 | Engaging the Enterprise By Patrick Gibbons Pat Gibbons, Senior Vice President of Marketing, will focus on communication tactics, marketing efforts and areas aimed at getting people jazzed about loyalty initiatives in their company. |
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I heard the saying once that many of the great things in this world were accomplished by aspiration or desperation.
That phrase has always stuck with me.
To me, desperation translates to requirements, deadlines and things that put your job on the line. While this pushes many people to do great things, it is typically not a very pleasant process. Aspiration on the other hand is the stuff of dreams and vision and ambition. It is often an exhilarating process because you are creating something that is uniquely yours - something better.
Too often, our lives are so busy that we operate primarily in "desperate" mode. It is true of leaders in business. If you think about it, it is actually easier to run an organization from your perspective rather than the customer's perspective. No worries about customer loyalty or retaining customers, just hit deadlines and make decisions that seem to be the most financially sound.
But you won't get very far. Listening to our customers will make decisions better. Using customer insights across the business will make each department better. A customer centric organization is more successful and better positioned for long-term success.
Customer advocates and strategists can help their organizations step outside the desperate fast pace of business to understand the customer's perspective. They can make sure colleagues receive and use the voice of the customer to make help them make better decisions.
In today's fast paced environment it takes more than leadership and hard work to be a customer centric company. It takes a little aspiration.
That phrase has always stuck with me.
To me, desperation translates to requirements, deadlines and things that put your job on the line. While this pushes many people to do great things, it is typically not a very pleasant process. Aspiration on the other hand is the stuff of dreams and vision and ambition. It is often an exhilarating process because you are creating something that is uniquely yours - something better.
Too often, our lives are so busy that we operate primarily in "desperate" mode. It is true of leaders in business. If you think about it, it is actually easier to run an organization from your perspective rather than the customer's perspective. No worries about customer loyalty or retaining customers, just hit deadlines and make decisions that seem to be the most financially sound.
But you won't get very far. Listening to our customers will make decisions better. Using customer insights across the business will make each department better. A customer centric organization is more successful and better positioned for long-term success.
Customer advocates and strategists can help their organizations step outside the desperate fast pace of business to understand the customer's perspective. They can make sure colleagues receive and use the voice of the customer to make help them make better decisions.
In today's fast paced environment it takes more than leadership and hard work to be a customer centric company. It takes a little aspiration.
Sometimes we are lulled into believing that things are just made a certain way and can't really be changed.
Are you good at art? Most people will say "no." In fact they may say they are awful, or don't have an artistic bone in their body. In other words, they believe that artistic talent is something you are born with -- you either have it or you don't.
It's not true. While some have a natural inclination for such skills, artistic talent can be developed. There is a classic drawing book titled Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. The author Betty Edwards shares loads of examples of ordinary people that learned to draw using her methods.
Sometimes I believe we feel the same way about our companies being customer focused. There is a tone or a feeling that is often hard to describe. Sometimes we call it culture or customer centricity or say it is part of their DNA (a term I'm not fond of -- see previous blog). Using these terms make it feel like you either have it or you don't.
In reality, I think it is an integral system of tactics that really bring focus on the customer. Leadership sets the tone. But after that it's the nuts and bolts. It's how companies gather customer insights and put them to use. It's how they communicate the importance of customer initiatives and engage the enterprise. Its how they make sure the right people have the right information to make customer focused decisions and take action.
Just like the artist that practices, develops their skill, and consistently improves over time, companies need to do all the little things that drive customer focus in their business. The best news -- the results will prove all their efforts to be worthwhile.
Are you good at art? Most people will say "no." In fact they may say they are awful, or don't have an artistic bone in their body. In other words, they believe that artistic talent is something you are born with -- you either have it or you don't.
It's not true. While some have a natural inclination for such skills, artistic talent can be developed. There is a classic drawing book titled Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. The author Betty Edwards shares loads of examples of ordinary people that learned to draw using her methods.
Sometimes I believe we feel the same way about our companies being customer focused. There is a tone or a feeling that is often hard to describe. Sometimes we call it culture or customer centricity or say it is part of their DNA (a term I'm not fond of -- see previous blog). Using these terms make it feel like you either have it or you don't.
