Editor's note: Nitin Sharma is CEO of Gold Research, San Antonio, Texas. This is an edited version of a post that originally appeared here under the title, “3 reasons why qualitative customer conversations must be part of your customer journey map.”

Big data is one of the most prevalent buzzwords in technology, marketing research and design. Quantitative, data-based research is an imperative part of any customer journey map to truly understand your customer’s path-to-purchase. With the proliferation of high-speed Wi-Fi, smartphones and free survey tools, quantifiable data has never been easier to collect and analyze.

However, many companies that are looking to gain a better understanding of the motivators, barriers and detractors in the purchase cycle often overlook a critical part of the customer journey map: real conversions with their customers. Quantifiable, numbers-based data will only tell you half of your customer life cycle story. To truly capture an end-to-end view of your customers that will help uncover valuable insights to move your bottom line, you must conduct real, in-depth customer interviews via methods like focus groups or shop-alongs.

Here are three reasons why qualitative research is so vital to your customer journey:

  1. You’ll uncover insights that wouldn’t be gathered through quantitative research. During interviews for one retail client that was interested in their customers’ path-to-purchase, older women let us know that they often have trouble purchasing clothing that they feel fit their personal style. Not only do they frequently only see younger models wearing clothing but they feel judged by the young retail staff. They feel that if they had access to retail staff that would help them find clothing that made them feel good and would give them candid, real-time feedback, they would buy more and be more brand loyal. This was a powerful insight that could have never been uncovered via quantitative, numbers-based research. To truly understand your customer, you must conduct these conversations and hear consumer stories.
  2. Pictures are worth a thousand words. When you have conversations with your customers, you can give them the opportunity to use images and videos to illustrate their points. Things that are difficult to express in numbers – how people store cleaning supplies, handle hard-to-clean-up situations or accessorize a certain blouse – are accessible thanks to smartphone photos your customers provide. Having images or videos to back up their feelings or thoughts on a certain item can help convey ideas that are difficult to decipher and can better tell their story across your company
  3. It’s efficient. The same tools that are helping make quantitative research easier – smartphones, Wi-Fi and survey tools – can be used to power cost-effective qualitative research. High-quality focus groups can be set up, recruited and conducted online quickly, easily and affordably.