If you want to grow your business and retain customers, it is very important for you to apply all the necessary means towards making sure that you channel your modus operandi towards delivering what your customers truly need.
This is why a customer feedback (Voice of Customer) programme is essential. And if you master how to listen to what they are saying, customers will find you more appealing, and you can easily overshadow your competitors.
In this article, you will learn the most effective Voice of the Customer trends as well as the most effective ways to incorporate them into your business and get the best results. We will highlight some of the proven Voice of Customer Program Methodologies we implement when working with clients on their CX and EX strategies.
Benefits of investing in a Voc program
VoC programmes come with a lot of benefits, some of which include:
- Product and service improvement
It is normal to focus on product and service improvement, but the steps you will take towards doing this after a VoC programme are what will make all the difference.
With a properly executed VoC program, you will know what your customers truly desire. So your actions will not only be motivated by profit alone, but also by the desire to give people the exact solutions that they need.
- A good reputation for your brand
When customers feel seen and heard, they will tell people about their experience with you, and this will build your reputation better than any paid advertisement.
And since VoC will make your company focus on the needs and welfare of your customers, it will also make you practise ethical marketing. This is because you will be thinking of how to make customers happier, which is a more genuine intention than only making a profit.
Thankfully, practising ethics encourages more sales as well as a good reputation for your brand.
- It puts you on the right track
The progress you make with every new method you use to grow your business is best determined by how well your customers are taking it. By utilising proven Voice of Customer program methodologies, you will know how your customers feel about a new feature, and this will let you know if you made the right move.
If you did not, their feedback will give you more details, so you will know why they don’t like the new feature. Which will give you a wider understanding of what they need, so you can make better business decisions.
- You get to build a deep connection with customers
When you listen to what your customers are saying and also act on it, they will feel empowered as they see things getting adjusted to make them happier. This will build trust and create a bond between your customers and the brand. Which puts you steps ahead of your competitors.
Most effective Voice of Customer Program Methodologies
Now that you know the benefits of carrying out VoC, the next thing is for you to know the right way to go about it. Here are some of the most effective ways to do that:
- Use data from recorded calls
When you speak with customers, it is always good to keep records because of the important details you can pick out from the things they say. Even if they have called to complain about something, it will give you a clearer view of how they feel about your brand.
With this information, you can know their expectations, which will help you provide a better service and user experience.
- Maximise online customer surveys
With online customer surveys, you can ask questions that are tailored to help you understand specific aspects of your customers’ needs. When using this method, asking the right questions is as important as how easy it is for people to understand what you are asking.
If you use confusing language or an equivocal tone, you will not get reliable answers. Therefore, make sure you are as clear as possible.
Your customers will be happier to participate in surveys and let you know the issues they face if you attach a reward to them. So attach rewards like free delivery or coupons after a survey is completed.
- Use social media as a Voice of Customer Program Methodology
One of the best things about social media is that people will give their unfiltered opinions about any brand or person—sometimes at the risk of getting banned. So if you want the truth about your business and customer experience, social media is a perfect VoC tool.
There are two ways to go about this: you can choose to keep answering questions or just start a conversation and watch people give their different opinions.
On your special media handle, you can start an “Ask Me Anything” session. This will open your eyes to the things people don’t understand about your brand. You can also follow relevant trends and take notes on how people are reacting.
- Create a feedback platform online
Allowing your customers to give feedback should not be an optional feature for your website. It should be active 24/7 so that you can get their undiluted reactions to your product and service being delivered.
It does matter if your team is actively capturing VoC or not; if you don’t have an ever-ready feedback feature on your site, important views from your customers will go unnoticed.
- Use live chat
Your business website should have a live chat option for people who have urgent questions. But apart from meeting the immediate concerns of your website visitors, live chat can be a powerful Voice of Customer Program methodology because you can use it to collect important data.
In order to serve them better, you can ask customised questions and use the replies to adjust your customer service. After the chat, it is advisable to schedule a follow-up survey, which will give you more data to work with.
Conclusion
When you start using Voice of Customer Program Methodologies, it is important to follow it up with actions because it will increase trust and make people more willing to share their honest thoughts about your brand.
It is not advisable to start the process if you have no intention of taking action as soon as possible. So prepare your organisation and get ready to make adjustments with the voice of your customers.