In reality, I think it is an integral system of tactics that really bring focus on the customer. Leadership sets the tone. But after that it's the nuts and bolts. It's how companies gather customer insights and put them to use. It's how they communicate the importance of customer initiatives and engage the enterprise. Its how they make sure the right people have the right information to make customer focused decisions and take action.
Just like the artist that practices, develops their skill, and consistently improves over time, companies need to do all the little things that drive customer focus in their business. The best news -- the results will prove all their efforts to be worthwhile.
I have a boomerang on the wall in my office. It reminds me of the importance of creating awareness for voice of the customer programs.
I suppose that deserves an explanation. There is a story behind the boomerang.
The first step to engaging the users of customer information is for them to be aware (see the hierarchy of engagement). They have to know that your customer listening program exists. With this in mind, customer advocates and strategists often put their marketing hat on and ask themselves, "how can I get the word out?" We have worked with companies to develop communications plans which include clever names for their programs, videos, signs, micro-sites, contests, and more -- all aimed at generating interest and support for their program.
So what's with the boomerang?
I've always thought a boomerang is great symbol for customer feedback. You toss it (like asking customers for feedback) and it comes back to you (they respond). Sometimes it lands gently in your hands and sometimes it may conk you on the head. With this in mind I've always thought it would be clever to give away boomerangs to promote a customer listening program. Every time we brainstorm ideas for ways to promote such programs, I suggest the boomerang idea. I have even priced them -- you can get boomerangs for $9.25 per dozen! The polite nods and comments suggest that most are thinking, "I wish he would give up on the silly boomerang idea."
However, one of my proudest moments came last year around the holidays when several of my colleagues gave me a gift wrapped box. Inside I found a boomerang. A thoughtful gift that now hangs on my wall.
So if you are looking for ways to promote your customer listening program, I've got a great idea for you!
I suppose that deserves an explanation. There is a story behind the boomerang.
The first step to engaging the users of customer information is for them to be aware (see the hierarchy of engagement). They have to know that your customer listening program exists. With this in mind, customer advocates and strategists often put their marketing hat on and ask themselves, "how can I get the word out?" We have worked with companies to develop communications plans which include clever names for their programs, videos, signs, micro-sites, contests, and more -- all aimed at generating interest and support for their program.
So what's with the boomerang?
I've always thought a boomerang is great symbol for customer feedback. You toss it (like asking customers for feedback) and it comes back to you (they respond). Sometimes it lands gently in your hands and sometimes it may conk you on the head. With this in mind I've always thought it would be clever to give away boomerangs to promote a customer listening program. Every time we brainstorm ideas for ways to promote such programs, I suggest the boomerang idea. I have even priced them -- you can get boomerangs for $9.25 per dozen! The polite nods and comments suggest that most are thinking, "I wish he would give up on the silly boomerang idea."
However, one of my proudest moments came last year around the holidays when several of my colleagues gave me a gift wrapped box. Inside I found a boomerang. A thoughtful gift that now hangs on my wall.
So if you are looking for ways to promote your customer listening program, I've got a great idea for you!
I don't believe anyone has the definitive answer on how social media is changing the way we listen to customers, but it's clear that more tools are quickly emerging. In preparation for a presentation at our recent Walker Fall Forum, I began to consider a way to sort out the various uses, applications, and pros and cons of these tools. Without a place to start, what is one to do? Easy -- do what any wise consultant would do. Draw a two-by-two chart!
That's what I did. And I invited colleagues Leslie Pagel and Jeff Wiggington to collaborate with me.
After some deliberation, here is what we developed as a starting point. A brief description is below.
Content. Traditional methods (surveys, verbatim comments, customer advocacy boards, and online customer panels) are included along with emerging social media tools (private communities, public communities, social networks, blogs and micro blogs).
Control. Plotted on the horizontal axis is the degree of control customer strategists have over the feedback they receive. For instance, surveys provide a lot of control because you're the one asking all the questions. In contrast, you hand over virtually all control in the feedback you receive from micro blogs.
