𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑅𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑣𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑇ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝐺𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠: 𝑰𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑪𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒓’𝒔 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒔. What defines generations and within which boundary do you find yourself in? Different people experience it one way or another, just in different contexts.

ACCORDIA GLOBAL @WCIT x IDECS 2023 (4th – 6th October 2023)

Chatbots are the perfect Launch Pad to greater customer engagement & High-value sales leads.

Just as how time is of essence for many FMCG products or services, your response to customers should equally be as important in terms of speed.

Thriving on Product Feedback but Struggling with CX?

Customers are more than willing to pay a premium for a superior experience, as evidenced by the significant investments brands make in crafting captivating unboxing experiences for their products or services. To engaging with KOL’s to Celebrities. These experiences go a long way in enhancing a brand’s image, allowing customers to immerse themselves in the overall journey.

However, it’s essential not to overlook the significance of a continuous “Pre AND After-Sale service.” Both aspects must be executed flawlessly to create a lasting impact on customers. This is where a reliable CX-powered Omnichannel Cloud Contact Center should be implemented, enabling your brand to excel in both realms.

Here are 3 Reasons on Why Customer Service should always be the forefront of your company, and why Omnichannel Cloud Contact Center is the way to go:

“If experience isn’t your strategy, you’re doing it wrong, according to a PwC report. Among all customers, 73% point to “EXPERIENCE” as an important factor in their purchasing decisions, behind price and product quality. Customers are willing to pay more for the experience qualities that matter most to them: 43% of consumers would PAY MORE for greater convenience, 42% would pay more for a FRIENDLY, WELCOMING experience and 65% of U.S. customers find a POSITIVE experience with a brand to be more influential than great advertising. As reported by PwC”

👍🏼 Customer experience refers to the overall impression and perception that customers have about their interactions with your company throughout the customer journey.
👍🏼 CX feedback includes customer responses and opinions about various touchpoints, such as website usability, customer support, delivery process, etc.
👍🏼 A positive customer experience can result in increased customer loyalty, advocacy, and word-of-mouth referrals.
On the other hand, a lackluster CX can lead to customer churn, negative reviews, and a decline in customer retention rates.

👍🏼 Some customers may not actively provide feedback unless asked, and the lack of feedback could be due to insufficient engagement or communication channels. However, from a customer’s point-of-view, they might think the company does not value their feedback, hence why bother?!
👍🏼 Negative feedback might be less willingly shared, making it crucial to create a safe and anonymous feedback mechanism.
👍🏼 Analyzing and interpreting CX feedback can be time-consuming and resource-intensive for companies without proper tools and methodologies.

“59% will walk away after several bad experiences, 17% after just one bad experience. 32% of all customers would stop doing business with a brand they loved after one bad experience. Source PwC.”

An Omnichannel Cloud Contact Center addresses challenges in gathering Customer Experience (CX) feedback by providing a unified platform for interactions across multiple channels.

It helps to gather real-time feedback and supports various communication methods. This setup enables personalized interactions, offers immediate reporting, and allows for ongoing improvement.

Overall, it streamlines feedback collection and report analysis to enhance the customer experience. If you have a great product or service going, don’t allow the sales to plummet due to bad customer service.

Why should you wait further for your company ratings or a competitor product to overtake you? As the saying goes,

“Strike While The Iron is Hot”

👍🏼 To improve customer experience, it’s crucial to actively seek and encourage feedback from customers through various channels like surveys, emails, or feedback forms.
👍🏼 Companies can leverage technology and data analytics to better understand customer sentiments and identify areas that need improvement.
👍🏼Implementing customer-centric strategies, investing in employee training, and refining processes can positively impact CX.

We understand the pivotal role that customer experience plays in building a loyal and satisfied customer base. An Omnichannel Cloud Contact Center solution empowers your team to deliver seamless and personalized experiences across all touchpoints, leaving a lasting impression on your customers from the very beginning to well beyond the sale.

With a state-of-the-art CX, you can streamline customer interactions, gain valuable insights, and ensure consistent excellence in service. By investing in your customers’ satisfaction, you’ll unlock unparalleled opportunities for growth and success in the market.

