That’s the Voice of the Customer! Is anybody listening?

What we’re hearing.

Now more than ever, paying attention to the Voice of the Customer (VOC) – and the customer insights that come from it – are key to marketing success. But all too often, marketers pay lip service to VOC without really knowing where to begin or how to apply it.
OC, with its roots in Six Sigma, applies rigor to gathering customer information. Initially used in operations and manufacturing, VOC is now employed to collect detailed information on customer needs across the marketing spectrum. Listening to the customer can lead to insights about her or his behavior, emotions and motivations. A clear VOC can help you get it right the first time.

But, according to Dave Mahder, former CMO for a national health insurer, one marketing pitfall is a check-the-box mentality toward capturing VOC – “We did focus groups six months ago and learned…”; “Our advisory council met last fall and told us….”

Understanding VOC is not “one and done,” but an ongoing process – a dialogue over time. The past nine months is ample evidence the environment can change dramatically – along with customer needs.

What you can do.

Ask yourself: Are your customer insights fresh, or the same as they’ve been for several years? Are they different from your competition’s understanding of the customer? Are they actionable – or just an intellectual exercise?

If you’re not happy with the answers, you may not be listening enough to the customer’s voice. And in the past year, concerns over costs may be limiting your ability to do so.

But here’s the good news: You can now draw on new techniques that generate VOC feedback at a small fraction of what they cost just a few years ago. These include online panels, new forms of concept testing and information sharing through communities of like-minded individuals. Learn more about VOC at any number of Six Sigma sites.

How we can help.

We welcome the opportunity to facilitate a session on your premises that focuses on putting your VOC, customer insights and customer experience into practice.

We can also help you create programs that use these findings to achieve near-term results and build brand equity. Our B2B and B2C communications encompass digital presentations and education, e-newsletters, email marketing, and websites; and the full range of print communications.

(David Mahder is Principal of David Mahder and Associates, LLC, a health care marketing consulting firm. He has held CMO positions at GE Capital and Aetna, Inc.)