Influence. The vertical axis shows the degree of influence customer insights would typically carry from each source. Customer advisory boards and surveys tend to carry a lot of weight while many are skeptical of customer insights delivered through micro blogs.
Engagement. The size of each circle represents the level of engagement of each tool. For instance, customer surveys aren't terribly engaging - you ask questions and you get responses. However, communities and social networks are very engaging and can produce different types of customer insights.
The Goal. The goal for customer strategists is to get the most out of each tool so that it rises in the level of influence it carries. There are strengths and shortcomings to each, so we should look for ways to use each tool in ways that produce the richest, most relevant insights to drive your business.
What do you think?
Are the characteristics relevant for customer listening programs? Are the right tools listed for developing a customer relationship strategy? What is missing?
Comments encouraged!
That's what I did. And I invited colleagues Leslie Pagel and Jeff Wiggington to collaborate with me.
After some deliberation, here is what we developed as a starting point. A brief description is below.
Content. Traditional methods (surveys, verbatim comments, customer advocacy boards, and online customer panels) are included along with emerging social media tools (private communities, public communities, social networks, blogs and micro blogs).
Control. Plotted on the horizontal axis is the degree of control customer strategists have over the feedback they receive. For instance, surveys provide a lot of control because you're the one asking all the questions. In contrast, you hand over virtually all control in the feedback you receive from micro blogs.
Influence. The vertical axis shows the degree of influence customer insights would typically carry from each source. Customer advisory boards and surveys tend to carry a lot of weight while many are skeptical of customer insights delivered through micro blogs.
Engagement. The size of each circle represents the level of engagement of each tool. For instance, customer surveys aren't terribly engaging - you ask questions and you get responses. However, communities and social networks are very engaging and can produce different types of customer insights.
The Goal. The goal for customer strategists is to get the most out of each tool so that it rises in the level of influence it carries. There are strengths and shortcomings to each, so we should look for ways to use each tool in ways that produce the richest, most relevant insights to drive your business.
What do you think?
Are the characteristics relevant for customer listening programs? Are the right tools listed for developing a customer relationship strategy? What is missing?
Comments encouraged!
Do you ever wonder if you are even on someone's radar? Like, do they even know you exist?
While that may bring memories from your lovestruck teenage years, I'm actually talking about our roles in the business world. Specifically, I'm thinking about customer advocates and customer strategists that have an important role of delivering customer information and doing everything they can to make sure that information gets put to use.
If you are not on the radar of the people that are supposed to use all those good customer insights, you're sunk.
Unfortunately, there are plenty of distractions that compete for your spot on the radar, so what can you do? Here are a few quick thoughts:
First, the information you provide must be RELEVANT. If it means something to the user, you will get noticed.
Next, REPETITION matters. It helps to stay in front of your users as a constant reminder that their day-to-day decisions should be customer focused.
Build a strong REPUTATION for your voice of the customer program. If they see it as an important company initiative, they won't pass you by.
Finally, REACH your users in convenient places. Everyone uses email, which may be a good reason to try another vehicle. We currently work with a number of companies where we deliver customer information directly into Salesforce.com, via an iPhone application, through convenient SmartSummary reports and many other ways.
I believe most people want to weave customer insights into the decisions they make every day. However, because our colleagues are busy and overloaded, it is really important to make it easy. And it starts with just being on their radar.
While that may bring memories from your lovestruck teenage years, I'm actually talking about our roles in the business world. Specifically, I'm thinking about customer advocates and customer strategists that have an important role of delivering customer information and doing everything they can to make sure that information gets put to use.
If you are not on the radar of the people that are supposed to use all those good customer insights, you're sunk.
Unfortunately, there are plenty of distractions that compete for your spot on the radar, so what can you do? Here are a few quick thoughts:
First, the information you provide must be RELEVANT. If it means something to the user, you will get noticed.
Next, REPETITION matters. It helps to stay in front of your users as a constant reminder that their day-to-day decisions should be customer focused.
Build a strong REPUTATION for your voice of the customer program. If they see it as an important company initiative, they won't pass you by.
