Latest / Customer Journey with Fexingo: Touchpoints, Mapping, and Multi-Channel Marketing / Why Journey Maps Miss the Phone Call Touchpoint
Transcript
- Lucas: So Luna, I was looking at a customer journey map for a mid-sized SaaS company this week, and the thing that struck me is how the phone call is almost always treated as a failure point, if it's even on the map at all. Luna: Right, like it's the last resort for the angry customer who couldn't figure out the chatbot. Lucas: Exactly. But what if the phone call is actually a high-intent moment, a signal that the customer is deeply engaged and willing to invest time to solve a problem? A recent study from a contact center analytics firm found that 67 percent of customers who call support have already tried at least three other channels first. That's not a failure, that's persistence. Luna: So by the time they pick up the phone, they've already attempted self-service, maybe a live chat, and they're still there. That's a lot of invested effort. Lucas: And that effort is invisible to most journey maps, because the map is drawn from web analytics and email clicks, not from the call center's data. So the phone call is treated as an isolated incident, not as the culmination of a longer path. And that's a real problem, because the phone call is where you can actually recover the relationship or lose it for good. Luna: So what's a good way to start capturing that? I mean, most companies probably don't even have a clear picture of why people are calling. Lucas: A good first step is to look at the reason codes that agents select in the CRM after a call. But more important is to integrate the call data with the rest of the journey data. You need to know what the customer did before they called. Did they visit the help center? Did they try the in-app chat? Did they get an email about a billing issue? That context is gold. Luna: And it's not just about the reason for the call, it's about the outcome. Did they resolve it? Did they stay a customer? Did they upgrade? Lucas: Right. And here's a concrete example. This software company I mentioned — they found that their highest-value customers had a specific pattern. They would hit a feature limitation, try the knowledge base, try a community forum, and then finally call. And when they called, if the agent could unblock them, those customers often expanded their contract within the next quarter. So the call wasn't a cost center, it was a revenue opportunity. Luna: That's a great insight. So how can a company actually redesign their journey map to incorporate that? Lucas: Well, the first thing is to stop thinking of the phone as a separate channel. Instead, map the call as a touchpoint that's connected to the prior steps. You can create what some people call a 'swimlane' for the phone, and connect it to the digital steps that preceded it. Then you can start to see patterns. Luna: So it's not just a line going to the call center, it's a whole sub-journey. Lucas: Exactly. And that sub-journey can reveal a lot. For example, they found that a large portion of calls were about a specific feature that was confusing. By fixing the in-app messaging around that feature, they reduced call volume by 20 percent. But they also found that some calls were from customers who wanted to do something advanced, and those calls were the ones that led to upsells. Luna: So if you just look at call volume, you miss the upside. You need to look at the value of the call, not just the cost. Lucas: That's the key. And it's not just about revenue. It's also about customer effort. When a customer has to repeat themselves across channels, that's a huge friction point. If they've already typed out their problem in a chat, and then they have to explain it again to an agent, that's frustrating. Journey maps that treat each channel in isolation reinforce that problem. Luna: And it’s a lot easier to solve if you have the chat transcript right there when the call comes in. Do you see many companies doing that well? Lucas: Some are getting better, but it's still rare. A lot of companies have a CRM that logs the call, but the agent doesn't have the full history of the customer's digital journey. So they're starting from scratch. That's a wasted opportunity, because the customer's already given you a ton of context. Luna: So what's one concrete thing a listener could do this week to start capturing the phone call in their journey map? Lucas: I'd say start by pulling the last hundred call transcripts or reason codes, and categorize them by the customer's lifecycle stage. Are they a new customer? A long-time customer? Did they just upgrade? Then map those categories against the touchpoints that came before. You'll likely find a pattern. Luna: And talk to the agents, too. They probably have a sense of what's really going on, beyond what the codes say. Lucas: Absolutely. One company I know did exactly that — they sat down with their top agents and asked, 'What are the calls that make you think this customer is going to churn?' And the agents described a specific type of call where the customer was polite but clearly had tried everything. That feedback led to a new retention playbook. Luna: That's a great example of using human insight to enhance the data. It's not just about the numbers. Lucas: Right. And it's also worth remembering that the phone call is often the most personal touchpoint you have. It's a real-time conversation, so it's a chance to build rapport. But if you don't have the context, it can also feel impersonal. The customer has to explain their whole history again, and that's a real disconnect. Luna: And that's the kind of thing that makes customers feel like you don't know them, even if you have a ton of data about them. Lucas: Exactly. So the phone call is not just a channel to resolve issues; it's a moment to show that you remember their journey. That's a powerful signal. Luna: And you know, it makes me think about how we're able to keep having these conversations. It's thanks to listeners who support the show. A couple of dollars a month is genuinely what keeps these going — buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo, if you've gotten something out of them. Lucas: Yeah, it really does make a difference. Even small contributions keep us ad-free, so we can keep diving into these topics. And thanks for that, if you're one of those supporters. Luna: So back to the phone call — what about the IVR? I feel like that's another place where journey maps often miss the mark. Lucas: Oh, definitely. The IVR menu is a touchpoint in itself, and it can either help or hinder. If you have a complicated menu, you're adding friction. But if you design it based on the actual reasons people call, you can route them faster. That's another way to show you understand their context. Luna: So a smart IVR, combined with a journey map that includes the phone, can really improve the whole experience. Lucas: Absolutely. And it's not just about reducing call time; it's about reducing customer effort. And we know that customer effort is a strong predictor of loyalty. Luna: I've also heard about companies using call data to improve their digital channels, like updating a help article that's causing confusion. That's a nice feedback loop. Lucas: That's a great point. And it works the other way too. If you see that customers who read a specific help article are more likely to call, you can proactively reach out to them with a better explanation before they even pick up the phone. Luna: So it's about creating a virtuous cycle between channels. Lucas: Exactly. And that's what a mature journey map should do — show the connections, not just the steps. That way, you can identify where the handoffs are breaking down and where the opportunities are. Luna: So to wrap up, the phone call is not a sign of failure; it's a sign of engagement. And by mapping it properly, you can unlock retention and revenue. Lucas: Well said. Next time you're looking at your journey map, ask yourself: where is the phone call? And if it's not there, you're missing a crucial part of the story.