Case Study: Nissan Transforms CX and EX Through Seven Customer Journeys

How Nissan Embraced a Journey-Centric Operating Model to Deliver Customer Value and Business Growth

by Joana de Quintanilha
December 10, 2020

Why Read This Report

Since 2018, Nissan has been on a path to transform its legacy systems and operating model to create a best-in-class integrated customer journey, aiming to grow its customer base, reduce costs, and boost retention. Customer experience (CX) professionals should read this case study to learn how Nissan overhauled seven key customer journeys and changed its organizational structure to rapidly adapt and respond to future customer needs.

Key Takeaways

Nissan Stepped Into Its Customers’ Shoes: Nissan identified a high-level framework of seven journeys that cover the lifetime of a Nissan customer and made the journey structure a rallying cry.
Six Journey-Centricity Levers Drove Transformation: Effectively leading a journey-centric transformation requires pulling six operational levers—structure, culture, talent, metrics, processes, and technology—in concert.
Nissan’s New Operating Model Is Becoming Business As Usual: The transformation is ongoing, but it has already delivered promising results. Nissan is making substantial progress while recognizing that this is an ongoing journey.

Vision: Nissan Wanted to Step Into the Customer’s Shoes
Strategy: Elevate the Car Buying Experience
Execution: Nissan Pulled Six Journey-Centricity Levers
Results: Nissan’s Ongoing Transformation Is Delivering
Next Steps: New Operating Model Is Business As Usual
Recommendations
Supplemental Material

Vision: Nissan Wanted to Step Into the Customer’s Shoes

Established in 1933, Nissan was a pioneer in automobile manufacturing. In 2019, the global auto manufacturer sold 4.93 million vehicles (mostly in Japan, China, the US, and Europe), representing 5.8% of the global market. However, the market is becoming more customer-obsessed. Competitors like Hyundai, BMW, and Tesla have introduced customer-centric innovations, such as test drives delivered to customers’ doorsteps, finance simulations, and in-car service booking.

Madhu Nutakki, Chief Customer Experience Digital Officer at Nissan, explained:
“The car industry hasn’t changed much toward the customer experience in the last 100 years, historically focused around manufacturing. It is as efficient as possible (the supply chain, the procurement) because it’s all about costs. Customers, on the other hand, have changed. They want decisions made on the website to be communicated to a local dealership; they want one integrated app for everything Nissan; and they don’t want to be treated like a new customer every time they interact with Nissan because data is not being shared effectively.”

Nissan’s transformation program is led by senior executives from business and technology management in partnership with digital consultancy Publicis Sapient. Nigel Vaz, CEO at Publicis Sapient, stated, “We helped reimagine Nissan’s transformation through a customer-centric lens and holistically combining the SPEED capabilities of strategy, product, experience, engineering, and data, driving both customer and business value.”

To achieve this, Nissan focused on:

A CX vision to demonstrate ROI and win executive support. Nissan created videos and visualizations to show a connected journey for customers, making it personal and practical for executives. Workshops and war rooms with journey maps highlighted friction points and ROI calculations.
A new way of working that was journey-first, not just digital-first. Nissan unified all customer-facing touchpoints—digital, car, and physical retail—into channel-agnostic journeys. This included consolidating over 200 websites across 100 markets and shifting from touchpoints to journeys.
Integration of back-end technology and data. What began as a front-end experience optimization expanded to include data integration (online, car, configuration, offers, inventory, dealer systems), back-end system integrations, and a regional, scalable cloud infrastructure.

Nissan CX Platform Architecture includes:

Authoring and publishing platform
Toolkit of business features for every market (e.g., Book a Test Drive, Dealer Locator, Inventory)
Global support model, security, monitoring, performance
Agile SDLC for quality delivery
Regional and scalable infrastructure
Network security and isolation
Automated provisioning
Global digital analytics (data layer, tagging, tracking, reporting, insights)
Referential and operational data (car data, configs, specs, offers, inventory, dealers)
Connectivity with various backend systems
Event- and schedule-based data flow and pipeline processing

Strategy: Elevate the Car Buying Experience

Nissan’s transformation went beyond digital enhancements. Executives laid out a strategy to:

Transform and integrate seven customer journeys end to end. Using customer research, Nissan identified a framework of seven journeys covering the customer lifetime. Each journey consists of key moments, some shared across journeys. The journey structure became a rallying cry.
Establish a new operating model to deliver quality at speed. Nissan set up a global CX team with representatives from experience strategy, product, technical delivery, analytics, market and business engagement, and business operations. Seven journey managers determine customer needs and work with project managers and teams on delivery. A CX steering committee ensures top-down alignment.
Drive savings, efficiency, revenue, and retention. The journey structure aims to make engagement frictionless, use resources efficiently, and increase business opportunities. Key measures include customer lifetime value, improved leads, personalized offers, and new business models. The transformation is part of the Nissan Next strategy, with a centrally managed budget to avoid local pressure.
Close the gap with competitors and become the best across industries. Nissan set goals to close gaps in marketing, sales, connected car, sales finance, and after-sales service, targeting online-to-offline conversion and onboarding rates, and increasing clarity around service offerings and parts availability.