Finally, REACH your users in convenient places. Everyone uses email, which may be a good reason to try another vehicle. We currently work with a number of companies where we deliver customer information directly into Salesforce.com, via an iPhone application, through convenient SmartSummary reports and many other ways.
I believe most people want to weave customer insights into the decisions they make every day. However, because our colleagues are busy and overloaded, it is really important to make it easy. And it starts with just being on their radar.
At our recent Fall Forum for Walker clients, my friend and colleague Jennifer Batley presented a terrific model that provides a logical explanation of how educating your account teams leads to business impact.
She shared a graphic which I have scribbled here. The progression goes like this:
Education of account teams...
...leads to buy-in for your voice of the customer program, which helps...
...get better inputs from account managers for gathering customer insights, which leads to...
...more robust results fostering a stronger belief in the information, which produces...
...more action and use of customer information, which increases...
...results, or business impact.
Why is this so important? Because too often, customer advocates and strategists provide lots of great customer feedback, insights, and information that never gets used. Everyone, particularly account managers, is overloaded with information. They are not looking for more. So if you are responsible for putting customer feedback to use, you need to not only provide the information, you have to constantly educate as to how to put the information to use in a way that helps them and helps the company.
Education can be one of your most powerful tools to engage your enterprise. When your most customer-facing employees believe in the information, or actually rely on customer insights you will see more action and better results -- guaranteed!
She shared a graphic which I have scribbled here. The progression goes like this:
Education of account teams...
...leads to buy-in for your voice of the customer program, which helps...
...get better inputs from account managers for gathering customer insights, which leads to...
...more robust results fostering a stronger belief in the information, which produces...
...more action and use of customer information, which increases...
...results, or business impact.
Why is this so important? Because too often, customer advocates and strategists provide lots of great customer feedback, insights, and information that never gets used. Everyone, particularly account managers, is overloaded with information. They are not looking for more. So if you are responsible for putting customer feedback to use, you need to not only provide the information, you have to constantly educate as to how to put the information to use in a way that helps them and helps the company.
Education can be one of your most powerful tools to engage your enterprise. When your most customer-facing employees believe in the information, or actually rely on customer insights you will see more action and better results -- guaranteed!
"It's in their DNA!" That is a common response when someone asks, "What makes that company so customer focused?"
There are other common responses such as, "it's embedded in their culture" or "it's woven into the fabric of their business." All these are actually pretty good metaphors as they help explain something that is inexplicably hard to grasp. However, it doesn't really explain the true ingredients that make a company customer focused. After all, you can't go out and purchase company DNA or specially woven company fabric. It's not even available online!After quizzing a group of experts (my colleagues - who really are experts at this), I've landed on these three:
- Leadership - Starting at the top, the company believes in being customer focused. Executives and managers regularly access customer information and insights for making decisions.
- Infrastructure - There is a discipline and a system for gathering, analyzing and distributing customer insights. The right person gets the right information at the right time to make better decisions.
- Action - Customer focused companies have a bias for action. They apply the voice of the customer to strengthen relationships, make product improvements, change service procedures, and much more.
The real difference between a customer focused company and an ordinary company is financial performance. There is plenty of proof of that. So next time someone says, "it's in their DNA," go deeper and make it more practical.
If you lead a customer listening program and you're aiming to get people engaged, you are probably wrapped up in the finer details. Things like delivering customer reports, training employees, organizing your customer advocacy team, and interpreting customer insights. All of these are really important to driving action and building a customer centric culture.
However, here's one of the most basic ways to get people engaged and keep them engaged:
Say "Thanks!"
I recently held a meeting with a small team that I lead. It was our first meeting so I really wanted to get things off on the right foot and encourage involvement and active participation. I was relatively prepared and upbeat. It was a good meeting. There was an active exchange of ideas and I felt the team was engaged. Later, after the meeting, I reflected on our conversations and really appreciated their active involvement. Then it hit me -- I never thanked them! I could have simply ended the meeting by saying, "hey I really appreciate everyone showing up taking part - it means a lot - thanks." Instead, I blew it.
I did end up sending an email to the team as an afterthought. But the lesson stuck with me -- try to start and end every meeting by thanking people. Simple and sincere, it can go a long way.
