlook critical elements of user experience. Declaring the customer journey as irrelevant to service quality ignores the significant impact that user interactions have on overall perceptions and satisfaction with a service.