How to Build a Voice of the Customer Program in B2B: Driving Growth and Differentiation

A Voice of the Customer (VoC) programme is crucial for B2B technology and telecom companies looking to drive growth and differentiate themselves in the market. In this article, I'll dive into what a VoC program entails and walk you through the steps to build one that works for your B2B tech or telecom company.

What is a Voice of the Customer (VoC) Programme?

A Voice of the Customer programme is a set of processes, systems, and techniques that help you gather and analyse customer feedback to fully understand their needs, expectations, and experiences. In the B2B world, where relationships are complex and accounts can vary significantly in size, a well-designed VoC program is an absolute must.

Key Components of a Successful VoC Programme

1. Tying customer sentiment data to revenue: By linking experience data to financial metrics, you can prioritize resources and identify areas where you're at risk of losing valuable customers.
2. Focusing on action: Collecting data is only half the battle. Your VoC efforts should be geared towards creating a structure that enables you to act on customer feedback quickly and effectively.
3. Being supported by software: Given the complexity of B2B accounts, your VoC program needs to be backed by a software solution that can handle the intricacies of your business relationships.

6 Steps to Building a VoC Program for Your B2B Tech or Telecom Company

Step 1: Get Buy-In from Your Team

Share the benefits of VoC, demonstrate the cost of doing nothing, and win over the C-suite first. This will help you create alignment and build momentum for your initiative.

Step 2: Set SMART Goals

Establish Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound objectives that provide a clear roadmap for success. Don't wait for perfection – start small and iterate as you go.

Step 3: Run Net Promoter Score (NPS) Surveys

NPS is the most widely used and effective customer surveying tool out there. It helps you gauge overall satisfaction levels and understand why customers feel the way they do. Remember to optimize your response rate, survey multiple contacts within each organization, and run both transactional and relationship surveys.

Step 4: Close the Loop

Act on the feedback you receive and communicate your actions to customers. Do this quickly (ideally within 48 hours), involve your entire organization, and set goals to keep yourself accountable.

Step 5: Track Engagement Metrics

NPS is a great starting point, but don't overlook other ways customers express their sentiments, such as product activity, support requests, and absence of signal. These engagement metrics can provide valuable insights into what your customers aren't telling you directly.

Step 6: Use VoC Data to Drive Growth

Target upsells and cross-sales to your most satisfied customers, encourage referrals, and intervene with churn risks. By leveraging the insights from your VoC program, you can identify and seize opportunities for growth.

The Importance of Primary, Qualitative Research

As you embark on your VoC journey, remember the importance of conducting primary, qualitative research among your ideal customer profiles (ICPs). This will help you gain a deeper understanding of their needs, challenges, and preferences, which in turn will inform your VoC strategy and enable you to foster stronger connections, elevate satisfaction, and drive a customer-centric culture.

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Building a Voice of the Customer programme is a critical step for any B2B technology or telecom company looking to drive growth and differentiate themselves in the market. By following the steps outlined in this article and investing in primary, qualitative research, you can gain the insights needed to foster stronger connections with your customers, elevate satisfaction, and drive a truly customer-centric culture.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss how TechGrowth Insights can help you build a powerful VoC program, feel free to reach out. I'm always happy to chat and share more insights from our work with B2B tech and telecom leaders.