Transforming Customer Experiences

Under the expert guidance of Professor Heiner Evanschitzky, you’ll discover how data, behavioural insights, and hands-on tools can transform your customer journey strategy. This intensive short course empowers you to:

• Understand the customer journey from end to end
• Apply data-driven techniques to improve customer touchpoints
• Turn potential buyers into loyal brand advocates
• Learn from real-world examples and industry insights

Day 1 – Foundations of the customer journey

• Learn the core language and concepts behind customer journey management
• Explore the building blocks of customer loyalty, inspiration, engagement, and co-creation
• Analyse successful brand journeys in retail and service sectors

Day 2 – Relationship dynamics & journey mapping

• Dive into customer relationship management (CRM) and key touchpoints
• Apply best practices to B2C customer experience design
• Map your own customer journey to identify gaps and opportunities for improvement

Day 3 – Measuring what matters

• Discover key tools to measure customer perception and behaviour
• Learn from a guest industry speaker about the Customer Journey Index (CJI)
• Apply the CJI framework to assess impact within your own organisation

Day 4 – Inspiration, KPIs & strategy

• Explore new ways to manage and measure customer-firm relationships
• Understand customer inspiration as a powerful KPI for growth
• Reflect on your learnings and share strategic takeaways with peers

They’ll also be a full-afternoon excursion to Manchester United - including a private tour of Old Trafford, a strategy-application seminar and a private dinner at the football club.

Throughout the course, you will:

• Learn from world-leading academics who bring cutting-edge research into the classroom
• Collaborate with senior professionals from diverse industries and senior industry experts as they share their insights on customer experiences
• Apply learning directly to your own organisational challenges
• Engage in lively discussions, workshops, and exercises that bridge theory and real-world practice

Stand-out learning features

• Applied learning - Work in an environment designed to foster active engagement, where your facilitator draws on the collective experience of your cohort to enrich the learning
• Peer knowledge exchange - Benefit from ongoing feedback and insights from professionals across sectors - helping you grow your leadership mindset and strategic marketing skills
• Reflective practice - Take a rare pause from your daily routine to reflect on your own marketing capabilities and challenges, with support from top-tier academic experts
• Professional networking - Build long-lasting professional relationships with peers from a variety of backgrounds, expanding your business network and perspective
• Personal growth - Deepen your self-awareness and discover how to sharpen your core marketing competencies in a changing business landscape
• Behavioural change - Embrace new mindsets and adopt evidence-based practices that will enhance your decision-making and managerial effectiveness

Learning continues beyond the classroom

Before, during, and after the course, you’ll have access to our virtual learning environment, where you’ll find:

• Pre-course preparation
• Slide decks and case studies
• Recommended readings and resources

And to support your long-term growth, you’ll continue to access these materials, plus the University of Manchester’s online library, for up to 12 months after course completion.

By the end of the course, you will:

• Build confidence in applying tools and models to improve and measure the customer journey and customer inspiration
• Gain the skills to lead senior-level strategic conversations around customer experience and value
• Understand how to assess and enhance your organisation’s current customer journey
• Demonstrate your commitment to professional growth through hands-on, expert-led learning

Plus your organisation will gain:

• Practical tools and frameworks to better understand customer needs and behaviours
• New approaches to enhance customer inspiration, loyalty, and long-term value
• A more confident, strategically equipped leader ready to embed improved customer journey strategies across the business

This course is ideal for business professionals working in customer-facing industries such as retail, hospitality, or services, who are looking to:

• Take a more strategic, end-to-end view of the customer journey
• Improve how their organisation engages, serves, and retains customers
• Unlock competitive advantages through enhanced customer experience strategies

Whether you're in a marketing, customer experience, or commercial leadership role, this course will help you turn customer insight into measurable business impact.

Heiner Evanschitzky, Professor of Marketing, has researched primarily in retail marketing/management and has investigated in technology in customer inspiration and participation, relationship marketing, and profit chain models.

His international experience is extensive, having received his PhD from the University of Muenster, Germany, and spent time as visiting professor at University of St. Gallen, Switzerland, Curtin Business School, Australia, and Florida Atlantic University in the US.

On completing the course, you’ll earn the Manchester Professional Certificate in Transforming Customer Experiences, plus a digital certificate and badge you can share on LinkedIn.

Pathway to a diploma

• Complete any four short courses from our executive portfolio to earn the Manchester Professional Diploma in Leadership.
• Includes three executive coaching sessions to apply your learning and shape your personal development strategy.

Advance to the Global MBA

If you apply to the Global MBA within five years, you may be exempt from one elective (please mention this course in your application).

If you choose to stay in Manchester during your time on one of our short business courses, you can benefit from preferential rates at the Hyatt Hotel, a modern and elegant hotel located at the heart of our campus and adjoining the Executive Education centre.

Learn more about the Hyatt Hotel >>

View frequently asked questions about our short business courses here >>