The Voice of the Customer (VOC) Program is a relatively new term that describes customers’ feedback about their experiences with a product or service. It enables companies to focus on the needs and expectations of the people who buy into their organizations, so they can make necessary improvements and deliver exceptional service.
VOC is an important tool because customer satisfaction is the leading driver of success across all industries. Nobody becomes a market leader without being great at customer service, and VOC programs allow you to connect and communicate with people during all stages of the customer journey. When you get it right, you’ll be able to offer customized products and services, increase your profits and come up with new ideas and business solutions that your clients are likely to love.
VOC programmes are best seen as ongoing conversations rather than things that you dip in and out of every so often. The key is to keep gathering information and learning, using multiple touch points which enable you to glean vital information from your customers. Surveys are a great starting point, but they only mean something if you analyze them properly and act on the results. Continuous monitoring allows you to track your progress as you go, so you can identify any patterns in behaviour and make company- wide improvements that respond to them.
The best VOC programs connect multiple data channels, deliver clear business results and promote collaboration across different teams. But what about the ones that aren’t so successful? Here are a few of the most common mistakes:
Not getting buy-in from the people at the top
The best VOC programs are those that have full commitment from CEOs and their management teams. It’s essential that customer feedback is used to change the culture of businesses, so unless the buy-in comes from the top VOC programs are pointless.
Poor design
Unfortunately, all VOC programs are not created equal. It’s pretty common for businesses to buy a new piece of customer service technology that does little more than tick a box because it doesn’t work for the specific organization. If the program has design faults it will be virtually impossible to collect the information you need, and if surveys are too long you’ll put people off from the start. User experience is key in any customer service app, so invest in the best technology you can afford and be sure the designers really understand your business.
Not Focusing on Objectives
It’s nice to initiate conversations with your customers, but be sure you know why you’re asking them these questions. The most successful and valuable VOP programs are those that link in with KPIs and business objectives so you can really do something with the information you collect.
Not acting on feedback
Like we’ve mentioned, feedback is only worth something if you’re actually going to use it. One of the most certain ways of annoying customers is to ask them questions about what they’d like to see only to totally ignore what they tell you. If you ask for people’s opinions it’s absolutely essential that you listen and can demonstrate that you’ve taken their comments on board.
For more information about VOC programs and how to achieve the highest possible standards of customer service, contact Ethos today.