Don’t let your CX feedback lag behind your product feedback any longer. Embrace the power of our CX CRM-powered Omnichannel Cloud Contact Center and watch your brand soar to new heights of success. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your brand thrive in the world of customer experience.

AI in Customer Service: 4 Essential Factors to Assess Before Adoption.

The rapidly evolving landscape of customer service has led businesses to embrace digital transformation, making the omnichannel contact center an essential component of their strategy. To keep up with customer demands and provide exceptional service, many organizations are turning to Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions. AI can significantly enhance customer experiences, streamline operations, and optimize resources. However, implementing AI is not without challenges.

Before diving headfirst into AI integration, it is crucial for businesses to carefully consider certain factors. In this blog, we will explore three essential considerations to bear in mind before adopting AI in your omnichannel contact center.

The first and most critical step before implementing AI is to identify the specific objectives you want to achieve. Many AI solutions cater to different aspects of customer service, such as chatbots for basic inquiries, sentiment analysis for customer feedback, or predictive analytics for resource management. According to Gartner, Inc., by 2027, chatbots will become the primary customer service channel for roughly a quarter of organizations. By understanding your specific requirements, you can narrow down the choices and select the AI technologies that best align with your business goals.

Start by conducting an in-depth analysis of your existing customer service operations and pain points. What recurring tasks could be automated? Are there bottlenecks in your communication channels? What customer needs are currently underserved? Answering these questions will help you focus on the areas where AI can have the most significant impact.

Implementing AI into your chatbot needs to consider a selection of pertinent chatbot metrics (e.g., goal completion rate, abandonment rate, conversation steps, handle time, etc.) to align with the organization’s specific context.

Additionally, involve key stakeholders from different departments to gather valuable insights and ensure alignment with the overall business strategy.

Salesforce’s State of the Connected Customer report found that 75% of customers expect a consistent experience across multiple channels, highlighting the importance of implementing AI in omnichannel contact centers.

The success of a chatbot hinges on its ability to empathize and effectively address customer needs. Invest in user-centered design to create a chatbot that mirrors natural human conversations and displays understanding. Integrate sentiment analysis to gauge customer emotions and tailor responses accordingly. By delivering relevant and personalized interactions, your chatbot can foster positive customer sentiments.

A McKinsey report suggests that generative AI could further reduce the volume of human-serviced contacts by up to 50%, depending on a company’s existing level of automation, which resulted in a significant reduction in operational costs.

The above example of table provides an overview of an ideal flow of cycle, from a customer’s request through social media channels, up until the issue has been resolved on-field. Made possible with the implementation of an Omnichannel CRM integration.

AI thrives on data, and an omnichannel contact center generates vast amounts of customer data from various touch points like calls, emails, chats, and social media interactions. Before integrating AI, it is paramount to address data privacy and security concerns.

A survey by the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) revealed that 86% of consumers “care about data privacy” and want more control, and 79% of consumers are willing to invest time or money to better protect their privacy, emphasizing the importance of stringent data protection measures. In addition, the global average cost of a data breach in 2023 was USD 4.45 million, a 15% increase over 3 years, sourced by IBM.

Hence, ensuring that the AI solution you choose complies with industry regulations and data protection laws. Customer trust is vital for a successful contact center, and any data breaches or misuse of information can lead to severe reputational damage. Having a reliable Omnichannel contact centre provider is of utmost importance citing the above examples, given facts and figures.

Invest in robust security measures to safeguard customer data throughout its lifecycle. Implement encryption protocols, access controls, and regular security audits. Additionally, have a clear data retention policy to limit the storage of unnecessary data and minimize potential risks.

While AI can automate various tasks and improve efficiency, it is essential to remember that human agents still play a crucial role in delivering exceptional customer experiences. Implementing AI should not be viewed as a replacement for human agents but rather as a tool to empower them.

A blend of human and AI-driven customer service is important. PwC’s survey of 15,000 consumers across 12 countries found that two-thirds feel companies have lost touch with the human element of the customer experience. Additionally, three-quarters of respondents expressed a desire for more human interaction in the future, not less.