This lesson extends beyond customer loyalty and customer listening programs. It applies to virtually every meeting inside and outside of the office. Just say "thanks!"
Video is a great way to engage with customers. A few weeks ago I posted a blog touting the benefits of using video to invite customers to participate in a survey. In today's blog I'll share thoughts on using video to follow up after you have gathered their feedback.
What is it: Rather than sending an email (or nothing at all!) some customer focused companies are sending a video from a senior executive to thank survey participants for sharing customer insights and to let them know their voice has been heard.
Key content: There are four key components - (1) thank them up front, explaining how important it is to receive customer insights, (2) mention a few of the good things that customers had to say about the company, (3) touch on some of the negative feedback that was received and what is being done about it, and (4) thank them again. Don't forget to mention that you will seek their input again in the future.
Benefits to customers: They see that their insights are being put to use. That should enhance your customer loyalty and improve the chances of getting more feedback in the future.
Benefits to employees: Your colleagues hear from a senior executive that important customer initiatives are being put in place. Engaged employees will hopefully respond with customer focused decisions and actions.
The video below is a quick attempt to provide an example. See what you think.
Again, used effectively, video is a great way to get your message across in a very personal genuine manner.
The customer follow up video
What is it: Rather than sending an email (or nothing at all!) some customer focused companies are sending a video from a senior executive to thank survey participants for sharing customer insights and to let them know their voice has been heard.
Key content: There are four key components - (1) thank them up front, explaining how important it is to receive customer insights, (2) mention a few of the good things that customers had to say about the company, (3) touch on some of the negative feedback that was received and what is being done about it, and (4) thank them again. Don't forget to mention that you will seek their input again in the future.
Benefits to customers: They see that their insights are being put to use. That should enhance your customer loyalty and improve the chances of getting more feedback in the future.
Benefits to employees: Your colleagues hear from a senior executive that important customer initiatives are being put in place. Engaged employees will hopefully respond with customer focused decisions and actions.
The video below is a quick attempt to provide an example. See what you think.
Again, used effectively, video is a great way to get your message across in a very personal genuine manner.
Action is the often elusive, prized component to any voice of the customer program. And, one of the keys to action is training. It makes sense -- you have great customer insights, but nobody is going to apply them to the business unless you show them how.
Training is particularly useful with your customer facing employees. But beware the following scenario:
You assemble all your account managers and develop a great training session. They get it. The light bulb turns on! They understand the benefits of being customer focused and realize customer loyalty can drive business performance. You review the reports they will receive and they love them. By the end of the session they all recognize they can make better decisions and can improve the way they manage customer relationships.
(okay, this sounds too easy, but just play along for now)
The energy is high and you feel as though you have really broken through - your plan is working. Your training session is done and you chalk it up as a success!
Not so fast.
Reality will quickly set in. You will find that by the time they get back to their office, they are buried in other details. You'll find that not everyone was able to attend. There will be turnover and new people will need to be trained. In other words, to really make your training session successful, you better start a list of all the ways to follow up. It's true of any training -- You can't expect people to change their habits without constant reinforcement and repetition. At some point, with luck and hard work, it can become routine.
So, if you conduct trainings for your customer listening program, start your list and recognize that the real work starts after you have finished your session.
Keeping people involved in customer-focused activities is a lot harder than getting people involved. I mentioned this in a previous blog where I discussed the toughest internal challenges that customer advocates face.
I decided to dig into this further. To do so I went outside of the business world and looked at non-profit organizations. Millions of people volunteer for organizations. Why do they do it? There’s no money. It's a lot of work. Why do they stick with it? To answer these questions I first asked why they got involved in the first place. Here where the common responses:
Not too surprising. They’re all good reasons for getting involved. Then I asked why they have stayed involved (remember this is the bigger challenge for customer listening programs). Here’s what they said:
You can even tell from their language there’s a little more passion in these quotes. For me there are two lessons to take from this:
First – make sure it is important, productive work. People like being involved in things that make a difference.
Second – make sure they get something out it. It may be new skills or personal satisfaction, but make sure something is in it for them.
