Customer experience vs. customer journey map

Cracking the mystery: CEM vs. CJM unpacked

Ever wondered why some brands just 'get you' while others seem to miss the mark? The secret lies in understanding the journey, not just the destination. Dive into the world of Customer Experience Maps (CEM) and Customer Journey Maps (CJM) — your key to unlocking genuinely memorable customer interactions.

The big picture vs. the close-up

Understanding Customer Experience Maps

CEM at a glance: Imagine capturing every single interaction with your brand through a customer's eyes. That's your CEM — a holistic view of the customer-brand saga from start to finish.

Touchpoints and channels: Where and how does the customer interaction happen?

Emotional journey: What are the emotional highs and lows?

Moments of truth: Which interactions are deal-makers or deal-breakers?

Understanding Customer Journey Maps

CJM in detail: Now, zoom in. Focus on one specific adventure a customer takes with your product or service. The CJM dissects this journey, stage by stage, revealing the nitty-gritty of customer experience.

Stages of the journey: What steps does the customer take?

Customer actions and behaviors: What exactly is the customer doing?

Thoughts and emotions: What's going through their head?

Pain points and opportunities: Where are the bumps in the road?

Spotting the differences

While CEMs and CJMs both map out customer interactions, they serve different purposes and offer unique insights:

Scope of view: CEMs give you the eagle-eye view; CJMs bring you into the trenches.

Detail level: CEMs are about breadth; CJMs are all about depth.

Purpose and application: Use CEMs for strategic insights across all touchpoints. Turn to CJMs for tactical improvements in specific areas.

Making the right map choice: CEM or CJM?

When standing at the crossroads of customer experience strategy, deciding whether to craft a Customer Experience Map (CEM) or a Customer Journey Map (CJM) can feel like choosing between two equally enticing paths. Each has its unique allure, offering insights and guidance on delighting your customers at every turn. Here's how to discern which map—or perhaps both—will best guide your journey to customer satisfaction nirvana.

When to chart with a CEM

Going for the grand overview? If your mission is to understand and enhance the overarching relationship between your customers and your brand, a CEM is your satellite view. It's perfect for when you need to:

Assess the entire customer lifecycle: When you want a snapshot of the customer's entire arc of interaction with your brand, from the first whisper of awareness to the echoes of post-purchase engagement.

Identify broad patterns: If you're looking to spot overarching trends in customer behavior, satisfaction, or disengagement across all touchpoints.

Strategize at scale: Ideal for aligning your brand's vision with the customer's experience, ensuring consistency and cohesion across all channels.

Tip: Start with customer interviews and surveys to gather broad insights, then map these against your brand's touchpoints to see where your vision aligns—or diverges—from customer reality.

When to dive deep with a CJM

Focusing on the fine details? If you want to optimize a specific product, service, or touchpoint, the CJM is your microscope. Pull out this tool when you need to:

Solve specific problems: If customers are dropping off at a certain point in their journey or expressing dissatisfaction with a particular aspect of your service, a CJM can help you understand why.

Refine and innovate: Use a CJM to iteratively test and improve specific stages of the customer journey, ensuring each step is as seamless and delightful as possible.

Understand customer motivations: When diving into the why behind customer actions, uncover the thoughts and emotions that drive decisions at each step.

Tip: Map out each stage of the customer's journey for the specific area you're focusing on. Use data analytics, feedback, and user testing to identify and address pain points and opportunities for delight.

Harmonizing both maps for comprehensive insights

Seeking the complete picture? The most powerful strategy employs both CEMs and CJMs, leveraging their strengths in concert to offer a multi-dimensional view of the customer experience.

Start with a CEM to grasp the broad customer experience landscape. Identify areas where customers feel exceptionally positive or negative, and use these insights to prioritize which parts of the customer journey to examine more closely.
Drill down with CJMs on specific journey stages or touchpoints identified from your CEM. This allows you to unpack the details of each interaction, understanding precisely what works, what doesn't, and why.
Loop Back to the CEM with your findings from individual CJMs to update and refine your overarching customer experience strategy. This iterative process ensures your broad-scale initiatives and detailed improvements are always aligned with actual customer experiences and expectations.

Tip: Use Miro to visualize both your CEM and CJMs. This not only helps in mapping out complex customer interactions but also fosters team collaboration, ensuring everyone is aligned and moving towards enhancing the customer experience together.

In navigating the decision between a CEM and a CJM, remember that it's not always about choosing one over the other. Sometimes, the richest insights come from using both, allowing you to zoom out for the big picture and zoom in for the details, ensuring every step of the customer journey is a step towards satisfaction.

Merging maps for mastery

Combining CEMs and CJMs offers a comprehensive view that captures the full spectrum of the customer experience. Start with the macro insights of a CEM to spot overall themes. Then, drill down with CJMs to fine-tune specific interactions.

Let Miro be your guide

Enter Miro — where the art of mapping customer experiences comes alive. Whether drafting the expansive vistas of a CEM or charting the intricate paths of a CJM, Miro workspace is your playground. Here, ideas thrive, strategies take shape, and customer journeys transform from good to unforgettable. Try our Miro's customer journey mapping template or experience map template to help you get started.

Navigating the nuanced world of customer experience mapping doesn't have to be a solo journey. With the right tools and a clear understanding of CEMs and CJMs, you're well on your way to crafting customer experiences that resonate on a deeper level. Let's embark on this journey together, turning insights into actions that not only meet but exceed customer expectations.