Total Experience: A Comprehensive Approach to Customer Experience Design

In today's competitive business landscape, companies are constantly seeking ways to differentiate themselves and stand out to customers. One key area where companies can differentiate themselves is in the customer experience they offer. According to research by PWC, nearly two-thirds of consumers say that the overall experience a company provides is as important as its products or services.

To address this, many companies have turned to customer experience design as a way to optimize the interactions and touchpoints that customers have with their brand. However, traditional approaches to customer experience design have often focused on optimizing isolated parts of the customer journey, such as the purchase process or customer support.

Gartner's concept of total experience takes a more comprehensive approach to customer experience design, by considering all aspects of the customer journey and seeking to create a cohesive and integrated experience.

The total experience framework recognizes that customers interact with a company in a variety of ways, including pre-purchase research, the actual purchase, and post-purchase use and support. All of these touchpoints should be considered and optimized in order to create a positive and seamless experience for the customer.

Total experience design goes beyond just the product or service itself and also considers the marketing and branding around it, the customer service and support, and any other interactions that a customer may have with the company. By designing all of these touchpoints to work together seamlessly, companies can create a more cohesive and consistent customer journey, which can lead to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.

To effectively implement total experience design, companies need to take a customer-centric approach and have a deep understanding of their target audience. This includes understanding their needs, preferences, and pain points at each stage of the customer journey.

Designing the total experience requires a cross-functional approach, as it involves the collaboration of teams from different departments such as product development, marketing, and customer service. It also requires the use of a variety of design tools and techniques, including customer journey mapping, usability testing, and data analysis.

In summary, total experience is a framework that takes a comprehensive approach to customer experience design, considering all aspects of the customer journey and seeking to create a cohesive and integrated experience. By designing the total experience, companies can create a more consistent and positive customer journey, leading to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.

In contrast the concept of "human experience" developed by Deloitte is similar to the concept of total experience developed by Gartner in that it focuses on the role that design plays in shaping the overall customer experience with a product or service. However, while total experience takes a more comprehensive approach that considers all aspects of the customer journey, human experience specifically focuses on the emotional and psychological aspects of the customer experience.

According to Deloitte, human experience design involves creating positive emotional connections with customers through personalized and meaningful experiences. It seeks to understand how customers feel at different touchpoints in their journey, and design those touchpoints to create positive emotions and meaningful connections.

To design the human experience, Deloitte recommends using a customer-centric approach and considering the following three elements:

1. Purpose: Understanding the purpose or meaning behind the product or service, and aligning it with the values and goals of the customer.
2. Empathy: Understanding the needs, preferences, and emotions of the customer, and designing the experience to meet those needs and create positive emotions.
3. Co-creation: Involving the customer in the design process, and co-creating the experience with them.

Overall, both total experience and human experience design seek to create positive and cohesive customer experiences, but take slightly different approaches. While total experience takes a more comprehensive approach that considers all aspects of the customer journey, human experience focuses specifically on the emotional and psychological aspects of the customer experience