Touch Points are the various modes of interaction between a company and its customers. These modes, such as call centers, sales staff, partners, and the Internet, must give consistent service and messages to the customer so that he gets the same positive feelings each time he gets a message or has an interaction. Each “touch” should also reinforce your brand and let your customer know that you understand him and his needs and wants. Effective management of these touch points will differentiate your company from your competition.

What is Customer Touch-Point Management?

It is critical that the message a customer (or potential customer) receives from an ad in a magazine or on television agrees with the message he gets on the Internet or by e-mail and with the message he receives when he talks with a sales rep. This example gives five different touch points. Yet there are many more – Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, regular e-mails to advertise sales or update a customer on his product, partner sales staff, and help desk staff. All of these must be managed so that all convey the same good feelings and the same message to the customer. This is not simply a function of a piece of software, but calls for human interaction in the form of understanding customer segments and considering various brand attributes and various business strategies.

What is the driving force behind creation of a Customer Touch-Point Management?

Not so long ago, it was possible to create a marketing message and use that same message in newspaper and magazine ads and on radio and television for a period ranging from three months to several years with very little variation. All of that changed with the advent of the Internet and the Information Age. Customers expect the message to change frequently and to be communicated in a wide array of modes. And they want the information in bites that are quickly read or heard. Yet, the message may not actually be internalized by the customer until he has read or heard it several times in various formats. This takes strategy and agility on the part of the company delivering those bites of information.

What are the advantages of a Customer Touch-Point Management?

Customer touch-point management is not optional today; it is mandatory. Real-time feedback from the Web proves that it is essential to leverage all touch-points on a daily or weekly basis. By doing so, companies can expect customer loyalty (something rarely seen today!) due to a high level of customer satisfaction. Your company will be set apart from your competition because it delivers a complete message of what the brand is and what it can do for the customer due to its solid alignment among sales, service, and marketing.