I think these are excellent lessons that can be applied to customer listening programs. When customer advocates and customer strategists are getting people involved in their customer loyalty or voice of the customer programs, it can make a huge difference if those people find their work to be important and satisfying. And if they are engaged, your entire program will be much more successful.
I decided to dig into this further. To do so I went outside of the business world and looked at non-profit organizations. Millions of people volunteer for organizations. Why do they do it? There’s no money. It's a lot of work. Why do they stick with it? To answer these questions I first asked why they got involved in the first place. Here where the common responses:
“It was a good cause.”
“Somebody asked me.”
“I sought it out.”
“It seemed like something I would enjoy.”
“I like helping people.”
“Somebody asked me.”
“I sought it out.”
“It seemed like something I would enjoy.”
“I like helping people.”
Not too surprising. They’re all good reasons for getting involved. Then I asked why they have stayed involved (remember this is the bigger challenge for customer listening programs). Here’s what they said:
“I love seeing results.”
“I feel like I’m making a difference.”
“I like the look on the faces of people I’m helping.”
“The opportunity to develop some new skills.”
“Personal satisfaction.”
“I like to see these things come to life.”
“I feel like I’m making a difference.”
“I like the look on the faces of people I’m helping.”
“The opportunity to develop some new skills.”
“Personal satisfaction.”
“I like to see these things come to life.”
You can even tell from their language there’s a little more passion in these quotes. For me there are two lessons to take from this:
First – make sure it is important, productive work. People like being involved in things that make a difference.
Second – make sure they get something out it. It may be new skills or personal satisfaction, but make sure something is in it for them.
I think these are excellent lessons that can be applied to customer listening programs. When customer advocates and customer strategists are getting people involved in their customer loyalty or voice of the customer programs, it can make a huge difference if those people find their work to be important and satisfying. And if they are engaged, your entire program will be much more successful.
We work with several customer centric companies that use video in very effective ways. In this blog I'll focus on the "invitation" video or the "please provide your insights" video.
The customer invitation video
What is it: Rather than sending a standard email inviting customers to take a survey, some customer focused companies are sending a video for a more personal and thoughtful invitation to gather their insights.
Key content: The main thing you want is for them to click on the link and provide thoughtful feedback. The way you'll get it is by setting accurate expectations (how long, etc.), explaining why you want their insights, and sharing how you will put them to use. Short, sweet, and personal.
Benefits to customers: This can be a noteworthy touch point which enhances your brand. It is one of those personal touches that reflects positively on you.
Benefits to employees: Often overlooked, this is a great way to engage your employees. When they see a video from a senior executive issued to customers, they take notice. It sends and important message to them that feedback from customers is priority and will be actively put to use.
The video below is a quick attempt to provide an example. See what you think.
In a future blog I'll share how companies are also using video to follow up after customer insights are collected.
The customer invitation video
What is it: Rather than sending a standard email inviting customers to take a survey, some customer focused companies are sending a video for a more personal and thoughtful invitation to gather their insights.
Key content: The main thing you want is for them to click on the link and provide thoughtful feedback. The way you'll get it is by setting accurate expectations (how long, etc.), explaining why you want their insights, and sharing how you will put them to use. Short, sweet, and personal.
Benefits to customers: This can be a noteworthy touch point which enhances your brand. It is one of those personal touches that reflects positively on you.
Benefits to employees: Often overlooked, this is a great way to engage your employees. When they see a video from a senior executive issued to customers, they take notice. It sends and important message to them that feedback from customers is priority and will be actively put to use.
The video below is a quick attempt to provide an example. See what you think.
In a future blog I'll share how companies are also using video to follow up after customer insights are collected.
If you lead a customer-listening program, one of the essentials for your success is getting people on-board. Whether it is the team working on the program or the users of the customer information you provide, you need get them engaged and keep them engaged so they will take action on the voice of the customer.
My question is – are they on-board or just bored?
Now turn the tables back around. You’re the one trying to get people engaged. You have to make it relevant, important and compelling. Referencing one of my earlier blogs, there are four stages to a getting people engaged in customer strategies – awareness, then understanding, then belief, then action. It’s at these middle two stages – understanding and belief, where people make the decision to jump in. Here it’s your job as a customer advocate or customer strategist to make sure they understand the program and its objectives. Further, you have to inspire a level of conviction so they truly believe in it enough to take action.
