Podcast ¦ Punk CX: Without context, an insight is worth nothing – Interview with Jochem van der Veer of TheyDo

Key Takeaways

1. Journey mapping is a tool to facilitate decision-making and improve customer experience, not an end goal.

2. Silos in customer-centric businesses hinder cross-functional collaboration and strategic decision-making.

3. Understanding customer journeys involves recognising moments when customers feel accomplishment, not just outlining processes.

4. Many organisations struggle with data-driven decisions due to lack of cross-departmental involvement—40% of leaders rarely collaborate.

5. Disconnects between structured data and unstructured customer insights can lead to poor business decisions.

6. Leadership must align strategies with real customer experiences and pain points to drive improvements.

7. AI and generative technologies enhance data analysis but should complement human judgment, not replace it.

8. Prioritising actionable insights over data aggregation is essential for effective decisions that improve customer experience.

9. Enhancing customer experience requires rapidly acting on findings to build organisational momentum.

10. Firms should focus on reducing customer friction and inefficiencies tied to immediate business priorities.

11. Building a culture of ongoing dialogue with customers helps leaders stay anchored to customer needs.

12. Prioritisation frameworks should assess potential impact and organisational readiness to act on insights.

Key Statistics

• 40% of leaders rarely involve other departments in data-driven decisions.

• Around 60% of CEOs claim to leverage customer feedback, but only 15% have actively engaged with customers recently.

Key Discussion Points

1. Journey mapping often becomes “office art” rather than an actionable tool.

2. Understanding the true start and end points of customer journeys is essential.

3. Decision-making needs a balance between structured and unstructured data.

4. Decisions should be evaluated for relevance to customer needs and organisational capabilities.

5. AI-recognised patterns should not overshadow nuanced human insights.

6. Businesses need clarity on pressing issues aligned with strategic goals to leverage journey mapping effectively.

7. Leadership engagement with customers should be systematic and frequent.

8. Data overload can confuse; filtering insights meaningfully is vital.

9. Customer pain points should be contextualised within broader business strategy.

10. Small, incremental changes build capabilities more effectively than massive transformations.

11. Organisations require dynamic decision-making structures to integrate customer-centric insights daily.

12. New prioritisation and action approaches can reinforce a customer-focused culture.

Podcast Description

In this episode of The Punk CX Podcast, host Adrian Swisco welcomes Joachim van der Veer, CEO and co-founder of They Do. They discuss journey mapping intricacies, challenges in data-driven decision-making, and the importance of reducing friction in customer experiences. Join them as they explore practical ways for organisations—especially in financial services—to navigate customer journeys effectively and embrace actionable insights.