Analyzing and improving customer experience at communication agency Cocomms
Heimonen, Fanny (2017)
Heimonen, Fanny
Haaga-Helia ammattikorkeakoulu
2017
All rights reserved
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2017112117623
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2017112117623
Tiivistelmä
This thesis aims to analyze and improve customer experience at a Finnish communication agency called Cocomms. The topic is relevant, because experiences have become an essential way to compete. Many companies recognize the importance of customer experience. However, only a few companies have a strategic approach to managing them or take actual action in improving them.
Every company produces experiences, either coincidental or managed. Therefore, every company also has the opportunity to produce experiences that meet or exceed the customers’ expectations. To be able to move the customer experience to the next level, companies must first understand the state of their current experience. Therefore, this thesis also studies how Cocomms’ customer experience is perceived today.
The theoretical framework consists of three themes. It deals with diverse perspectives to building customer experience; good practices to measuring customer experience as well as some key performance indicators; and, finally, some key management areas of customer experience.
The research includes two perspectives: external (customer), and internal (company). The customer perspective studies Cocomms’ strengths and weaknesses in chosen touch points and on relationship level. The customer perspective is studied through an online survey of all Cocomms’ active customers. The company perspective, on the other hand, focuses on how customer experience is planned, measured and managed. It is studied through theory and by benchmarking Cocomms’ Norwegian partner agency X through an interview. This also covers the international aspect of the thesis.
Overall Cocomms’ customer experience is seen as quite positive and it was difficult to identify key weaknesses. The main reasons for positive experiences by Cocomms were the team and quality of service. The key interview findings relate to the importance of culture in this type of business, and the role of people, measuring, and customer journeys. Generally, customer journeys are quite un-known. Furthermore, companies do not measure customer experiences. However, to be able to improve the experiences, companies need to know their customers, understand the customer buying process or customer journey, and implement systematic measuring processes. Therefore, these aspects were also suggested as future recommendation areas for Cocomms.
Every company produces experiences, either coincidental or managed. Therefore, every company also has the opportunity to produce experiences that meet or exceed the customers’ expectations. To be able to move the customer experience to the next level, companies must first understand the state of their current experience. Therefore, this thesis also studies how Cocomms’ customer experience is perceived today.
The theoretical framework consists of three themes. It deals with diverse perspectives to building customer experience; good practices to measuring customer experience as well as some key performance indicators; and, finally, some key management areas of customer experience.
The research includes two perspectives: external (customer), and internal (company). The customer perspective studies Cocomms’ strengths and weaknesses in chosen touch points and on relationship level. The customer perspective is studied through an online survey of all Cocomms’ active customers. The company perspective, on the other hand, focuses on how customer experience is planned, measured and managed. It is studied through theory and by benchmarking Cocomms’ Norwegian partner agency X through an interview. This also covers the international aspect of the thesis.
Overall Cocomms’ customer experience is seen as quite positive and it was difficult to identify key weaknesses. The main reasons for positive experiences by Cocomms were the team and quality of service. The key interview findings relate to the importance of culture in this type of business, and the role of people, measuring, and customer journeys. Generally, customer journeys are quite un-known. Furthermore, companies do not measure customer experiences. However, to be able to improve the experiences, companies need to know their customers, understand the customer buying process or customer journey, and implement systematic measuring processes. Therefore, these aspects were also suggested as future recommendation areas for Cocomms.