The touchpoints layer

The touchpoints layer maps every interaction channel where customers connect with your product or service. These include digital touchpoints like websites, mobile apps, and emails, plus physical ones like retail stores, call centers, and printed materials. Each touchpoint represents a moment of truth where experiences can delight or disappoint customers. Document touchpoints chronologically as they appear in the journey. A typical sequence might include: social media (awareness), website (research), sales chat (evaluation), payment portal (purchase), welcome email (onboarding), and product dashboard (usage). Use consistent icons or symbols to represent different channel types, making patterns visible across the journey.

Analyze touchpoint transitions carefully. Customers often struggle when moving between channels, like starting on mobile then switching to desktop, or beginning online then calling support. Mark these handoffs clearly and note any information loss or friction. The most successful organizations design seamless transitions that maintain context and reduce customer effort across all touchpoints.