Case Study Deep Dive: Nissan’s Journey-Centric Transformation—Lessons for Automotive and Beyond

Introduction

In an era where customer expectations are rapidly evolving and digital disruptors are redefining industry standards, Nissan embarked on a bold, multi-year transformation to reimagine its business around the customer journey. This case study explores how Nissan, in partnership with Publicis Sapient, shifted from legacy silos to an integrated, journey-centric operating model—delivering measurable business and customer outcomes. The lessons from Nissan’s transformation offer a blueprint not only for automotive leaders but for any organization seeking to become truly customer-obsessed.

The Vision: Stepping Into the Customer’s Shoes

Nissan, a global automotive pioneer, recognized that while its manufacturing and supply chain were highly efficient, its customer experience (CX) lagged behind rising expectations. Customers wanted seamless, integrated interactions—decisions made online should be visible at dealerships, and a single app should cover all Nissan needs. The traditional, fragmented approach was no longer sufficient.

To address this, Nissan’s leadership, with support from Publicis Sapient, set a clear vision: create a best-in-class, integrated customer journey that would grow the customer base, reduce costs, and boost retention. This vision was made tangible for executives through videos, journey maps, and ROI calculations, ensuring buy-in at every level.

The Strategy: Seven Key Customer Journeys

Central to Nissan’s transformation was the identification of seven customer journeys that span the entire customer lifecycle:

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

Each journey was mapped in detail, identifying key moments, pain points, and opportunities for delight. For example, the e-commerce journey included everything from exploring options and booking test drives to arranging delivery and managing after-sales service. This journey framework became a rallying cry, unifying the organization around customer outcomes rather than internal processes.

Operational Levers: The Six Pillars of Transformation

Nissan’s journey-centric transformation was driven by six operational levers, each critical to breaking down silos and embedding customer-centricity:

1. Structure

• Executive Alignment: Nissan used the Japanese practice of nemawashi—gradual, collaborative vision building—to secure broad executive support.
• Journey Managers: Seven senior journey managers were appointed, each acting as a CEO for their journey, leading cross-functional teams and driving accountability.

2. Culture

• Customer-Obsessed Mindset: Regular communication, internal blogs, and a central hub (“Drive the Experience”) kept the journey model top of mind.
• Community Engagement: A core CX team of 50-60 was supported by a broader community of hundreds, with up to 800 collaborating during the pandemic.

3. Talent

• Cross-Functional Expertise: Journey managers combined deep subject-matter knowledge with a cross-functional mindset, supported by project management and implementation teams.
• Empowerment: Journey managers were empowered to set vision, build roadmaps, and drive change across the organization.

4. Metrics

• Holistic Measurement: Metrics were co-created in cross-functional workshops, linking CX improvements to business outcomes such as customer lifetime value, lead quality, and retention.
• Continuous Evolution: Data models and dashboards were continuously refined to better quantify the impact of CX on the bottom line.

5. Processes

• Iterative Design: Defining the seven journeys involved multiple iterations, workshops, and war rooms to embed the new language and architecture.
• Global Consistency, Local Relevance: Regional summits ensured that journeys were adapted to local realities while maintaining global standards.

6. Technology

• Integrated Platform: Nissan unified content management, vehicle and dealer data, inventory, offers, finance, and e-commerce into a single technology layer.
• Data-Driven Decisions: A central data lake, advanced analytics, and real-time dashboards enabled rapid experimentation and continuous improvement.

Measurable Outcomes

Nissan’s journey-centric transformation has delivered significant business and customer results:

• Customer Engagement: Presales site traffic increased by 40% year-on-year to 600 million visitors, with 40% return visitors.
• Digital Adoption: E-commerce pilots launched in multiple countries; online reservations in Mexico rose by 386%, car configurations in the UK by 86%, and test drives in Japan by 28%.
• Dealer Enablement: 45,000 dealer staff trained, with ongoing enhancements to dealer systems and processes.
• Employee Engagement: Hundreds of employees are now directly focused on customer journeys, fostering a culture of cross-functional collaboration.
• Business Impact: Improved lead quality, higher retention, and increased market penetration in key regions. Nissan became the number one Asian brand in a major automotive ranking.

Ongoing Evolution: Making Journey-Centricity Business as Usual

Nissan’s transformation is not a one-off project but an ongoing journey. The company tracks progress using a journey maturity ladder, with each journey moving from basic to mature phases (e.g., from paper-based finance to fully integrated online experiences). The journey framework and supporting data have also enhanced Nissan’s business resiliency, enabling rapid adaptation to crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nissan continues to:

• Refresh journeys every three years and add new ones as needed
• Tackle complex cross-channel challenges, such as integrating finance into the shopping experience
• Use customer insights to inform supply chain and production decisions

Lessons and Actionable Takeaways for Automotive and Beyond

Nissan’s journey-centric transformation offers several key lessons for leaders in automotive and other sectors:

• Place CX at the Heart of Strategy: Make customer experience transformation a core business priority, not a side project.
• Empower Cross-Functional Leaders: Appoint journey managers with the authority and support to drive change across silos.
• Invest in Culture and Communication: Keep the journey model visible and relevant through regular updates and community engagement.
• Measure What Matters: Link CX improvements to tangible business outcomes and continuously refine metrics.
• Build for Agility: Integrate technology and data to enable rapid experimentation and adaptation.
• Plan for the Long Term: Treat journey-centric transformation as a multi-year, evolving commitment, not a one-time initiative.

Conclusion

Nissan’s journey-centric transformation demonstrates the power of reorienting an entire organization around the customer. By pulling the right operational levers and committing to continuous improvement, Nissan has set a new standard for customer experience in automotive—and provided a roadmap for any organization seeking to thrive in the age of the customer.

Relevant Links

• Transforming Organizations with a Journey-Centric Operating Model
• Transforming Organizations with a Journey-Centric Operating Model
• Regional Spotlight: Journey-Centric Operating Models in EMEA and APAC Consumer Products
• Réinventer les modèles d’exploitation autour du parcours client : Un impératif pour les entreprises européennes (Europe)
• Reinventando la Experiencia del Cliente en Servicios Financieros en América Latina: Un Camino para la Banca Mexicana (LATAM)
• Transformando la Experiencia del Cliente en Servicios Financieros en América Latina: Un Camino Hacia la Diferenciación y el Crecimiento (LATAM)
• Réinventer les modèles d’exploitation digitaux des produits de grande consommation en Europe : Vers une organisation centrée sur le parcours client (Europe)
• La reinvención del viaje del cliente en servicios financieros: Un camino para la banca colombiana (LATAM)