The Unseen Impact of Partner Programs on the Customer Journey
Americo Da Costa
Customer Experience Strategist | Refining Customer Journeys & Personal Brands | Helping Businesses & Professionals Be Seen, Heard & Remembered.
Recently, I embarked on a journey. Not a physical one, but a journey through the digital marketplace, a mystery shopping exercise of sorts. My destination was a new product, and my path was filled with options, opportunities, and a few unexpected turns.
The Curiosity Sparked
At the checkout, an offer appeared: the option to pay monthly, facilitated by a third-party partner. Intrigued and cautious, I wondered, “Would this impact my credit score?”
The Quest for Answers
My quest for answers began. The merchant’s FAQs, usually a treasure trove of information, yielded no clues. The online bot, a digital assistant, was summoned. But alas, it too fell short, prompting a live chat with a human agent.
The Disappointing Response
The agent’s response was disappointing, “We don’t have an option to check that. You can make thoughtful purchases now and pay over time in bite-sized installments. Spread the cost of your purchase over fixed monthly payments.”
The Transcript Surprise
I asked for a transcript of the chat. The agent replied, “I’m sorry there is no option to send the transcript of this chat. If you wish you can take a screenshot of this chat.” The chat ended, but not without a surprise. A notification popped up, “Conversation with Americo Da Costa,” a transcript of the conversation.
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The Hard Truth
Contacting the third-party vendor revealed a hard truth: selecting monthly payments would indeed result in a hard hit on the credit score. I was left with a choice: pay by credit and request more credit, a choice not clearly spelled out.
The Importance of Journey Mapping
This journey, filled with unanswered questions and incorrect information, highlights the importance of understanding partner programs and their impact on the customer journey. It underscores the need for journey mapping all touchpoints to ensure a smooth customer experience.
The Call to Action
Every touchpoint, every interaction, is an opportunity to build trust, engage customers, and improve their journey. When these opportunities are missed, the journey becomes disjointed, fragmented, and the customer’s effort increases.
In the end, the customer’s journey is a reflection of the brand. It’s a story told through every interaction, every touchpoint. And like any good story, it should be seamless, engaging, and most importantly, customer-centric.
So, let’s take this as a call to action. Let’s strive to understand our partner programs better, to train our agents more effectively, and to ensure that every touchpoint in our customer’s journey is as smooth as they expect
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