The document discusses the importance of the voice of the customer (VOC) practice for businesses. It defines VOC as focusing on collecting customer data through questions and feedback to understand expectations and improve products and services. Developing a strong VOC program requires time, employee commitment, and focusing on customer experience, satisfaction, and loyalty. The document provides tips for developing a VOC program, including designating leaders, setting goals, engaging customers, and measuring business metrics.
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VOC Program: Essential Customer Listening
1. Voice of the Customer
William M Clarke
Marketing Communications Professional
2. Voice of the Customer
Essential business practice that focuses on the customer, relative to
collecting critical data - asking questions and gaining opinions - relative to
products or services offered - listening to the actual expectations of the
customer, in-turn the business entity must accordingly evaluate, modify,
and respond to those needs and meet the required expectations. Ultimately
organizations that establish strong VOC programs realize improved business
outcomes, brand engagement, and increased revenue.
3. Voice of the Customer
Developing a program within any organization takes time and a
commitment from the internal organization. The evolution won’t
happen overnight, so you need to get started now!
4. VOC
Build your program with an internal buzz and buy in from your employees,
then deliver that energy to your customers.
5. Voice of the CustomerEmpower, train, and develop employees
as VOC “Ambassadors of the Brand”.
7. Voice of the Customer
Customer
Centricity
Internal
Understanding
Appreciation
Communication
Added
Value
Loyalty
Develop your program with these customer centric deliverables in mind.
8. Voice of the Customer
Value
Prop
Customer
Satisfaction
Voice of
the
Customer
Customer
Retention
Loyalty Service
Customer
Experience
The Customer Experience is the trigger point for all things customer centric.
9. Voice of the Customer
Value Proposition
Customer Experience
Customer Retention
Customer Service
Customer Satisfaction
Customer Loyalty
Align within
your VOC
program
10. Voice of the Customer
Brand
Shipping
Problems
SalesProducts
Customers need your help!
11. Voice of the Customer
DATA
• Collect
• Manage
• Process
• Organize/Analyze
12. Voice of the Customer
Companies who dedicate their organizations to the “customer experience”
will prosper, those who do not - will disappear!
- Will Clarke
13. 'You've got to start with the customer experience
and work back toward the technology - not the other
way around.' - Steve Jobs
14. Voice of the Customer
‘Your most unhappy
customers are your
greatest source of
learning.' - Bill Gates
15. Voice of the Customer
‘If there's one reason
we have done better
than of our peers in
the internet space
over the last six years,
it is because we have
focused like a laser on
customer experience.'
- Jeff Bezos
17. Voice of the Customer
71% of companies believe they know what their customers want.
18. Voice of the Customer
95% of companies believe that
they are customer centric.
19. Voice of the Customer
Developing your VOC Program:
Corporate Culture – develop your strategy according to your internal needs,
where are you today – where does the organization need to be tomorrow, are
you product centered or customer centered, maybe you think your customer
centric - does the organization as a whole understand the power of the customer
experience?
Internal Owner/Manager – Who’s the strategic driver of the program,
regardless of who, this not a one man or woman show. This will take a
collaboration from Marketing, IT, and a multitude of other resources.
Goals and Objectives – What are the goals and objectives of the program, and
realize that these will expand and morph moving forward. You need a strategy,
process, technology, commitment, and people to drive those variables.
20. Voice of the Customer
Developing your VOC Program:
Segment your Audience – Obviously not all customers are exactly the same,
customers may interact with different business units within your company,
they may possess very different needs - while some may buy products –
others may buy services, etc. Consider RFM (recency - frequency - monetary)
as statistical indicators. Also, don’t forget about lapsed customers or
disgruntled customers (bring them back with CX) who may be ready to return
if you earn their good graces.
Data Management – Remember this is all about data, how its managed,
maintained, and utilized - will your team utilize the CRM, maybe the ERP
system? Centralize the data is one location, consolidate - standardize –
distribute throughout the multifaceted departments.
21. Voice of the Customer
Developing your VOC Program:
Tools of the VOC Trade – Utilize a VOC Hub/VOC software provider), this
will allow you a plethora of options when it comes to capturing data and
using specific VOC applications within the system. Above all - and no
excuses for mistakes – be absolutely sure that your VOC software integrates
with your CRM. Some popular vendors to review, CustVox, CustomerVoice
(Oracle), ForeSee, iPerceptions, iSKY, Microsoft Dynamics CRM,
NetReflector, Nexidia, Nice Systems, OpinionLab, Qualtrics, QuestBack,
ResponseTek, Satmetrix, SynGro, UserVoice, and Verint Systems.
22. Voice of the Customer
Developing your VOC Program:
Engage - Start listening, and don’t stop! Regardless of the technique you
choose begin with probing open ended questions, designed to better
understand the customer (expectations, frustrations (pain points), & how they
measure success) and include all the corporate touchpoints - call centers,
inside and field sales, marketing collateral, social, on-boarding
materials/questions, blogs, and user groups - don’t overlook any interaction.
Measure – You gotta believe, but you also have to prove its value. Ideally you
would like to validate revenue and ROI, think about upselling, cross-selling,
retention, and CLV (customer lifetime value). Be aware of the current metrics
in the categories you choose, this will allow for easy differentiation of
trending progress.
23. 80% of companies say that they deliver “superior customer service,”
but only 8% of consumers agree.
24. Voice of the Customer
Develop your Internal Team:
Team Lead – Marketing
IT
Sales
Customer Service
Call center
Service
Finance/Accounts payable
25. Voice of the Customer
In a world driven by me too products and services its extremely difficult to differentiate
brands, and pricing also fails to differentiate products. Today the one true differentiator in
open competitive markets is the “Customer Experience”.
26. Voice of the Customer
VOC Software Resources
http://www.envisioninc.com/
https://www.confirmit.com/what-we-do/solutions/voice-of-the-
customer.aspx
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics/default.aspx
http://www.maritzcx.com/voice-of-customer/
https://www.oracle.com/applications/customer-experience/index.html
28. Voice of the Customer
Thank you!
William M. Clarke
wilclarke77@gmail.com
@wilclarke77
Editor's Notes
Collect, organize and continually monitor the voice of your customers
Listen, measure and verify customer voices to direct priorities and goals
Don’t waste money and effort: invest in what matters to your future
Listening should be the center of your VOC universe.
Real question may be do they understand the meaning of the term “customer centric”?