Lately, we’ve had several clients and prospects inquire about "voice of the customer". The concept seems to be making a comeback in popularity after having its day in the mid 1990’s, thanks to some empirical studies and a popular voice of the customer book by Richard Whiteley.
One thing that seems to differentiate the types of voice of the customer programs that we’ve been discussing from their earlier incarnations is that now, the focus is on more than driving new product development or tactical innovation. We are being challenged to reconcile voice of the customer with corporate branding and positioning.
When you think about it, it makes sense to tie voice of the customer to brand definition and enablement. The right kind of voice of the customer research and project outputs can uncover unmet customer needs and the most important perceptual drivers that motivate customers. Using these and other tailored voice of the customer findings can help companies execute their brand and messaging strategies as well as prioritize marketing tactics. A voice of the customer program can even be used to identify brand opportunities and inform brand execution.
More to come…
By: Mark Shevitz, Senior Brand Strategist, Movéo Integrated Branding