Ensure that your AI systems are seamlessly integrated with your existing infrastructure and workflows. AI should support human agents by providing relevant information, context, and suggested actions in real-time, enabling them to make more informed decisions and focus on complex customer interactions.

Harvard Business Review predicts that AI could add $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030. This projection has sparked discussions about the potential transformation of our workforce, with some envisioning an unrecognizable landscape by 2040. AI should enhance, not replace, the role of human agents.

Invest in comprehensive training for your agents to help them adapt to AI-driven processes. Encourage open communication channels to gather agent feedback and continuously improve the AI system’s performance.

Embracing AI in your omnichannel contact center can revolutionize the way you deliver customer service. However, to maximize the benefits and avoid potential pitfalls, it is crucial to carefully consider your objectives, prioritize data privacy and security, and foster a seamless collaboration between AI and human agents.

By setting clear goals, prioritizing data protection, and ensuring a harmonious blend of AI and human capabilities, your contact center can offer a superior customer experience that sets your business apart from the competition. Remember, successful AI implementation is a journey, and continuous monitoring and adaptation are keys to unlocking its true potential. Accordia Global can help with that journey!

The Definitive Guide to Successfully Implementing WhatsApp for Business.

WhatsApp is one of the Social Media Apps that’s being widely used for daily communication throughout all levels of society. More so here in Malaysia, WhatsApp is certainly the number one communication tool between families, friends and businesses either official chat groups or unofficial ones.

One can say it’s a “multi-generation” communication tool, even more so for the many baby boomers who did not have the privilege in education thus not being able to type text, however they are able to communicate through WhatsApp voice message. Enabling them to be part of a community of friends, and still be connected with their children who might be working in the main cities.

Highlighting the significance of WhatsApp as a widely used communication platform in Malaysia, it is important to acknowledge the untapped potential of WhatsApp Business API adoption, particularly among SMEs. Despite its well-established presence as a customer service platform, the utilization of WhatsApp Business API remains relatively low in Malaysia.

One crucial inquiry arises: What truly fosters customer engagement in brand conversations? The answer is far from being complex. It boils down to the simple principle of having your needs promptly addressed. The key lies in meeting or even surpassing your expectations by providing the appropriate or, at the very least, a satisfactory response to your pre-purchase inquiries or service-related questions.

One-part of the concept in building conversation which the App creators have in mind is Effective Communication. Ever since Facebook, now known as Meta, bought over the platform it has propelled these services further to greater heights. Always in constant evolution and improvement to benefit not only social users, but the commercial usage as well.

🔥How Businesses can Leverage on Business Messaging and the difference in an API!

Humans are tied to emotions, and the majority in one way or another appreciate or subconsciously crave some form of connection. It’s no secret that the main ingredient in the final step of closing a deal, is the right match of chemistry between customer & sales agent or even customer service support agent.

In today’s fast-paced world, the WhatsApp Business App enables prompt customer responses and personalized assistance. With the assistance of a WhatsApp Bot, it allows for instant replies, addressing frequently asked questions, and guiding users to the relevant landing page.

Here’s an example!!

WhatsApp Business is a state of the art Marketing tool. All within few clicks and uploading of information. It is indeed very easy to use, it’s the perfect tool for Marketing personnel who are bursting with ideas. Be it either based on yearly target planned campaigns or ad-hoc ones which sometimes can generate a ‘viral storm’!

a. Here are few easy-peasy steps on how to PROMOTE on WhatsApp Business application. Of course, sharing the WhatsApp link is KEY. These links should be shared via your website, social media profiles, or marketing materials. Would suggest to use customize link names to catch Consumers attention for call-to-action. Link’s name can be customized through sites for free such as Bitly.com and more.

b. Through the pool of date, you are able to run targeted ad campaigns to encourage users to message your business directly.

c. Use WhatsApp’s click-to-chat feature to initiate personlize conversations with customers through clickable links.

d. WhatsApp Business is a great way to blast out messages which catches the attention through visual or audio. Use multimedia messages, such as photos, videos, or voice notes, to enhance communication. Share product catalogs or brochures to showcase your offerings.

WhatsApp business allows you and your teams of marketing cohorts to pre-set this information beforehand and just let it run on the set duration.

