The UX space is vast and layered. A diverse field in and of itself.
So it goes without saying that there would exist plenty of confusing terminology to throw you off balance. However, most of this confusion stems from two very similar, but different terms: Customer Experience (CX) and User Experience (UX).
And this begs the question: Are they the same?
Yes. But, Not Really…
The term ‘User Experience’ aims to encompass all of the behavioural and psychological aspects of a person’s interaction with a company, its services and its products.
Sadly, over the years its interpretation has become heavily watered down. People now often associate it with the basic interaction a user has with an organization
They couldn’t be more wrong.
Then there’s ‘Customer Experience’. A term often used to describe the larger and more intricate relationship a customer develops with an organization over time. Simply put, the full relationship between a person and an organization.
You see, they’re essentially the same thing.
Regardless of what you choose to call it, it’s important to have at least a basic understanding of what people mean when they use these terms.
The Layers to UX (Or CX, If You Prefer)
It’s important for us to understand that there are various scopes of UX that can exist. This is because the User Experience is layered and intricate.
Let’s break it down a little.
We can begin with the basic interaction. This reflects the experience a person has while performing a single, specific task. For example, filing a claim on an insurance website or ordering cool gadgets from your favorite e-commerce store.
Then there’s the journey-level experience, which is where things get more exciting.
This includes a person’s entire experience as he/she works to accomplish a specific goal. A journey like this generally takes place over time and across multiple channels and devices.
Take the example of the user experience in making that online order. It’s just one small experience in a whole series of related interactions that will end up defining the relationship you develop with a user/customer.
This journey-level experience would likely include other interactions such as receiving a confirmation email or prompt to complete your purchase.
The final, and most important, piece is the relationship-level.
This experience level is what many often refer to as Customer Experience, or CX. This includes all of the interactions between the person and the company throughout the life of the customer relationship.
It’s quite often made up of a bunch of customer journeys over time.
One example of this might be the combined experience of discovering, researching, buying, using and then receiving support for a product/service over the course of several months, or even years.
It’s Important to Understand and Differentiate These Layers
This is because delivering a powerful and remarkable UX at each level can make all the difference in your business.
Designing the experience should not only take place or end at the interaction level.
It should seek to build lasting relationships and offer memorable journeys that create engagement and develop trust.
Interested in the impact that a UX Designer has on your organisation?
