A Process Based View of Customer Experience

Author(s)

Faculty Member, DBizInstitute.org and Managing Director, Spanyi International

A recent article in HBR informed readers on the “truth” about customer experience[i]. The authors argued that it’s not enough for organizations to excel at key touch points with customers – instead organizations need to understand and skillfully manage the entire customer journey.  While this is true – and might be a new revelation for some readers – it should come as no surprise to those of us who have practiced a customer focused, process based view of business.

A process based view of customer experience is much more than just creating a roadmap of a customer journey; it also involves shaping what the organization measures and manages.  Let’s consider how a process based view of customer experience can benefit service providers such as phone, internet, cable, and utility companies.  The customers of such service providers have a set of very simple needs; including,

  • Value for money
  • Service installed when promised, and first time right
  • Quality service on an ongoing basis
  • Prompt restoration of service in the event of service disruption
  • Accurate, timely and user friendly invoices
  • Prompt, first time right handling of inquiries/complaints

A process based view of customer experience understandably begins with measuring the organization’s performance on each of the above six performance criteria. It’s not enough to monitor these performance criteria at the departmental level; instead these metrics should be featured on the first page of the leadership team’s scorecard. Next, a model of the value creating end-to-end processes for installation, provision, restoration, billing, and responding to inquires/complaints is needed. Each of these models needs to capture what is done, by whom, and how (using which information systems) to create value. Then, as the major points of opportunity are most often related to non value added hand-offs across functional departments, thoughtful organizations will examine how to create accountability for the performance of each of these end-to-end processes. – either through the development of service level agreements (SLAs) between functions/departments or by appointing process owners with oversight on the entire end-to-end process.

In theory – this is not too hard – in practice, most organizations struggle with taking a process based view of customer experience.  Power and authority continue to reside with the heads of major departments and this is something they are reluctant to surrender.  The process based view of customer experience is not likely to flourish unless the CEO is passionate on this perspective.

My research with a large, regional electric utility illustrates some of the challenges in this respect.  While this company closely monitored its performance in restoring service to customers after a service disruption, the senior leadership team’s scorecard did not have the other needed metrics on installation, billing, and inquiry/complaint handling.  Upon further examination, the focus on measuring performance in restoring service was arguably just as much related to satisfying regulators and some anxiety around the scrutiny of the media than it was related to a deep concern around the quality of the customer experience.  Also, it was found that the company used to measure on time first time right installation performance, however it stopped doing this partly because performance levels were embarrassing around peak periods such as the beginning of each university semester.  Nor did this company have models that captured what is done, by whom, and how (using which information systems) for each of the key end-to-end processes. There were models in place of course, but these models were created on an ad hoc basis in a linear format and without adequate attention to cross functional interactions.  The fundamental issue is often the mental model of the leadership team. It is problematic when the leadership team views the business from the inside out – instead of the outside-in – or customer’s point of view. The difference between these two perspectives is illustrated in table 1 below.

Inside Out View Outside In View
Design the network Install service
Build it Provide service
Operate it Invoice for service
Bill for it Restore service (when needed)
Maintain it Resolve inquiries/complaints
Restore it (when needed)  
Resolve inquiries/complaints  

The mental model of leadership team matters enormously as it influences what is measured and managed.  A process based view of customer experience does not only help organizations understand the entire customer journey, it also is needed for root cause identification and sustainable improvement to the customer experience.  Forming cross functional teams and launching projects to address problems as they arise is useful – but not enough. Deploying BPMS to automate activities and improve collaboration can help, but ultimately what’s needed is a new way of measuring and managing performance.

[i] Rawson, Alex, Ewan Duncan, and Conor Jones, “The Truth About Customer Experience”, Harvard Business Review, September 2013

Similar Resources

Enhancing Your Team’s BPM Capabilities: The Value of External Expertise

Enhancing Your Team’s BPM Capabilities: The Value of External Expertise

Author(s):

Editor & Founder, BPMInstitute.org, BAInstitute.org and DBIZInstitute.org

Enhancing Your Team's BPM Capabilities: The Value of External Expertise In today’s dynamic business environment, managing and improving business processes is critical for any organization aiming to maintain a competitive edge. Many companies consider handling Business...