📌Automated Greetings: Set up a warm welcome message for new customers or when they contact you outside business hours.
📌Quick Replies: Create predefined responses for frequently asked questions or common queries.
📌Away Messages: Inform customers about your availability or expected response time when you are away.

Where is diving a little deeper into with WhatsApp Business API it allows for more customization. You can explore the WhatsApp Business API for advanced business features and integrations. The best part of API is that it can be integrated with your existing customer support tools or CRM systems. Working with your CX solution partner to closely develop chatbots or automation workflows to handle routine inquiries efficiently. At times, the lines are blurred whereby customers can’t tell if the reply is from a bot or from a human agent.

THE WORD:
“2022 Meta-commissioned study found that 58% of marketers reported an increase in lead generation after incorporating business messaging.Source by WhatsApp”

Reports are important numbers to be crunched, process, turned into opportunity for improvements and re-direction of marketing strategies. When computers replaced ledgers, it was truly a wonder. Now with applications advancements – generating reports by sub-categories can be made with a few clicks.

WhatsApp Business API allows marketing departments to track important metrics such as message response time, customer engagement, and conversion rates. One may also use WhatsApp Business API analytics or third-party tools to gain insights into user behavior. Continuously analyze and optimize your messaging strategy based on the data collected.

Familiarize yourself with WhatsApp’s business policies and guidelines. The system is build in such a way that it respects user privacy and avoid spamming or sending unsolicited messages. Year on year the system is in constant improvement to ensure, Secure customer data and adhere to applicable data protection regulations.

Hence, it’s always a good choice to choose a CX enhancement partner that is locally based such as Accordia Global, where you can easily reach out.

THE WORD:
2022 study found that up to 70% of customer inquiries on Meta business messaging platforms are successfully answered via automation alone. Source by WhatsApp.

WhatsApp Business provides a powerful platform for businesses to connect and engage with customers. By following this ultimate implementation guide, you can effectively leverage WhatsApp’s features and functionalities to enhance customer support, promote your products or services, and drive business growth. Stay responsive, provide valuable assistance, and maintain a professional approach to build strong relationships with your customers through WhatsApp Business.

We’re here to help you to build strong relationships with existing customers and help new ones embark on the journey of loyalty to your brand. Speak to us to kick-start your WhatsApp for Business!

Three Benefits of Omni-Channel Contact Center that You Should Know A la Accordia

Jakarta, June 2023 – As businesses look to digitalise their operations, customer service is an important area that will also be undergoing transformation. Often, an omni-channel approach is considered to improve customer interactions, and mine better customer insights for business growth and as a competitive differentiator.

Indonesia has a large and growing consumer market, driven by a growing middle class, urbanization, and increasing disposable income. Consumer preferences have been evolving, with a greater demand for quality products and services. Thus, the demand has increased for better engagement, personalization, and service as customers want to be heard and valued.

According to CX Trends 2023, 71 percent of customers expect immediate assistance when they contact a business. However, providing 24/7 support can be costly and integrating all customers’ communications into a single platform, including customer care, experience, and satisfaction – often becomes a challenge for local businesses looking to upgrade their systems and workforce.

Regional Director of Accordia Solution, Bernard Yeong says, “Customer behavior is constantly evolving. As such, businesses need a robust and dynamic omni-channel customer service solution that is customer-centric. This will help the business to pivot quickly, gain a better understanding of their customers’ preferences, behaviors, and expectations to foster stronger client loyalty and advocacy. Even though the idea of omni-channel customer service is simple, it is one that many companies struggle with. Companies often make common mistakes, such as lack of coordination, focusing on technology over strategy, having incomplete data, lack of training and education, and not measuring the success rate that can lead to failure.”

Partnering with a trusted contact center solutions provider, like Accordia can make the implementation process much easier, removing much of the complexities and ensuring the right modules are deployed at the right time.

The beauty of an omni-channel solution is that it can be deployed either in the cloud, where it is hosted and maintained on a subscription basis by a cloud contact center solution, or either, where it is completely owned and run. With the support of Accordia’s integrated cloud and technologies, businesses can streamline their customer service operations which will ultimately improve operations and boost revenue.

