The Ultimate Growth Hack? Ask Your Customers

The Ultimate Growth Hack? Ask Your Customers

by | Aug 2, 2025 | Voice of Customer & Insights

What if the secret to sustainable growth isn’t a complex algorithm or a viral marketing campaign, but something far simpler? The ultimate growth hack is already within your reach: it’s found in the insights of your existing customers. These are the people who have already voted for you with their dollars, who know your product, and who can provide the most informed and actionable feedback for your future.

But here’s the issue: many leaders think they’re already listening to them by sending out impersonal, one-time surveys. The reality is, they’re flying blind, missing the deep, rich dialogue that only a true customer partnership can provide.

The path forward is not just more data, but an intentional strategy. By establishing a customer council, a curated community of your most engaged customers, you move beyond single data points and into a continuous conversation. These individuals become more than a focus group; they become an extension of your team, providing invaluable context and helping you co-create your future product roadmap, marketing messaging, and service enhancements.

This intentional collaboration is the ultimate “why” because it elevates your customers to the role of strategic partners. It creates a dialogue that informs confident decisions and builds a powerful engine for growth, retention, and referrals. This is how brands that are Doing CX Right® operate.

I’ve seen the brilliance of this model from both sides, having led these initiatives at Fortune 100 companies and now participating in a major brand’s council, United Airlines, as a customer myself. The value is undeniable.

The following is a 5-step action plan to transition your approach from passive feedback to actively fostering a community that drives your business forward.

Step 1: Shift Your Mindset from “Data” to “Dialogue”

Stop thinking about customers as numbers on a spreadsheet. A true customer-centric approach starts by viewing your audience as a source of ongoing conversation and expertise. This dialogue is what provides the deep context behind the data, giving you the confidence to make better decisions.

Step 2: Build a Dedicated Framework for Partnership

Move beyond one-off surveys. Create an exclusive, dedicated space, an online community, a formal advisory board, or a customer council, where a select group of your most engaged customers can share their experiences. This framework provides direct insights for:

  • Product roadmaps
  • Marketing & messaging
  • Pricing strategies
  • Customer service enhancements

Step 3: Engage and Listen Actively

Building the council is just the beginning. The real work is in the dialogue. Facilitate open conversations, ask follow-up questions, and actively listen without being defensive. This is where you uncover the “why” behind the feedback and build genuine trust. Encourage members to share stories and connect with each other, turning a group of individuals into a true community.

Step 4: Connect Insights Directly to Revenue, Retention, and Referrals

The real power of a customer council is using their feedback to drive tangible business outcomes. The insights you gather should be directly tied to your core business goals. By intentionally collaborating with your customers, you’ll build products they love, create messaging that resonates, and foster a loyalty that turns them into your most powerful brand advocates. This is the fastest path to sustainable growth.

Step 5: Close the Loop and Show the Impact

This is the most critical step for the long-term health of your council. After gathering and acting on their feedback, you must report back. Show your council members how their input led to a new feature, a better policy, or a successful campaign. This transparency reinforces their value, validates their efforts, and ensures their continued, enthusiastic engagement.

Bottom line: Engage with your customers and harness the influence of Customer Councils.

A feedback strategy isn’t about data; it’s about a dialogue. As a speaker and educator who champions what Doing CX Right® truly means, I can attest to the power of this model to drive real business impact.

 

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How to Make Feedback a Gift, Not A Curse, in the AI Era

How to Make Feedback a Gift, Not A Curse, in the AI Era

by | May 31, 2024 | Leadership & Personal Growth

Have you ever received feedback that left you feeling deflated, misunderstood, or resentful?

Or perhaps you’ve delivered criticism that inadvertently damaged a relationship or stifled innovation?

In a business landscape increasingly shaped by AI and automation, genuine human connection is rare. How we deliver feedback is more critical than ever, as it can either amplify our humanity or diminish it.

One of my guiding lights, personally and professionally, has been Don Miguel Ruiz’s “The Four Agreements.” It’s a book filled with profound wisdom. The agreement that resonates most deeply with me, especially regarding feedback, is “Be Impeccable With Your Words.” Ruiz reminds us that our words hold immense power – they can uplift, heal, or they can wound and destroy. And I would add, it’s not just the words themselves, but the delivery that makes all the difference.

Let’s disucss how this ancient wisdom can revolutionize your approach to feedback, both as a giver and receiver:

The Power of Impeccable Words: Lessons from “The Four Agreements”

In the book, Ruiz urges us to use language that is truthful, empowering, and aligned with our highest intentions. When it comes to feedback, this means:

  • Speaking with integrity: Avoid gossip, assumptions, and exaggerations. Base your feedback on observable facts and direct experience.
  • Avoiding harmful language: Refrain from using words that demean, belittle, or attack the person’s character. Focus on the behavior or outcome, not the individual.
  • Choosing words that uplift and inspire: Frame your feedback in a way that motivates and encourages growth rather than discourages or shuts down.
  • Taking responsibility for your words: Own your perspective, acknowledge your emotions, and avoid blaming or accusing.

Actionable Tips for Leaders: Applying “Be Impeccable With Your Words”

  • Cultivate self-awareness: Before offering feedback, check your own motives. Are you speaking from a place of genuine concern, or are you reacting out of frustration or personal bias?
  • Practice active listening: Give your full attention to the person you’re communicating with. Hear not only their words but also their underlying emotions and needs.
  • Choose your words carefully: Tailor your language to the individual and the situation. Consider the impact your words will have on their confidence and motivation.
  • Lead by example: Model the kind of communication you want to see in your organization. Encourage open, honest, and respectful dialogue at all levels.
  • Create a safe space for feedback: Foster a culture where employees feel comfortable giving and receiving feedback without fear of judgment or retribution.

Feedback in an AI-Driven World: The Human Advantage

As AI continues to transform the workplace, the human element of feedback becomes even more invaluable. While AI can provide data-driven insights and automate certain processes, it cannot replicate the nuance, empathy, and emotional intelligence humans bring.

By embracing the principles of “Be Impeccable With Your Words,” business leaders can leverage this human advantage to:

  • Build stronger relationships: Foster trust, loyalty, and collaboration among team members.
  • Enhance performance: Encourage continuous learning and development through constructive feedback.
  • Drive innovation: Create a culture where new ideas are welcomed and nurtured, even if they come with a dose of healthy criticism.
  • Differentiate your brand: Deliver a customer experience that is authentic, personalized, and rooted in genuine emotional engagement.  

In Conclusion

In the age of AI, where algorithms and automation are reshaping how we work and interact, the power of human connection is not diminished—it’s amplified. By being impeccable with words, we can elevate our organizations, inspire our teams, and create a future where technology and humanity work harmoniously.

The question is: What will you choose? Will your words empower and inspire, fostering growth, collaboration, and innovation, or will they discourage and deflate, creating barriers to progress and undermining trust?

The answer may determine not only your success but the lasting impact you leave on your business, your team, and the world.

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CX Leadership Lessons From “The Four Agreements”

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How To Leverage “Smiles & Frowns” To Improve Customer Experiences

How To Leverage “Smiles & Frowns” To Improve Customer Experiences

by | Nov 13, 2019 | Voice of Customer & Insights

You’ve probably seen signs in restaurants, hotels, and other locations requesting customers for feedback about their experiences. It is common practice more than ever before, even in unusual places like public bathrooms. Focusing on customer experience (CX) and capturing the Voice of Customers (VOC) feedback is smart business. Yet if the execution is not done right, it is wasted effort.

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