The BIG Question:
Are you in control of
your customer journey?
It is easy to assume that your customer understands everything that you have to offer, but without a clear journey, you are leaving this to chance.
People move fast, follow instincts and can skip the products that matter most. This is where a clear journey is key to regaining control of your retail experience.
The SHORT Answer:
Design the journey and you take back control.
A well designed customer journey gives you certainty over what customers interact with, in what order and at what moment. It’s the most reliable way to guide behaviour and influence sales.
”“Customers can only buy what they can see. A well design journey makes sure they see the right things.”
Matt GreatbatchManaging & Design Director, KVB Design
The LONG Answer:
5 Principles for a High-Performing Journey
A strong customer journey feels natural to the customer but deliberate to the business. Coffee Island used these principles to unify their retail experience, to support their global growth.
Control The Sequence
The journey lets you decide what customers will encounter first, next and last. When the order is intentional, opportunities to sell become predictable.
→ Coffee Island begins every visit with the Grindery so customers understand the specialist knowledge before anything.
Make It Effortless
A good customer journey is invisible. Customers should feel guided without feeling obviously directed or restrained.
→ The Coffee Island Grindery works as an anchor that starts a seamless journey towards the Espresso Bar.
Design The Pace
Fast paced areas must be simple. Slow paced areas should empower the customer to make buying decisions, up-sells or add-ons.
→ The Espresso Bar slows the pace so menus, food and impulse items are easier to understand and choose.
Tell A Story That Mirrors Real Behaviour
The order of products should reflect how customers think and live. When it feels familiar, decisions become quicker and more confident.
→ At Coffee Island simple principles were used: Savoury before sweet. Hot before cold. Simple patterns that feel intuitive.
Make The Journey The DNA Of The Store
A consistent journey creates a consistent experience. It gives the brand a recognisable rhythm that can scale to every location.
→ Coffee Island now applies the same journey across more than 450 stores in over 10 countries.
”“The best customer journey should feel like a walk in the park."
Kevin BeardFounder & Creative Director, KVB Design
A Desgined Journey in Practice:
Coffee Island Retail Concept.
Turning strong foundations into a globally recognised journey.
Coffee Island already had great coffee, strong pricing and loyal customers. Their challenge was clarity, scalability and consistency. The customer journey became the tool that unified the experience.
Tip of the Month
Walk your store and ask:
Do my customers move through the journey in a predictable pattern?
If the answer is no, it’s time to redesign the journey.
The customer journey is not about simply directing customers. It is about creating a natural flow that helps to shape decisions in a way that works for your business. It can be your strongest sales tool or your biggest missed opportunity.
Thanks for reading Retail Design Insights. If you are rethinking how customers move through your store, we hope this helps move the conversation forward.
What’s Next?
Planning a new concept or rethinking your customer journey?
We’re always ready to help you design a journey that drives sales.
