Touchpoint

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Touchpoint (also touch point , literally "contact point") or point of contact (POC, literally "contact point") is a marketing term . It describes the interface between a company , a brand or an asset (e.g. goods , services ) and possible, existing or former customers , suppliers , employees and other stakeholders .

Depending on the perspective, the touchpoint can be described more precisely, e.g. B. as a corporate touchpoint (interface to the company) or brand touchpoint (interface to the brand) or customer touchpoint (interface to the customer). There are touchpoints in both business-to-business and business-to-consumer areas. With customers and suppliers, contact can take place via a touchpoint before, during or after a transaction (e.g. purchase).

Examples

A bank , for example, has a wide range of touchpoints. Here is a selection: customer advisor (direct conversation, telephone call), account statement , events , written offers , website , IT systems , research reports from the bank, sponsoring , electronic banking , branch office , etc.

meaning

At a contact point, a person comes into direct contact with a company (a brand, an asset). This contact consists of two levels:

  • The person may learn something about the company (= cognitive or knowledge aspect);
  • the contact is accompanied by feelings or triggers feelings (= emotional aspect).

Based on these experiences - with brands one speaks of brand experiences - arise in the person

  • an inner picture ( idea ) of the company and
  • an inner attitude ( image ) to the company.

It is possible that an existing image or attitude may change under the impression of what has been experienced.

Contact points are therefore essential starting points for a company to shape the image of the company (a brand, an asset) in the perception of the target and stakeholder groups, ideally with the aim of starting a customer relationship, consolidating an existing customer relationship and positive word of mouth to generate.

Areas of application

An ROI -oriented corporate management aims to increase and optimize the effect and the cost-benefit ratio of internal and external processes. Nowadays, one communication channel alone is seldom able to reach all target persons effectively - be it in customer relationship management , in purchasing and sales or sales , service, in internal and external communication , in human resources or to optimize processes . Transactions are carried out across divisions via very different contact points across the entire supply chain of a company, for example via classic advertising , intranet , call centers or sales staff or points of sale . The precise measurement as well as a systematic management of the contact points lead to an impact-oriented increase in the performance of the brand management .

Touchpoint analysis

The benefit of the touchpoint analysis is that the relevant touchpoints are filtered out and measured across all media and departments from the perspective of the target persons. The management of the success-relevant touchpoints supports companies in optimally designing all interactions with existing, potential or former customers, internal communication and process management .

Relevance to success

For larger companies, well over a hundred touchpoints can often be identified in the inventory phase. The more central is the question: "Which ones are relevant for success?"

The importance of individual touchpoints for a company and the resulting consequences for the management of the corporate brand must be analyzed and assessed on a company-specific basis. Which contact points are relevant for success depends largely on the industry , the "product" and the target group addressed . The central touchpoints are identified at the interface and their significance and impact are assessed. With the help of the touchpoint analysis, companies can evaluate their processes, measures and engagements holistically . Future funds and budgets can be used better and thus make an important contribution to long-term business success.

Touchpoint management

Touchpoint management, often also called customer contact point management, comprises the coordination of all measures in such a way that customers are offered at least a satisfactory experience at each contact point, without losing sight of process efficiency. It is to be understood as a multidisciplinary strategic approach that pursues the optimization of performance in all internal and market-oriented management areas . As a rule, companies manage their touchpoints in various departments or departments such as marketing , sales, communication, service, public relations , investor relations or human resources. This specialization results in the challenge of designing the contact points in a 360-degree perspective so that the brand is experienced as consistent across all interfaces and the brand promise is fulfilled. For effective and consistent brand management and the development of an unmistakable brand experience, it is crucial to coordinate or integrate the communicative activities in terms of form, content and timing . Anne Schüller developed the CTMP®Customer Touchpoint Management process for this.

Differentiation from "Moments of truth"

Since contact points are components of the company, the theory of marketing assumes that the contact points can be designed by the company (usually by marketing). This is what distinguishes contact points from moments of truth .

Moments of truth are situations in which, for example, customers come into contact with a company. These situations can arise either directly at a contact point (e.g. when calling the call center ) or indirectly on the basis of information from "second hand" (e.g. from press reports based on the editors' own research and not on official statements by the Company based). The latter are largely beyond the control and control of the company.

literature

General

  • Christoph Spengler, Jeanette Müller: Which brand touchpoint counts? In: Helge Kaul, Cary Steinmann (Ed.) (2008): Community Marketing. How companies create value in social networks. Schäffer-Poeschel, ISBN 978-3-7910-2757-9 .

Customer contact point

  • Heinz Dallmer (Ed.): Handbuch Direct Marketing and More. Target group human ; 8th edition, Gabler, Wiesbaden 2002, ISBN 3-409-86699-X .
  • Schüller, Anne M .: Touchpoints. Up close and personal with today's customers. Management strategies for our new business world. Offenbach, Gabal 2012. ISBN 978-3-86936-330-1
  • Musold, Maria A .: Develop customer contact point management - and inspire customers! Business method in a few pages for quick understanding and immediate use . Hamburg, quayou GmbH 2014. ISBN 978-3-95836-037-2