As a leading omni-channel Cloud Contact Center solution, Accordia is at the forefront of customer experience providing a strong focus on strategic customer engagement, innovation, and reliable cloud solutions to small and medium enterprises. The company offers a range of solutions that integrate different channels of communication, including Voice, Chat, Desk, and Social. In addition, Accordia’s solution is scalable and cost-effective making it an attractive option to businesses serving a wide variety of customers and customer engagement capabilities across multiple touchpoints.

Today, 80 percent of Accordia’s customer inquiries are all about omni-channel. Various industries, including e-commerce, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), financial institutions, internet service providers, airlines, and the public sector are embracing this trend, with customers seeking chatbots that can integrate with social channels.

1.Elevate your business with enhanced Customer Satisfaction, Loyalty, Reputation, and Sales.

Customers are more likely to be satisfied with your service and may become more loyal to your business if the company delivers a seamless, consistent customer experience across all channels, which also can help to build trust and credibility. This is proven by a study by Aberdeen Group Inc, where they managed to retain 89 percent of their customers with a strong omni-channel customer strategy.

On average, Accordia’s solutions have contributed in increasing 25 percent of partners’ sales and gained more than 80 percent satisfactory rate. Accordia helped a telecommunications company achieve significant benefits by enabling self-service requests, resulting in reduced call volumes and a higher Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) rating.

2. Enhance Customer Data

Businesses can gain useful information to identify common pain points and gain real-time insights into customer interactions through omni-channel customer service. Customers can view easily from a dashboard that presents intelligence insights and available metrics in accordance with the Service Level Agreement (SLA) best practices. This data-driven interface and reporting tools enable management leaders to make smarter business decisions, increase productivity and can be utilized to target specific customers with marketing campaigns. The system that Accordia has is simpler and it enables customers to enhance their customer data from the system.

This is proven by one of Accordia’s clients from the automotive industry as Accordia provides IVR CSAT to obtain real-time data and help expand customer base and gain greater customer insights.

3. Reduce Cost

Although the implementation of an omni-channel customer service strategy might call for an initial investment in technology and maintenance, it has the potential to reduce costs over time by boosting productivity and facilitating better resource allocation. Digital transformation is a journey, not a destination. Businesses can pursue a single technology enhancement such as Chatbot or tap into a Cloud subscription model that is more affordable compared to an upgrade on the entire digital infrastructure.

In order to cater any business size needs, Accordia offers customized value for money solutions. Accordia has supported one of its clients in the health sector by providing cost effective and reliable contact center solutions that enable the sales and marketing teams to operate more efficiently with the ability to promote relevant services to their customers.

Bernard adds, “The first thing that companies should do when implementing omni-channel customer service is to understand their customer, provide a dependable customer experience, invest in the right technology, train the employees, measure, and maintain improvement.

By leveraging our deep expertise and proven processes in designing, deploying and managing contact centers, we can support companies in developing the strategy required to deliver superior customer experiences across all channels.”

Accordia is supported by the Malaysian Research Accelerator for Technology and Innovation (MRANTI) – a government agency under the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation.

To find out how Accordia can help your business to elevate the customer service, click here ACCORDIA SOLUTIONS for more information.

Press Release Indonesia

Effective Effortless Omnichannel Customer Service Solution

In whichever business you embark on, commerce truly makes the world GO-ROUND. Sitting in a “mamak”, a typical local Malaysian (Malay-decent) eatery stall or a warung as they call it in Indonesia, one can’t help but to experience the hustle and bustle of commerce filled with wholesome customer relationships that’s going on. At this particular stall, it’s a bit more localized, hence the banter between customers and owners are such a “joie de vivre” to experience. Of course coupled with the combination of great food and good humor. It makes a pleasant morning, lifting up the spirits of even an “outsider-customer” … obviously “me-the-copywriter”.

An eureka moment lighted 💡! Why not deploy omnichannel powered chatbots to lay the ground for the perfect forefront meet & greet. Many businesses have always faced the problem of constant quality customer service. How can one transfer this “genuine light happy banter” before kicking in to the more serious business of closing down the sale? In my humble opinion, yes your business might be worth much much more than this humble stall, however if you take a step back and analyze deeper. In the end, isn’t most customers’ behavior the same? The key word is GENUINE = GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE. A truth applicable across industries.

