Reducing Friction in Complex Customer Journeys
Specialist neuro-inclusion insight advisory for organisations seeking to simplify high-value, & high-stress purchases
About Northbound Advisory
Our Story
I bring 27 years experience working within complex data, decision and risk-aware environments, where clarity, fairness and operational confidence are essential.
This background provides a strong understanding of how organisations balance:
• commercial objectives
• operational processes
• customer outcomes
• governance and reputation
My consultancy was established to provide independent, insight-led advisory & neuro-inclusion support to organisations seeking to simplify complex customer journeys, reduce friction and improve clarity in high-value or high-stress customer interactions.
Many organisations invest heavily in product design, operational efficiency and customer experience. However, complex processes can still create unintended confusion, decision overload or escalation risk — particularly when customers are making significant financial, emotional or time-sensitive decisions.
My work focuses on identifying where these friction points occur and helping organisations strengthen clarity, accessibility and confidence within their customer journeys.
Our Services
An important part of this work involves understanding how cognitive load, stress and information complexity affect customer decision-making.
Customers approach complex processes with very different needs, levels of understanding and cognitive capacity. For neurodivergent customers — as well as customers experiencing stress, vulnerability or significant life decisions — poorly designed processes can create unnecessary barriers or confusion.
Applying a neuro-inclusive perspective can help organisations:
• reduce cognitive overload in complex journeys
• improve communication clarity
• simplify decision points
• reduce escalation and complaint drivers
• strengthen trust and customer confidence
These principles are particularly relevant in sectors where customers face high-value purchases, long decision timelines or complex service processes, including property, utilities, travel and financial services.
Why Independent Advisory Support Matters
While many organisations recognise the importance of accessibility and inclusive design, internal teams are often focused on operational delivery, transformation programmes or regulatory priorities.
This means there is rarely dedicated internal resource available to conduct detailed, independent reviews of how complex customer journeys function in practice.
Independent advisory support provides:
• an objective external perspective
• structured analysis of customer friction and complexity
• practical recommendations grounded in real-world decision environments
• support for internal discussions around customer experience risk and improvement
This allows organisations to strengthen customer journeys while ensuring improvements remain commercially practical and operationally achievable.
Services Packages
Options
I provide structured advisory reviews designed to help organisations reduce friction, simplify complex customer journeys and identify areas where cognitive overload or unclear processes may lead to confusion, escalation or customer harm.
Initial Introductory Call
Complimentary 20-Minute Discussion
A short introductory conversation to understand your organisation and whether an advisory review would be valuable.
This call is designed to determine whether there is a suitable fit before any formal engagement.
During this call we typically:
• Discuss the customer journey, process or communication you would like reviewed
• Identify areas where friction, complexity or customer confusion may be occurring
• Clarify your objectives and what success would look like
• Outline potential scope/next steps
Discovery & Vulnerability Review
£TBD based on scope review
A focused diagnostic review designed to quickly identify friction, complexity and potential customer confusion within a single customer journey, process or communication.
This review provides an independent external perspective and helps organisations understand whether deeper advisory work may be beneficial.
Scope - Review of one:
• customer journey
• operational process
• key customer communication (email, letter, onboarding flow, booking journey etc.)
Neuro-Inclusive Customer Journey & Communication Review
£TBD based on scope review
A structured advisory engagement designed to analyse and improve multiple customer journeys or communications, focusing on clarity, decision-making complexity and customer understanding.
This engagement moves beyond diagnosis and provides practical recommendations to simplify journeys and communications.
Scope
Review of 3–5 customer journeys, processes or communications.
Examples may include:
• purchase journeys
• onboarding journeys
• booking processes
• billing communications
• service escalation
Decision Pathway & Customer Risk Advisory
£TBD based on scope
A comprehensive advisory review designed to analyse how operational processes, decision pathways and data touchpoints influence customer outcomes across complex journeys.
This engagement provides strategic insight for organisations seeking to strengthen customer journey governance, decision frameworks and internal confidence.
Scope - Review of multiple journeys and operational decision pathways across an organisation.
Includes
• Strategic scoping session with leadership team
• Scenario analysis
Ongoing Advisory Partnership
Retainer fee £TBD based on scope
For organisations seeking ongoing independent perspective on customer journey design, communication clarity and friction reduction.
Provides regular access to advisory support during transformation programmes or service redesign initiatives.
Quarterly Advisory Partnership and Monthly Advisory Partnership available.
Bespoke Advisory
£TBD based on scope
Every organisation operates within its own operational structure and customer journey complexity.
Where standard packages do not fully reflect the scope required, bespoke advisory engagements can be designed.
Bespoke engagements may include:
• review of multiple customer journeys or service pathways
• analysis of complex purchase environments
• transformation programme advisory support
• organisation-wide customer experience reviews
• communication redesign across multiple products or services
Terms & Conditions apply