User Experience Design
Customer Journey Map Template for Business Websites
We use this template to map customer journeys for service and ecommerce clients. This guide is for business owners who want a ready-made journey map to fill in. It provides the template, shows how to complete it and explains how to spot the biggest opportunities. Use it with your research notes, so the map reflects what customers really experience.
How to prepare before you fill in the map
A journey map needs a clear focus and real evidence. Decide who the map is for and what goal it follows. Gather your research before you start. Prepare with these steps.
- Choose one customer type, such as a first-time buyer or a business client.
- Choose one goal, such as booking a consultation or buying a product.
- Gather interview notes, survey results, analytics and enquiry records.
- Collect real customer quotes about each stage.
- Invite colleagues who speak to customers to help fill it in.
Our guide to user interview questions helps you gather the evidence. Our user journey mapping guide explains the method in more detail.
Customer journey map template
The template below works for most service and ecommerce businesses. Copy it into a spreadsheet or whiteboard and add a column for each stage. Fill in each row with evidence from your research. The example column shows the level of detail to aim for.
| Row | What to record | Example: comparing options stage |
|---|---|---|
| Stage | The step in the customer's journey | Comparing local suppliers |
| Customer goal | What the customer wants at this stage | Find a trusted supplier at a fair price |
| Actions | What the customer does | Reads reviews and compares three websites |
| Touchpoints | Where they interact with you | Google reviews, service page, pricing guide |
| Thoughts and feelings | What they think and feel, using real quotes | "I can't tell what this will cost" |
| Pain points | What frustrates or blocks them | No prices or examples on the service page |
| Opportunities | What you can improve | Add a price guide and recent project examples |
Typical stages for a service business are awareness, research, comparing options, enquiry, quote and decision. Ecommerce stages often run from discovery to browsing, basket, checkout and delivery. Adjust the stages to match your customers.
How to find the biggest opportunities
A completed map usually shows more problems than you can fix at once. Prioritise the changes that affect the most customers at the most important stages. Evidence from analytics helps size each problem. Follow these steps.
- Highlight the stages with the strongest negative feelings.
- Check analytics for where customers drop out, such as abandoned forms or baskets.
- Rank opportunities by impact on enquiries or sales and the effort needed.
- Pick the top three changes to make first.
- Measure the effect, then return to the map for the next round.
Share the finished map with everyone who works with customers. Our website development team can turn your top opportunities into website changes.
Journey map template checklist
Use this checklist when you complete the template. Each item makes the map more accurate and actionable. Review it each time you update the map.
- One customer type and goal chosen
- Research evidence gathered before mapping
- Stages adjusted to match your customers
- Every row completed for each stage
- Real customer quotes included
- Drop-out points checked in analytics
- Top three opportunities chosen and assigned
Good to know
Journey map template FAQs
What should a customer journey map include?+
A journey map includes the stages, customer goals, actions, touchpoints, thoughts and feelings, pain points and opportunities. Each row covers every stage of the journey. Real quotes and data make it accurate. The opportunities row turns the map into actions.
How is an ecommerce journey map different?+
Ecommerce journeys include stages such as browsing, basket, checkout and delivery. Drop-out points often appear at the basket and checkout. Delivery and returns also shape the experience. Adapt the stages in the template to match.
How often should I update my journey map?+
Update the map after each round of research, testing or major website change. Review it at least once a year. Customer expectations and competitors change over time. A current map keeps priorities accurate.
Keep the completed template where your whole team can see and update it. Revisit it after each change you make. So you can keep improving the journey from first search to loyal customer.
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