I’m sure the many business owners or customer service agencies have employed – Customer Service staff or external CX agents. It takes time to train by imparting the company’s DNA or culture, equipping them with an overview of the company policies (while hoping they might read-up through the night) which usually don’t happen i might say, and then poof! They are placed up-front in the front lines to battle the onslaught of customer’s inquiries and managing complaints.

How far do you think these newbies can cope before they hit a burn-out? What is the ratio of your hiring versus retention of talent? That’s where Omnichannel Customer Service Solutions come into play. Here are the many benefits that will help you with the first-customer-response and at the same time help you retain valuable talent. Talent which you have place in resources of time and money to train.

🔥4 Effective Effortless Omnichannel CX Solution!!

“Gartner has predicted that, by 2020, customers will manage 85% of their relationship with the enterprise without interacting with a human. However, in the following decade, even these simpler apps and automated systems will be replaced with advanced AI technologies designed to improve the overall customer experience by being proactive, anticipating customer needs and engaging on an emotional level.”

Before immersing into Big AI, Chatbots are the best front-line soldiers to assist in giving out the first impressions. As compared to traditional CX agents, calls must be answered in 3 rings. Comparatively a chat with a chatbot will accord the customer an instant response! Psychologically you have scored a point. The next step that a chatbot can do is to identify the type of question. Should it be an FAQ, the bot will direct the customer accordingly. *Company’s should have a set of FAQs prepared for the chatbot system to qualify accordingly.

After filtering, the chatbot can then direct to the right Live Agent who can then help the customers. Chatbots are able to filter based on preliminary customer profile. This will help to lessen the emotions such as anger and allow the customers to think more rationally before speaking to a Live Agent. Reducing the friction of high-temper emotions. A very valid example!

Ensuring there’s a connection between CRM support is vital. An implementation of Accordia Desk, your agents gain a 360 degree view of customers’ data. In return, they are able to provide a fulfilling customer’s journey as they are able to address the customer’s history. Enhancing the experiences for both parties, while fostering brand loyalty, and your business gains customer retention.

Not forgetting CRM integration helps in reducing cost in the long run. At the same time increasing sales, in a more personalized manner. Instead of just an off-the-mill sales call pitch. A bonus point is that the system allows integration with your preferred CRM partner, or you can also explore the different CRM platforms Accordia works with!

When choosing a system, one should go for flexibility. Catering to both SMEs or well established corporations, deployment with scalability is a luxury. There’s certainly no requirements to lock the system in.

We grow in pace with your business, Cloud deployment affords you flexibility with a “Plug-and-play concept”. Or should your company have a collocated budget fitting with the business plan expansion, opt for On-Premise deployment. Choosing your own team of IT Support to manage the systems closely.

“The Digital Advertising market is growing because people’s behavior has shifted from the offline to the online world. Within 10 years, the number of internet users has grown to twice its size from 2.3 billion in 2012 to 5.1 billion in 2022. (Source: Digital Advertising – Malaysia, Statista) ”

Big data at your fingertips. Enhancement for Marketing or Digital marketing campaigns for your company is possible. Now with digital marketing taking flight, there is a need among many SMEs who are looking to engage in these routes for marketing. With an Omnichannel system in place, you are able to draw out data for marketing strategies or even reports.

Employee or agent retention is another plus point to adopt this solution. Saving you time and effort plus gaining higher employee satisfaction overall.

The key to customer satisfaction is through smooth first greetings, sufficient given information mid-journey, and a satisfied ending of the whole experience. Gaining genuine trust and loyalty for many years to come. Happy customers are the strongest product and service advocates.

Take a step further by engaging with us on how we can help you reach your Customer Service goals.

B2B communication involves multiple touchpoints, ranging from lead generation and customer support to sales and post-sales engagement. Omnichannel chatbots play a vital role in streamlining these interactions by offering the following benefits:

Omnichannel allows private educational institutions to provide a seamless and consistent experience to students throughout their journey.