Companies nowadays recognise the proper value of taking proactive measures to keep their fingers on the pulse of their clientele. Most organisations have launched the Voice of the Customer Software aimed at evaluating satisfaction & understanding the several opportunities for a procedure or product enhancements that help drive the exact value leading to enhanced retention & ultimately sales. The key elements around the voice of the Customer Advocacy Programs often focus on a variety of activities related to detecting levels of customer satisfaction, analysing the results & engaging in what we call solution building intended at addressing the customer needs & expanding several opportunities which might eventually lead to upsell & cross-sell business.
A recent study by Bain & Company initiated that 80% of the company’s CEO described the experiences their companies transported as ‘superior’. Their customers, though, didn’t share quite the same levels of eagerness – a mere 8% of them agreed. Moreover, 72% of CEOs are under the false imprint that their companies are excellent. Appreciatively this sort of blind self-confidence might be coming to an end. IBM’s CEO study found that there are 88% of all CEOs are listing ‘getting closer to their customer’ as their top business precedence for the next five years.
All such components of the VOC Software effort often result in the strong emphasis on the measures, metrics, & benchmarking programmatic are distinct by the companies based on the understanding of perceived & real value from the vantage point of the company & service provider. Terms including ‘KPIs’ & ‘Dashboards’ become focal points of the desired outcomes which organisations move towards as the indicators of the progress for the VOC programs.
The challenges in this space are often centred around what the dashboards & KPIs should look like. Essentially, illustration becomes more vital than metrics & value opportunity, which needs to be called out. Companies who get this right will spend a significant amount of time upfront laying the foundational groundwork to ensure that the VOC or Customer Experience Program’s efforts become a way of working and the way of behaving, thereby guaranteeing the proactive focus on the goal attainment vs the reactive one.
There are Several Ways that VoC Programs Boost Customer Engagement –
Improved understanding of what your Customers Want – First, knowing what your customers want can help you boost customer engagement. Some customers will inevitably express their needs & wants, but most of the customers (up to 25%) will never say a word – they will just switch the brands if they are unhappy. VOC programs are the systematic, reliable method for gathering customer feedback. And, with the customer feedback on your side, you are more likely to understand just what it is your customers need to become more engaged with your business/brand.
Input into New Product Development – VoC software can boost Customer Engagement via the new product development procedure. By consistently gathering feedback, you can learn what your patrons are exploring in your new products & services. Once those new products/services hit the shelves, they will sell better as they are based on the current customer’s preferences.
Ability to Recover your Lost Customers – Recover Alerts & other similar real-time customer engagement software tools can assist you to notice when the customer is considering leaving your brand. Front-line employees & managers can better win back wavering customers when they have the Voice of Customer program on their side.
Input to Recognize Outstanding Employees – Nowadays, the customers are exploring for more than the great product at low prices—they are also studying for compelling service experience. Some of your employees are service superstars. They are so excited about their service, which they make natural Brand Ambassadors for your brand. Voice of the Customer programs allows your customers to point out the employees that make a difference. Customer Engagement software solutions can send out alerts to managers when the customer mentions a certain employee by name. You can use the process to find the Brand Ambassadors within your ranks. The employee training programs can then be based on brand ambassadors’ actions to boost your customer engagement reliably.
If your company lacks the strong, healthy Voice of Customer program, you might be assuming that you are superior. Inappropriately, while you are considering this, somebody else might be out there listening to, engaging & offering truly exceptional experiences for your clientele.
Final Verdict
VOC programs are challenging to implement but, when done correctly, can prove to be wise, fun & impactful. Think behind the box, look through the lens of the consumer, examine the employee affinity results, generate mystery shoppers, & above all else, know who your consumers are & engage them in a thoughtful & concerted manner. Remember that your organisation’s culture will be confronted along the way & you will be constantly challenged to vet new measures & respond to unexpected results while customers can have several voices. They should hear back the single vote that delivers on only the very best service & product experience.