Exploring Shared Data Model and Notation (SDMN) and Its Role in BPM+

Exploring Shared Data Model and Notation (SDMN) and Its Role in BPM+

Author(s):

Editor & Founder, BPMInstitute.org, BAInstitute.org and DBIZInstitute.org

Exploring Shared Data Model and Notation (SDMN) and Its Role in BPM+ Introduction In the evolving landscape of Business Process Management (BPM), the introduction of Shared Data Model Notation (SDMN) marks a significant advancement. As businesses increasingly seek to...

Embracing the Future: Low-Code and No-Code Platforms in BPM+

Embracing the Future: Low-Code and No-Code Platforms in BPM+

Author(s):

Editor & Founder, BPMInstitute.org, BAInstitute.org and DBIZInstitute.org

Embracing the Future: Low-Code and No-Code Platforms in BPM+ Introduction In the realm of business process management (BPM), low-code and no-code platforms have emerged as transformative tools, reshaping how organizations develop applications and manage workflows....

Featured Certificate: BPM Specialist

Everyone starts here.

You're looking for a way to improve your process improvement skills, but you're not sure where to start.

Earning your Business Process Management Specialist (BPMS) Certificate will give you the competitive advantage you need in today's world. Our courses help you deliver faster and makes projects easier.

Your skills will include building hierarchical process models, using tools to analyze and assess process performance, defining critical process metrics, using best practice principles to redesign processes, developing process improvement project plans, building a center of excellence, and establishing process governance.

The BPMS Certificate is the perfect way to show employers that you are serious about business process management. With in-depth knowledge of process improvement and management, you'll be able to take your business career to the next level.

Learn more about the BPM Specialist Certificate

Courses

  •  

 

Certificates

  • Business Process Management Specialist
  • Earning your Business Process Management Specialist (BPMS) Certificate will provide you with a distinct competitive advantage in today’s rapidly evolving business landscape. With in-depth knowledge of process improvement and management, you’ll be able to take your business career to the next level.
  • BPM Professional Certificate
    Business Process Management Professional
  • Earning your Business Process Management Professional (BPMP) Certificate will elevate your expertise and professional standing in the field of business process management. Our BPMP Certificate is a tangible symbol of your achievement, demonstrating your in-depth knowledge of process improvement and management.

Certification

BPM Certification

  • Make the most of your hard-earned skills. Earn the respect of your peers and superiors with Business Process Management Certification from the industry's top BPM educational organization.

Courses

 

Certificates

  • Operational Excellence Specialist
  • Earning your Operational Excellence Specialist Certificate will provide you with a distinct advantage in driving organizational excellence and achieving sustainable improvements in performance.
 

 

OpEx Professional Certificate

  • Operational Excellence Professional
  • Earn your Operational Excellence Professional Certificate and gain a competitive edge in driving organizational excellence and achieving sustainable improvements in performance.

Courses

Certificate
  •  

  • Agile BPM Specialist
  • Earn your Agile BPM Specialist Certificate and gain a competitive edge in driving business process management (BPM) with agile methodologies. You’ll gain a strong understanding of how to apply agile principles and concepts to business process management initiatives.  
 

Business Architecture

 

Certificates

  • Business Architecture Specialist
  • The Business Architecture Specialist (BAIS) Certificate is proof that you’ve begun your business architecture journey by committing to the industry’s most meaningful and credible business architecture training program.

  • Business Architecture Professional
  • When you earn your Business Architecture Professional (BAIP) Certificate, you will be able to design and implement a governance structure for your organization, develop and optimize business processes, and manage business information effectively.

BA CertificationCertification

  • Make the most of your hard-earned skills. Earn the respect of your peers and superiors with Business Architecture Certification from the industry's top BPM educational organization.

Courses

 

Certificates

  • Digital Transformation Specialist
  • Earning your Digital Transformation Specialist Certificate will provide you with a distinct advantage in today’s rapidly evolving business landscape. 
 

 

  • Digital Transformation Professional
  • The Digital Transformation Professional Certificate is the first program in the industry to cover all the key pillars of Digital Transformation holistically with practical recommendations and exercises.

Courses

Certificate

  • Agile Business Analysis Specialist
  • Earning your Agile Business Analysis Specialist Certificate will provide you with a distinct advantage in the world of agile software development.

Courses

Certificate
  • DAS Certificate
  • Decision Automation Specialist
  • Earning your Decision Automation Certificate will empower you to excel in the dynamic field of automated decision-making, where data-driven insights are pivotal to driving business innovation and efficiency.