Nissan Identified Seven Journeys Covering the Customer Lifetime:

Making Confident Finance Decisions
Onboarding to Ownership
Experiencing a Seamless Test Drive
Choosing My Vehicle
Shopping Through E-Commerce (foundational journey)
Managing My Drive On-the-Go
Getting After-Sales Service

Nissan’s Shopping Through E-Commerce Journey includes:

Exploring options
Selecting the perfect vehicle
Finding availability and offers
Customizing and booking a test drive
Checking in for test drive
Test drive
Receiving follow-up
Tracking and receiving vehicle onboarding
Getting to know vehicle onboarding
Ordering, paying, and arranging delivery
Renewing and adjusting finance
Checking in for service
Managing account
Obtaining a trade-in value
Applying for finance approval
Tailoring financial package
Setting time and setup
Exploring and reviewing upgrades and services
Booking an appointment
Checking in for service

Nissan Identified Key Moments and Needs in the Journeys:

Making Confident Finance Decisions: Tailor financial packages, apply for finance approval, obtain a trade-in value, finalize finance contract, renew and adjust finances, order/pay/arrange delivery, save and share, talk to Nissan (with finance)
Onboarding to Ownership: Get to know your vehicle, teach and receive vehicle, first-time setup, talk to Nissan onboarding help, receive follow-up
Experiencing a Seamless Test Drive: Customize and book a test drive, check-in for test drive, test drive, talk to Nissan (on test drive), receive follow-up
Choosing My Vehicle: Explore options, select the perfect vehicle, find availability and offers, save and share, talk to Nissan (on choices and offer)
Managing My Drive On-the-Go: Learn and improve, check and manage vehicle information, customize the drive, order/pay/arrange delivery, manage account (services and preferences), talk to Nissan (throughout ownership), receive follow-up
Getting Aftersales Service: Explore and review upgrades and services, book an appointment, check-in for service, service vehicle, review work, order/pay/arrange delivery, manage account (view service history), talk to Nissan (aftersales service), receive follow-up
Shopping Through E-Commerce: A foundational journey with supporting moments spread throughout the other journeys

Execution: Nissan Pulled Six Journey-Centricity Levers

Nissan, in partnership with Publicis Sapient, led a journey-centric transformation by pulling six operational levers: structure, culture, talent, metrics, processes, and technology.

Structure: Establish a Clear “Why” and Get Broad Executive Support for Journeys

Nissan used the Japanese concept of nemawashi (gradual and collaborative vision building) to build executive support for journey-centricity. The transformation was planned over multiple years, starting with establishing the journey framework and language, onboarding business units, and expanding to the broader ecosystem of dealers and supply partners.
Seven journey managers were appointed to lead cross-functional teams, creating accountability across the organization. These roles were made senior and strategic, with journey managers acting as leaders and evangelists for the concept.
Nissan conducted research with customers using emotive elicitation to identify emotional highs and lows during core journey moments, ranking each moment by pain point intensity. A company roadshow refined and socialized the moments, setting a shared language and focus.

Culture: Foster a Culture of Customer-Centricity and Create Ripple Effects

The CX team presented quarterly progress to executives and sent monthly blogs highlighting wins. Communication, consistency, and frequency ensured the journey model stayed top of mind. Slack was used across markets and time zones, with over 1,000 active users.
Nissan embraced shared experience principles for all journeys: create effortless flow, make technology human, encourage discovery, and spark excitement. An internal hub, “Drive the Experience,” served as a central asset repository for research, personas, journeys, guidelines, and ideas.
The core CX team (50-60 people) was supported by a broader CX community of several hundred. During the COVID-19 pandemic, up to 800 people collaborated and shared best practices.

Talent: Instill a Journey Mindset, Elevate Roles, and Invest in Support Networks

Nissan prioritized attitude over technical skills, moving quickly to describe all journeys and challenging journey managers to develop roadmaps. Journey managers have deep subject-matter expertise and a cross-functional mindset.
Journey managers act as CEOs for their journey, setting vision and strategy, building roadmaps, and analyzing data. They are supported by an implementation team and drive change across the organization.
A project management office was established to support journey teams and standardize processes, ensuring consistency and a holistic view across journeys.

Metrics: Measure Customer, Employee, and Business Value

Nissan built journey measurement frameworks collaboratively in cross-functional workshops, selecting the right metrics for each journey and function. Finance teams helped articulate improvements in terms of cost and benefit analysis.
Nissan continuously evolves its metrics and data models to better quantify the value of CX in terms of hard dollars, linking CX to the bottom line and allocating revenue to the quality of the experience.

Processes: Take the Time to Influence the Ways People Work and Make Decisions

Defining the seven journeys took many iterations, with war rooms and roadshows used to embed the customer journey information architecture and language deep into the organization.
Nissan uses a universal journey view, segmenting markets to understand operational realities and limitations. Regional mini summits and workshops helped define CX priorities and add regional specificity.
Journey managers are paired with product managers, linking deep product expertise with strategic, customer-centric expertise.
Nissan maintains a global budget for CX, ensuring a multiyear approach and mirroring the journey structure in top regions.

