Voice of the Customer (VoC): What It Is & Its Benefits

Get ready to embark on a journey into the future of business success as we unveil the power of Voice of the Customer (VoC) in this blog. You'll understand why, in the ever-evolving landscape of customer experience (CX) and business performance, VoC is the key to deciphering customer needs, wants, and expectations. Adopting a VoC program is not just a choice - businesses today need to make it a strategic imperative to become and stay competitive in a landscape where customer experience reigns supreme. Explore how your business can not only seek customer opinions but go even beyond - procure data like customer behaviors, market research, product usage data, and web analytics - a direct input encapsulating who your customers are and what they want.

Why is the Voice of the Customer so important?

VoC plays a pivotal role in understanding customer needs, enhancing satisfaction, and propelling business success. Here's why VoC is indispensable:

1. Developing Features Aligned with Customer Feedback: VoC data ensures businesses deliver features aligned with customer preferences and needs, gathered through surveys, interviews, and customer data analysis.

2. Active Listening and Comprehending VoC Data: VoC is more than just gathering data; it's about actively listening to customers, refining offerings, and creating products that resonate with the target market.

3. Customer Retention and Upselling Opportunities: VoC-enabled customer success is crucial for revenue, fostering retention, and creating opportunities for upselling, especially in digital product offerings.

4. Communication of Customer Value: Informing customers that their feedback drives changes in strategies, products, or services creates a vital connection, showcasing that their opinions are heard and acted upon.

5. Capitalizing on Satisfied Customers and Addressing Concerns: Businesses need a VoC strategy if they want to capitalize on satisfied customers and address and solve the concerns of dissatisfied ones. Happy customers become brand advocates while addressing issues reduces customer churn.

"Being customer-centric comes with a lot of challenges, which we are glad and proud to take on. One of the most significant ones is the overwhelming amount of feedback, with numbers that are hard to digest manually… Having a solution that automates this process saves us valuable time - which can be used for other activities, both relating to business or personal welfare, and provides us with instant and easy-to-digest insights."
-
Vanja Mlaco, the Global Head of Digital Performance at AkzoNobel

What are the benefits of implementing and optimizing a Voice of Customer strategy?

VoC goes beyond a mere data collection process; it catalyzes positive change. The benefits include:

  • Customer Loyalty and Retention
  • Increased Revenue:
  • Enhanced Customer Experience
  • Improved Products and Services:

How do companies collect feedback from customers?

Businesses can employ various methods to collect direct feedback from customers and establish a robust VoC program:

  • Customer Advisory Council:
  • Surveys and Product Reviews:
  • Mystery Shopping Program:
  • Net Promoter Score (NPS):
  • Social Media and Live Chat:
  • Focus Groups and Phone Calls:
  • Customer-Facing Employees

Building a robust Voice of the Customer program

Embarking on VoC programs doesn't just enhance customer loyalty; it refines your product offerings. Engage stakeholders and data analysts or scientists for a comprehensive feedback spectrum. Carefully choosing your VoC tool is a critical step in establishing a robust customer program. Leveraging a customer relationship management (CRM) system allows for the seamless automation of feedback results, transforming them into actionable insights for informed decision-making. Gathering customer feedback isn't a one-time endeavor; it's a continuous process across the entire customer journey. It's an exercise in active listening, adaptation, and a commitment to delivering exceptional customer experiences that resonate across a broad audience. Consult our VoC experts if you want to explore the VoC market further or understand how our solution can enhance your CX!