For customer advocates to truly be successful in implementing their customer listening programs and building customer loyalty, they must get people on-board and prevent boredom.
My question is – are they on-board or just bored?
For a moment, put yourself in their shoes. Let’s say you have been asked to join a team or attend a training session. If you’re like most of us, you participate with a certain degree of skepticism. You may think to yourself, “Is this really worth my time?” Or, “Is this really a priority for me?” It’s normal. We all have lots to do; so at some level you decide how engaged you will be. You’ll either determine it is valuable and important, and you jump in, or you’re just going to play along, bide your time, and do the minimum you have to do to get by.
For customer advocates to truly be successful in implementing their customer listening programs and building customer loyalty, they must get people on-board and prevent boredom.
Customer advocates are constantly confronted with the challenge of getting people engaged in their company's voice of the customer program, right? Sure! But at one of our recent forums I found that this may be the least of their issues.
Here's what we did. With about 40 customer advocates present we used an electronic voting tool and asked them about their toughest challenge related to engaging their people. The big winner -- keeping people engaged! See the results below, straight from my notebook.
When you think about it, I suppose it makes sense. There are lots of people who will agree to help out, listen to your pitch, or even serve on a task force. Getting them there is easy part. Keeping their interest and getting them to place customer initiatives as a priority – that’s the bigger challenge.
That's one of the reasons is can be so difficult to lead voice of the customer programs. You have to be part strategist, part recruiter, part pitchman, and part organizer. You have to convey the importance of your program and keep working to keep everyone focused on the details of improving customer loyalty to achieve better business results.
Here's what we did. With about 40 customer advocates present we used an electronic voting tool and asked them about their toughest challenge related to engaging their people. The big winner -- keeping people engaged! See the results below, straight from my notebook.
When you think about it, I suppose it makes sense. There are lots of people who will agree to help out, listen to your pitch, or even serve on a task force. Getting them there is easy part. Keeping their interest and getting them to place customer initiatives as a priority – that’s the bigger challenge.
That's one of the reasons is can be so difficult to lead voice of the customer programs. You have to be part strategist, part recruiter, part pitchman, and part organizer. You have to convey the importance of your program and keep working to keep everyone focused on the details of improving customer loyalty to achieve better business results.
Is anybody listening? That might be a common question as a customer advocate or customer strategist delivers a presentation on the latest voice of the customer information.
After all, they typically deliver lots of presentations, going from department to department, providing relevant customer insights to help improve the business. While they are active presenters, it doesn't guarantee that their audience always listens. And it definitely doesn't guarantee that they will do anything with the information they deliver.
I recently read an interesting blog about how storytelling helped a CIO and it reminded me how storytelling can be really effective for customer advocates. After all, you can always find stories about customers, and it really compliments all the facts and figures that typically dominate such presentations.
Consider this simple framework for weaving in a story:
Need more? Click here for a great list of storytelling tips.
After all, they typically deliver lots of presentations, going from department to department, providing relevant customer insights to help improve the business. While they are active presenters, it doesn't guarantee that their audience always listens. And it definitely doesn't guarantee that they will do anything with the information they deliver.
I recently read an interesting blog about how storytelling helped a CIO and it reminded me how storytelling can be really effective for customer advocates. After all, you can always find stories about customers, and it really compliments all the facts and figures that typically dominate such presentations.
Consider this simple framework for weaving in a story:
- Start with a story - share a personal experience or a customer experience.
- Connect it - explain how it is relevant to one of your key points.
- Back it up - use other customer insights and data to reinforce your point.
- Call to action - now explain what people should do with this information.
Need more? Click here for a great list of storytelling tips.
Picture two people talking in the hallway at your company. One says to the other, "I heard that the customer listening team is coming out with new stuff." If this conversation were held in your organization, how would the other person respond?
The answer could be quite revealing. They might answer, "I wonder what customer insights they'll reveal -- I need that information to do my job." Or, they might respond, "What customer team - who are they?" Or even something like, "Ugh - another survey report that will just get filed away with no action."
