As a leader in customer support, I’ve always believed that the customer experience isn’t just about solving problems—it’s about understanding the entire journey. Recently, I had the opportunity to chat with Ben McCormack, a consultant and expert in customer experience, who shared his insights on customer journey mapping. Ben’s experience, which spans over a decade in building high-performing teams at companies like Trello and FullStory, opened my eyes to the deeper value of journey mapping and how it can transform the way we think about customer success.

If you’re in customer support, leadership, or any customer-facing role, this article will give you a glimpse into why customer journey mapping is a tool every company needs.

1. The Power of Customer Journey Mapping

At its core, customer journey mapping is about understanding every stage a customer goes through when interacting with your company. Ben explained how many businesses overlook this critical aspect, often focusing only on immediate support tasks. However, mapping the customer’s journey from start to finish can help you pinpoint areas where their experience falters and where your business can step in to improve.

"Mapping the customer journey helps you see the entire experience, not just when things go wrong, but every interaction they have—from awareness to renewal."
— Ben McCormack

This hit home for me because so often, we react to customer complaints rather than proactively finding ways to enhance their experience at each stage. By using journey maps, you can move beyond firefighting and start identifying opportunities to provide value before issues even arise.

2. Collaboration Across Teams is Key

One of the biggest takeaways from our conversation was the importance of cross-functional collaboration when it comes to customer journey mapping. According to Ben, journey mapping is not just the responsibility of customer support; it’s a company-wide effort. Every department—sales, marketing, product, and customer success—plays a role in shaping the customer experience.

"Customer journey mapping isn’t just about support. Every part of the business touches the customer in some way, and if your teams aren’t aligned, things can fall through the cracks."
— Ben McCormack

This really resonated with me. To provide a seamless customer experience, it’s essential to break down silos and ensure that everyone in the company understands their role in the customer journey. Ben shared how even small miscommunications between teams can create friction for the customer, and journey mapping is a great way to bring everyone onto the same page.

3. Empathy in Leadership

Another powerful insight Ben shared was the role of empathy in customer experience leadership. As a leader, it’s not just about fixing problems—it’s about understanding your team, your customers, and the overall journey they’re on. Ben emphasized how leaders need to build empathy both within their teams and for their customers.

"Empathy is the foundation of customer journey mapping. It’s about understanding where your customers are coming from and being able to anticipate their needs before they even realize it."
— Ben McCormack

This spoke to my core beliefs as a leader. In customer support, we’re often on the front lines, hearing customer frustrations firsthand. But it’s empathy that allows us to not only resolve those frustrations but also create lasting relationships that turn customers into long-term advocates.

4. Understanding the "Why" Behind Customer Behavior

One of the most impactful moments in our discussion was when Ben talked about the importance of understanding the "why" behind customer behavior. By mapping out each stage of the journey, you can ask deeper questions about why customers are behaving a certain way. Whether it’s why they’re not converting during a sales process or why they’re contacting support after using the product, journey mapping helps you identify root causes.

"Journey mapping forces you to ask the right questions—why did the customer take this action? What was their motivation? Once you understand that, you can tailor your support to meet their real needs."
— Ben McCormack

This level of insight allows companies to not just react to problems but to proactively improve the customer experience, addressing issues before they become bigger problems.

5. Scaling Customer Experience with Journey Mapping

As companies grow, maintaining a personalized customer experience becomes more challenging. Ben shared how customer journey mapping is essential for companies looking to scale without losing touch with their customers. By understanding the journey at a granular level, businesses can implement processes that keep the customer at the center, even as the company expands.

"As you scale, it’s easy to lose sight of the customer’s experience. Journey mapping ensures that every part of the business remains aligned with the customer’s needs, even as you grow."
— Ben McCormack

This point is so relevant for growing companies. Journey mapping helps businesses avoid common pitfalls that come with rapid growth, such as miscommunication between departments, inconsistent customer interactions, and a general disconnect from what customers are actually experiencing.

Key Takeaways:

1. Customer Journey Mapping is Essential – Understanding every stage of the customer experience allows you to proactively improve their journey and prevent issues before they arise.

2. Cross-Functional Collaboration is Key – To provide a seamless customer experience, teams from sales, marketing, support, and product must work together and stay aligned.

3. Empathy is the Foundation of Leadership – Leading with empathy helps you build stronger connections with both your team and customers, creating a culture of trust and support.

4. Ask the "Why" Behind Customer Behavior – Journey mapping helps you uncover the motivations behind customer actions, allowing for deeper insights and better solutions.

5. Scaling with Journey Mapping – As companies grow, journey mapping helps maintain a customer-centric approach, ensuring that the customer experience remains positive and consistent.

Conclusion: My conversation with Ben McCormack was an eye-opener in so many ways. His approach to customer journey mapping and his emphasis on empathy and cross-functional collaboration have left me rethinking how we approach customer experience in our own work. Whether you’re part of a small startup or a larger organization, journey mapping is a tool that can bring immediate value and help your team stay aligned with what really matters—the customer.

If you’re not already thinking about customer journey mapping, now is the time to start. It’s a low-cost, high-impact way to ensure that your customers feel heard, supported, and valued at every stage of their journey.