What could be more important than improving sales and your customer relationships? Today, there is a fast growing movement, a revolution, among organizations interested in improving their customer-centricity through a better understanding of customer interactions, or “touchpoints.” Called “Customer Touchpoint Management” (CTM), the goal of this new movement is to improve customer experiences, and as a result, improve customer relationships. By improving customer relationships organizations improve market share, sales, and both customer and employee loyalty and advocacy.

But what exactly is a “touchpoint?” Touchpoints are all of the communication, human and physical interactions your customers experience during their relationship lifecycle with your organization. Whether an ad, Web site, sales person, store or office, Touchpoints are important because customers form perceptions of your organization and brand based on their cumulative touchpoint experiences.

Savvy organizations realize that customer relationships can no longer be considered exclusively the domains of sales and customer service. If the accuracy of invoices, or the professionalism of installers or cleanliness of your store or office is lacking, then the relationship can suffer no matter how well the salesperson or “owner” of the relationship performs. Savvy organizations know that they can best enhance relationships with customers by improving touchpoints across the entire enterprise.

In fact, improving your customer relationships can deliver powerful results to your organization. For example, through a comprehensive Customer Touchpoint Management (CTM) program developed to understand and improve key customer touchpoints, Avis gained market share in key travel markets and became a leader in customer loyalty and satisfaction as measured by Brand Keys and JD Powers.

So, where does your organization stand in the growing Customer Touchpoint Management movement? Take the following six-question CTM Revolution Quiz to find out if your firm is a CTM Observer, Follower, Leader or Visionary. If you want to see how your organization compares to others, take the quiz online at http://www.tpmetrics.com/tp_quiz.asp

CTM Revolution Quiz (Circle your Yes/No answer) Does your organization know… 1. All of its points of customer interaction (called touchpoints)? Yes No 2. Which touchpoints your customers highly value? Yes No 3. Your customers’ views of the effectiveness of highly valued touchpoints? Yes No 4. Your customers’ needs in each stage of their relationship with your company? Yes No 5. The most common sequence of touchpoints prospects encounter as they consider your offerings? Yes No 6. How your current customers classify themselves (for example: as dissatisfied, satisfied, loyal or advocate)? Yes No

Add up your “Yes” answers to find where your organization is positioned in the CTM revolution:

0: CTM Observer. While your firm may be doing well, there are opportunities for dramatic improvement in the customer-centricity of your organization. If your approach to better understanding and improving customer touchpoints has been to observe or monitor customer service trends in your industry, you may be finding it more and more difficult to compete. New clients and strong sales may be masking poor customer satisfaction and retention issues, which could lead to a serious problem down the road. You know that improving customer-centricity will help, but your organization may be having trouble getting its hands around just how to accomplish this – you’re not sure exactly where to start. Previous efforts to improve customer experiences have generated mixed results. As a consequence, staff are highly skeptical of new programs and their ability to truly effect change. A change of culture may be required to dramatically improve customer-centricity, and you probably need third party assistance to accomplish this.