How would they respond in your company? The answer tells you how your program is viewed. And how your program is viewed directly relates to how customer information will be put to use by your employees.
So, what do you think? Would colleagues say your program is a trivial, tactical, administrative program or an important strategic initiative? Is it a survey program focused on simply satisfying customers or does it deliver key customer insights that drive business results.
Building the reputation of your program is a critical element to your program's success. Employees that believe in your program will stay engaged and will display customer-focused behaviors that generate results.
What's the biggest initiative going on in your company right now?
If you are like most businesses there is no shortage of initiatives - cost cutting, quality, green initiatives and so on. It begs the question -- where do your customer listening initiatives fit?
I picked up my dusty old copy of the book, Positioning. It is a marketing classic first published back in the 1980s that touts the importance of how companies and products are positioned to succeed. This paragraph jumped out at me:
“Like a memory bank of a computer, the mind has a slot or position for each bit of information it has chosen to retain. In operation, the mind is a lot like a computer. But there is one important difference. A computer has to accept what you put into it. The mind does not. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. The mind rejects new information that doesn’t ‘compute.’ It accepts only that new information which matches its current state of mind.”
So where do your customer centric initiatives fit? Is there a suitable "slot" that assures your employees are engaged in these programs? And how does it stack up against all the other initiatives going on in your company?
Unfortunately, it's not enough just to manage a good customer listening program. For the company to really be customer focused it must be positioned in a manner that it captures its fair portion of your organization's mindshare.
I wonder how often customer strategists do all the tough work gathering customer feedback and meticulously analyzing the information, only to find that insights from their customers were never really put to use. It's a tough challenge for anyone involved in their customer listening program.
I recently stumbled on a great video clip that captured this concept. You've all seen it and I used it in a recent presentation.
Remember the final scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark? After Indiana Jones risked life and limb as he relentlessly searched, found, transported, lost, and finally delivered the lost ark to his country, what happened? It was packed up under lock and key and rolled into an enormous warehouse never to be seen again. As we watched the video, my co-presenter Michael Good quipped, "picture that as all the customer insights from your listening program being packed away." Disheartening, huh?
It is a reminder that listening to customers isn't enough. As customer strategists and business leaders we must make sure we engage our fellow employees to make sure customer insights are put to use building relationships and improving our businesses.
Most customer advocates deliver some sort of customized reports to their stakeholders. For instance, account managers might get reports on the feedback from their clients. Product mangers may receive information on improvements and new products. Tech support may get scorecards on how their customers view their performance.
What do you think their reaction is to your reports?
Don't you wonder what it would be like to be a fly on the wall when they receive a report that you have sent? Consider this range of possible reactions:
Make sure they are aware. Get the word out. promote your customer listening program. Nobody should be saying, "what's this?"
Help them understand. Training should help them know how the information was gathered, what it all means, and what they are supposed to do with it.
Help them believe. Recruit their support so they really believe this information can help them succeed and help the company improve performance.
Awareness, understanding, belief... it adds up to action and results for your customer listening program.
What do you think their reaction is to your reports?
Don't you wonder what it would be like to be a fly on the wall when they receive a report that you have sent? Consider this range of possible reactions:
- Ignorance - "What's this? It looks like some sort of survey data or something. What am I supposed to do with this?"
- Annoyed - "Not another meaningless report! I wish they would stop sending me these - I get too many useless reports!"
- Overwhelmed - "What is all this data! What does it all mean? Where do I start? What am I supposed to do with this?"
- Interested - "Hey, here's another customer report. It's always interesting to hear what customers are saying, but I'm never quite sure what to do next."
- Anxious - "My latest voice of the customer report is here. Let's see what they're saying. I always find something that pays off - a problem to address or an opportunity to pursue."
Make sure they are aware. Get the word out. promote your customer listening program. Nobody should be saying, "what's this?"
Help them understand. Training should help them know how the information was gathered, what it all means, and what they are supposed to do with it.
Help them believe. Recruit their support so they really believe this information can help them succeed and help the company improve performance.
Awareness, understanding, belief... it adds up to action and results for your customer listening program.
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