There’s a new phrase popping up in project proposals recently: customer experience. Katie Osborn, Principal of Via Collective, often speaks about Wayfinding as a Customer Service issue so we’re thrilled to see this shift in approach, however, there are new dimensions to the customer experience concept that need to be considered when widening the lens from wayfinding to customer experience.
The perception of customer experience is evolving as companies notice that the term encompasses all touchpoints a customer will have with a brand, business, or agency. It includes every interaction that a person has, whether or not it results in an actual purchase. For example, if you are going to see live music, the customer experience journey would begin at home when you are looking at the venue website and determining which show you’d like to see. Once you purchase a ticket online, you head to the theater the day of the performance, use the bathroom, buy a beer, find your seat, and watch the show. Every single one of these interactions is part of the customer experience, and each one should be seamless and pleasant so that you are likely to return in the future. This is where wayfinding plays a critical role in enhancing this experience.
WAYFINDING BUILDS TRUST
Trust is a critical component of a successful customer experience, especially when making purchases or providing credit card information. Wayfinding contributes to building trust by reinforcing the brand identity across all platforms – either online at home or at the destination – using consistent graphic elements like language, typeface, or color reinforces that it’s the same brand throughout the process. Successful wayfinding orients people in a way that increases their sense of safety and security, reinforcing their comfort level in a physical or digital environment.
WAYFINDING IS MULTI-FACTED
You may already know that wayfinding is more than just signs! There are a number of tools we use to create an enhanced wayfinding experience, and physical signs at specific locations are just one of them. Environmental graphics can be used to highlight the brand identity of a space, donor recognition can tell a story, and interactive maps can be installed to provide customers with the ability to control their experience. Wayfinding can include customer service – because sometimes a visitor just really wants to have their question answered by another human being.
WAYFINDING IS FOR YOU
Wayfinding should always be designed with the customers in mind. Much like customer experience mapping, we engage in user journey mapping, which outlines user-profiles and the potential paths they might take through the built environment. Of course, it’s important for a person to reach their destination, but perhaps they would stop for a coffee or need the restroom before they do. User journey mapping highlights the entire wayfinding experience for a customer, not just the destination, including innovative ways to engage them along the way. This ensures that their journey is elevated from just a one-way trip to a multi-faceted experience.
Let us help you determine your key user groups, journey mapping solutions, or how wayfinding solutions will enhance your customer’s experience. See our portfolio for examples of projects or drop us a line at hello@viacollective.com to connect with us and discuss your project.
Image credit: Eric Masur