In this episode of the eCommerce Podcast, Matt Edmundson has an engaging conversation with Peter Murphy Lewis from Strategic Pete. Peter, an entrepreneur with a rich background in media and marketing, shares his insights on the importance of understanding the customer journey through qualitative and quantitative research. This episode dives deep into practical strategies for improving customer engagement and driving business success.
Key Takeaways:
(03:02) Introduction to Peter Murphy Lewis: Peter discusses his background, including his unique living situation inside a zoo in Wichita, Kansas, and his experiences in South America.
(07:54) Early Career Insights: Peter talks about his first job creating surveys on religion and values, highlighting the importance of asking the right questions to understand people’s beliefs and behaviors.
(10:16) Defining the Customer Journey: Peter provides his personal definition of the customer journey, emphasizing the importance of the first impression and continuous engagement with the customer.
(15:03) Practical Application: Peter explains his approach to joining new companies and immediately focusing on understanding the customer by being involved in customer support calls.
(19:35) Enhancing Product Value: A case study is discussed where Peter helped a membership company increase its product price from $49 to $299 by understanding customer needs and adding valuable features.
(26:35) Removing Unnecessary Elements: The importance of identifying and removing unnecessary elements in a product or service to improve efficiency and customer satisfaction.
(31:10) Emotional and Subconscious Drivers: Peter highlights the significance of understanding the emotional and subconscious drivers behind customer behavior to make informed business decisions.
(36:26) Setting Objectives and Anti-Objectives: Peter emphasizes the importance of setting clear objectives and identifying potential negative outcomes (anti-objectives) when making business decisions.
RAPID-FIRE Q&A
What inspired your journey into marketing and customer research?
My journey began with a background in sociology and early career experiences in creating surveys and working with diverse populations. This foundation helped me understand the importance of asking the right questions to uncover deeper insights into human behavior.
How do you define the customer journey?
For me, the customer journey is the process where someone comes in touch with your brand and you follow them from the first time they hear about you until they decide they’re done with you. It’s about creating a lasting positive impression and continuously engaging with the customer.
Why should businesses care about the customer journey?
Businesses should care about the customer journey because understanding and improving it can lead to increased customer satisfaction, loyalty, and advocacy. This ultimately reduces the need for extensive advertising and boosts profitability.
How can small businesses implement customer journey research?
Small businesses can start by engaging directly with their customers, asking open-ended questions about their experiences and needs. This can be done through phone calls, surveys, or even casual conversations, focusing on gathering actionable insights to enhance their offerings.
What impact do you aim to make with your work in customer research?
I aspire to help businesses understand their customers better, make informed decisions, and create products and services that truly meet customer needs. The goal is to drive transformative change and elevate the overall customer experience.
We appreciate you listening. Visit strategicpete.com to learn more about us, and head to our blog page to learn more about marketing and customer research. We look forward to connecting with you!
