Customer Journey in practice: The story of two roads to a virtual office in Poznań

What do a young interior designer and an experienced accountant have in common? Seemingly not much, but one October morning they both typed the same phrase into a search engine: "virtual office Poznań". Their stories show how different approaches to the service selection process can determine success or failure in business.

Let's meet our protagonists. Anna, a 28-year-old interior designer, is just starting out with her own business. She already has her first orders and knows that in her line of work, a professional image is essential. On the other hand, Paweł, a 45-year-old accountant with 15 years of experience, has just lost one of his key clients in the corporation where he works. He decides to start his own business, but looks for savings at every step.

Let's take a look at how they approached the choice of a virtual office in different ways, and what results this produced.

Awareness stage - Two roads to the same destination

Anna: Strategic approach

Anna sat down one evening with a mug of green tea and opened her notebook. "What do I actually need?" - she wrote down at the top of the page. After an hour, her list contained precisely defined points:

"This can't be a random decision," she thought, writing down a deadline on her calendar for research: one week.

Paul: Under pressure of the moment

"I need to find something right away and for it to be cheap". - was Paul's only thought during his search. After losing a client at the corporation, he was feeling the pressure of time. Sitting in the office during his lunch break, he quickly looked up the first results on Google. "Virtual office Poznań - from as little as PLN 99 per month" - this caught his attention. "After all, it's just a business registration address, what's there to think about?" - he convinced himself.

The stage of searching for a virtual office in Poznań - Research or a quick decision?

Anna: Methodical gathering of information

Anna's first step was to create a simple Excel table. Successive columns were filled with criteria:

She subscribed to the newsletters of the three largest providers, receiving in return the guides "How to choose the perfect virtual office?" and "10 questions you need to ask before signing a contract". She analysed reviews on Google Maps and Facebook. She even joined the 'Entrepreneurs in Poznań' group on Facebook, where she asked about others' experiences.

"It is interesting that no one complains about higher prices with operator X, instead there are often problems with mail handling with the cheapest provider..." - she noted in her file.

Paul: Quick decision

"99 zloty a month? I'll take it!" - Paul took exactly 15 minutes of his lunch break to make his decision. He opened the first three search results for 'virtual office Poznań' in separate tabs. He ignored the pop-up with a free beginner's guide. "Why do I need a tutorial? After all, it's a simple matter," he muttered under his breath.

He quickly reviewed the price lists without even going into the 'Service details' or 'Customer reviews' tab. He closed the two more expensive offers. "Why overpay? An address is an address" - he thought, clicking "I order" next to the cheapest option.

The newsletter with information material that he received after submitting the form immediately landed in his spam folder.

Decision stage - Detailed analysis vs. quick choice

Anna: An informed choice

After narrowing down the selection to the three best-rated operators, Anna proceeded to the final stage of verification. She arranged a virtual demo with each provider, preparing a detailed list of questions:

During her conversation with the second operator, she paid particular attention to the consultant's competence. "I like that he honestly acknowledged when he didn't know something and checked with a supervisor right away," she noted in her remarks.

She also asked for trial access to the mail handling platform. "The system may not be state-of-the-art, but it is intuitive," was another plus on the list.

Paul: Hasty finalisation

"Please email me the contract, I will sign right away," - wrote Paul in the contact form, without even waiting for the consultant to answer his previous question about the price.

When he was handed the 20-page regulations, he scrolled quickly to the last page. "Who even reads this?" - he thought as he submitted his electronic signature. He even ignored the system's reminder that he could receive free training on how to use the platform.

The first months of use - Beginnings that say a lot

Anna: Relationship building

Anna spent the first few weeks getting to know all the features of her virtual office. She took an hour-long online training course, during which she learned how to use the system and met her mentor, Marta.

"It's great that I can set up SMS notifications for priority shipments" - she was pleased, configuring the system. She also appreciated the ability to categorise correspondence and automatically route scans to the appropriate folders in the cloud.

She had brief conversations with Marta every month:

These regular feedbacks allowed minor problems to be quickly caught and resolved before they grew into major obstacles.

Paul: Growing problems

The first signs of problems appeared as early as the second week. Paul could not log on to the system, and he had not saved the number for technical support anywhere.

"Why doesn't anyone answer at this number?" - he exasperated, unaware that he was calling outside service hours, which were clearly stated in the terms and conditions he ignored.

When he finally managed to gain access, he found that he had missed some important customer mailings. "What email notifications? What settings?" - he was annoyed when speaking to a consultant who patiently explained the basics of the system to him.

After six months - Two different realities

Anna: Development and satisfaction

Six months later, Anna was happy to extend her contract, buying additional services. Her business was growing - the prestigious address in the centre of Poznań and the professional handling of correspondence made a great impression on her clients.

"I didn't expect that a virtual office could have such a positive impact on my business," she admitted during an interview with Marta. She particularly appreciated:

Its positive reputation on Google has already attracted several new customers to the operator.

Paul: A costly lesson

"Cheaper is more expensive" was the bitter lesson Paul learned after six months. The list of problems was long:

When he finally decided to switch operators, it turned out that he was bound by a 12-month contract, the terms of which... he had not read when he signed.

"The £3,000 savings cost me almost £20,000 in lost work," he concluded bitterly as he began his search for a new virtual office. Much more consciously this time.

Conclusions and guidance - What can we gain from these two stories?

Key elements of a successful customer path

The importance of informed research

2. the role of communication with the supplier

3. the value of the opinions and experiences of others

Practical tools to use

1. needs analysis template:

2. Operator selection checklist:

3. the value of the opinions and experiences of others

Summary: Customer Journey - the key to informed business decisions

The story of Anna and Paul, although centred on the choice of virtual office in Poznań, illustrates universal principles that apply to every important choice in running a business. The customer journey is a powerful tool that we can use to make choices:

and many other key elements of doing business.

The key to success is to consciously go through all stages of the customer pathway, regardless of the business decision involved:

The example of choosing a virtual office shows how apparent time savings at the beginning of the process can result in significant losses in the future. The same principle applies to every strategic choice in business - from choosing a CRM system to deciding to hire your first employee.

Customer journey mapping is not just a tool for selecting services - it is a mindset that helps you make better business decisions. It allows you to see the process from the end user's perspective, anticipate potential problems and optimise every touchpoint with your product or service.

One final piece of advice? Treat customer path analysis as an investment in the future of your business. That extra time spent on careful research and thoughtful decision-making will pay for itself many times over - whether you choose to virtual office, an accounting system or a marketing strategy. It is a versatile tool that will help you build your business in an informed and professional manner.