Technology: Build for Flexibility and Agility

Nissan integrated content management systems, vehicle data, dealer data, inventory, offers, finance information, leads, test drives, reservations, and e-commerce into a single technology layer, enabling faster delivery of the CX vision.
Collaboration tools like Slack, Miro, and Box fostered communication and efficiency within and between journey teams.
Nissan adopted a data-first approach, connecting data using Adobe and Google Analytics and building a central data lake. A CX data, analytics, and reporting team was created, including data scientists and UX specialists. Journey dashboards socialize metrics and keep them top of mind.

Results: Nissan’s Ongoing Transformation Is Delivering

New and improved digital offerings have led to higher customer retention and vehicle value. Worldwide presales site traffic increased by 40% year on year to 600 million visitors, with 40% return visitors. E-commerce pilots were established in multiple countries, and a voice-of-the-customer program was launched in 13 markets. Dealer enhancements are ongoing, with 45,000 dealer staff trained. Nissan has industry-leading market penetration rates in major markets.
Nissan now has more visibility into the end-to-end journey and customer retention, enabling continuous identification of opportunities to reduce abandonment and increase conversion and engagement.
A data-driven experimentation culture has led to tangible business results, such as a 386% increase in online reservations in Mexico, an 86% increase in car configurations in the UK, and a 28% increase in test drives in Japan. Regional accomplishments include Nissan becoming the number one Asian brand in the Pysma automotive ranking.
Employee engagement has increased, with hundreds of people directly focused on customer journeys and motivated by cross-functional work.

Next Steps: New Operating Model Is Business As Usual

Nissan will track the progress of markets against a journey maturity ladder, with each journey having a maturity staircase from basic to mature phases. For example, the car financing journey moves from paper-based financing to a fully integrated online experience.
Nissan will tackle increasingly complex cross-functional and cross-channel problems, such as integrating finance capabilities into the shopping experience and connecting online and offline experiences.
The journey framework and supporting data have helped Nissan build business resiliency, adapting to crises like the COVID-19 pandemic by translating customer insights into supply chain and production adjustments.
Nissan will reevaluate journey depth and breadth, refreshing journeys every three years and adding new ones as needed.

Journey Maturity Staircases

Making Confident Finance Decisions: Progresses from no integration between finance and sales (dealer-only steps) to online trade-in, finance approval, tailored packages, saving/sharing, real-time help, contract finalization, online payment, and ultimately a fully integrated online journey for financing, transacting, and servicing.
Getting Aftersales Service: Progresses from basic service lead and maintenance content to online booking, personalized recommendations, proactive updates, predictive aftersales service, and a seamless connected experience where the vehicle shares data with dealers and service providers.

Recommendations

Place CX transformation at the heart of business strategy. Large organizations can use journey-centricity to deliver value to customers faster.
Shake things up by hiring a cross-industry leader. Bringing in outside leadership can catalyze transformation.
Reframe spend and articulate financial benefits. Redirect inefficient spending to improve CX, rather than viewing transformation as incremental spend.
Budget a CX transformation as more than a one-off project. Ensure a multiyear, centrally managed budget.
Use a Trojan horse to create a catalyst for change. Technology upgrades can serve as a starting point for broader CX transformation.
Make CX everyone’s responsibility and accept change as a constant. The whole organization must be involved, and education is ongoing.
Cut through the CX bandwagon noise and select the right partner. Work with external partners to kick-start visioning and strategy, but move capability in-house for long-term success.

Supplemental Material

Companies Interviewed for This Report:

Nissan
Publicis Sapient

Endnotes

Source: “Global Sales Results,” Nissan (https://www.nissan-global.com/EN/IR/INDIVIDUAL/GLOBALSALES/#NI-overall01).
Roel de Vries, former global head of marketing at Nissan, described the legacy complexity as a “spaghetti junction” of platforms and systems, costing a fortune and lacking a clear vision or strategy.
Nissan delivered a global platform for accelerating CX, connecting seven customer journeys to market and business operations.
Each of the seven journeys represents a key customer action, ultimately forming one integrated journey.
Shopping through e-commerce is a foundational journey, supporting moments in the other six journeys.
See the Forrester report “Journey Centricity: Learn From The Leaders.”
Nemawashi is a Japanese business practice of building consensus through one-on-one discussions before formal meetings.
Journey managers are responsible for setting the roadmap and owning the success of their journey.
Emotive elicitation research involved participants selecting figurines to express emotions during journey moments and ranking pain points.
The first year was spent socializing and evangelizing the journey framework, making it tangible and translating it into a roadmap.
The global CX team includes market and business engagement, liaising with CX teams in major markets.
Journey teams include deputy managers, capability owners, UX specialists, research and insight specialists, and data specialists.
Smaller markets may struggle to deliver change; focus on where impact and success are most likely.
EX: employee experience.
Five macro shifts will alter business and technology: shifting customer expectations, hybrid experiences, investment in the future of work, retiring technical debt, and business resiliency as a competitive advantage.

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