How Do You Identify Friction Points in Journeys?
Find and fix friction points in your customer journeys using data, feedback, and Revenue Marketing insights so buyers move faster and stay longer.
You identify friction points in customer journeys by combining data, feedback, and frontline insight to spot where customers slow down, repeat steps, abandon, or escalate. Practically, this means mapping your journey, tracking behavior and outcomes at each stage, and looking for patterns of delay, confusion, and drop-off—then validating what you see with customer interviews, seller and CSM input, and win/loss analysis so you can prioritize fixes that measurably improve revenue.
What Matters When Finding Journey Friction?
The Journey Friction Detection Playbook
Use this sequence to move from vague complaints (“our funnel is leaky”) to a structured, repeatable way of finding and fixing friction in your customer journeys.
Map → Instrument → Detect → Diagnose → Prioritize → Experiment → Operationalize
- Map the journey and define stages: Document key stages from awareness through renewal and expansion. For each stage, align on customer goals, expected behaviors, and internal entry/exit criteria.
- Instrument the journey: Configure tracking in your MAP, CRM, website, and product to capture stage entry/exit, campaign touches, and engagement signals. Make sure data is consistent and reportable.
- Detect friction through signals: Analyze conversion, velocity, abandonment, and channel usage. Look for stages with long dwell time, high drop-off, or unusual loops (e.g., back-and-forth between sales and legal).
- Diagnose root causes: Combine analytics with interviews, call listening, and ticket reviews. Ask “What is the customer trying to do?” and “What’s in the way?” for each suspected friction point.
- Prioritize by impact and effort: Score friction points by revenue impact, reach, and implementation effort. Focus first on bottlenecks that affect strategic segments or downstream pipeline quality.
- Design and run experiments: Test new messaging, content, offers, or process changes at friction-heavy stages. Use control groups and clear success metrics tied to journey outcomes.
- Operationalize and monitor: Roll out proven fixes, update playbooks and enablement, and bake the changes into your Revenue Marketing dashboards so you can monitor friction over time.
Journey Friction Detection Maturity Matrix
| Capability | From (Ad Hoc) | To (Operationalized) | Owner | Primary KPI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Journey Visibility | Unclear or conflicting stage definitions | Agreed journey maps with defined stages, goals, and SLAs | Marketing & RevOps | Stage Definition Adoption |
| Data Coverage | Channel-level reporting only | Integrated data across marketing, sales, product, and support | RevOps / Analytics | Data Completeness by Stage |
| Signal Detection | Anecdotal complaints about drop-off | Standardized friction indicators (time-in-stage, conversion, loops) | RevOps | Number of High-Friction Stages Identified |
| Diagnostics & Insight | Unstructured feedback | Formal VOC, call listening, and win/loss linked to stages | CX / Insights | Friction Points with Root Cause Identified |
| Experimentation | Big-bang changes with unclear impact | Continuous tests targeting specific friction points | Demand Gen & Digital | Win Rate & Velocity Lift from Experiments |
| Governance & Revenue Alignment | One-off projects | Quarterly friction reviews tied to Revenue Marketing roadmap | Revenue Leadership | Pipeline & Revenue Impact from Friction Reduction |
Client Snapshot: Using Journey Friction to Unlock Revenue
A leading B2B provider used journey analytics to uncover a major friction point between MQL handoff and sales follow-up. By re-mapping the handoff, tightening SLAs, and optimizing nurture, they improved lead response, reduced drop-off, and unlocked significant revenue growth. For a real-world example of journey-focused optimization, see how Comcast Business transformed lead management and marketing automation: Comcast Business Case Study.
Systematically identifying friction points is at the heart of Revenue Marketing: it lets you move from activity-based reporting to a journey-led view of where to invest for the biggest impact on pipeline, bookings, and retention.
Frequently Asked Questions about Journey Friction
Turn Journey Friction into Revenue Lift
We’ll help you diagnose friction across your journeys, prioritize fixes, and connect improvements directly to Revenue Marketing performance.
Start the Revenue Marketing Assessment (RM6) See the Comcast Business Case Study