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.

 

Need help to build your customer council and get useful feedback for business growth?

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The Secret to Keeping Customers Coming Back: How to Master the Voice of Customer

The Secret to Keeping Customers Coming Back: How to Master the Voice of Customer

by | Feb 20, 2025 | Retention & Loyalty, Voice of Customer & Insights

Let’s Talk About Why Customers Leave

You’re doing everything right—your product is great, your team is working hard, and yet, customers are still leaving. It feels personal, doesn’t it? Like no matter how much effort you put in, something is missing.

Here’s the deal: customers don’t just leave because of price or competition. They leave because they don’t feel valued. They don’t feel heard. And that’s where the Voice of Customer (VoC) comes in—not as another business buzzword, but as the missing piece in how you build real relationships with the people who keep your business alive.

The Real Meaning of Listening

Most companies think they’re listening. They send out surveys, they track reviews, they have customer service reps logging complaints. But let’s be honest—does any of that actually feel personal? Does it make your customer feel like they’re in a relationship with your brand?

Real listening means:

  • Understanding what customers actually need—not just collecting generic feedback.
  • Taking action on what they tell you so it leads to real change.
  • Proving you care by following up and showing them their voice matters.

When customers see that you’re listening and responding, their trust in your brand grows. And trust is what keeps them from leaving for your competition.

Getting Leadership to Buy In: Show the Money

Let’s be honest—getting executives to invest in customer experience is tough. Why? Because “better customer experience” sounds nice, but it doesn’t scream profit to them.

If you want leadership to take VoC seriously, you need to connect it to numbers that move the needle:

  • Customer Lifetime Value (CLV): Show how listening keeps customers longer and makes them more valuable over time.
  • Churn Rates: Prove that understanding why customers leave can help prevent it.
  • Referrals & Repeat Business: Demonstrate how happy customers bring in more revenue.

Executives don’t invest in customer sentiment. They invest in business growth. Make the connection clear, and they’ll pay attention.

Listening Beyond the Survey

Surveys aren’t enough anymore. Customers are over them. If you want real insights, you need to go deeper:

  • Have real conversations. Pick up the phone, schedule video calls, and ask open-ended questions.
  • Watch what they do. Analyze behavior patterns, support tickets, and product interactions.
  • Listen where they already talk. Social media, review platforms, and online communities are goldmines for unfiltered feedback.
  • Close the loop. Don’t just collect insights—respond, take action, and let customers know their voice made an impact.

The companies that do this don’t just retain customers. They create brand advocates who stick around and bring others with them.

Start Small, Scale What Works

A strong VoC program doesn’t happen overnight. The best companies start with small, focused actions and scale based on results.

Here’s how to get started:

  • Run a pilot program. Pick a segment of customers, gather feedback, and test improvements.
  • Learn and adapt. Find out what resonates most with customers and refine your approach.
  • Make it a habit. Listening should be ongoing, not a one-time initiative. Keep improving and evolving.

It’s Not Just Data—It’s Relationships

At the core of VoC is this simple truth: customers want to feel like they matter. The companies that master VoC aren’t just collecting data; they’re creating relationships.

Want to learn more about Voice of Customer the right way? Listen to my Doing CX Right®‬ Podcast featuring Tzachi Ben-Sasson, Head of Amdocs Global Voice of the Customer program. Topics include:

  • Why most companies fail at truly listening to customers (and how to fix it).
  • Why NPS might not be the best metric for your business.
  • Real-world strategies for turning customer feedback into business success.

Learn more here.

 

Free Gift For You:

Do you want to know if your customer experience creates loyal advocates who genuinely love your brand?

Are your employees inspired to champion your mission as others in your industry view you as the gold standard they strive to reach?

Take my FREE CX Assessment to uncover:

  • Barriers limiting your brand’s growth and impact.
  • Factors that drive stronger customer connections and deeper loyalty.
  • Strategies to create meaningful experiences that set your brand apart.

Doing customer experience the right way can transform your business and enrich the lives of the people you service. Don’t leave it to chance.  

Take Free CX Assessment Now

Ensuring Customer Loyalty Amid Price Changes: Lessons from Wendy’s Public Backlash

Ensuring Customer Loyalty Amid Price Changes: Lessons from Wendy’s Public Backlash

by | Mar 1, 2024 | Marketing & Branding, Voice of Customer & Insights

Navigating Pricing Model Innovations While Preserving Customer Loyalty

How can a brand’s attempt to innovate turn into a public relations challenge overnight? What does it take for a company to navigate the delicate balance between introducing new pricing strategies and maintaining customer trust? Wendy’s recent navigation through the complexities of changing its pricing model, spurred by its exploration into “dynamic pricing” based on demand, presents a rich case study in balancing innovation with customer trust.

The story began when Wendy’s, responding to evolving market dynamics, considered implementing new digital menu boards. This technology aimed to offer pricing flexibility, but CEO Kirk Tanner’s comments led to widespread speculation about potential “surge pricing” during peak times. The reaction from the public underscored the critical need for clear communication when introducing new pricing strategies.

Wendy’s promptly clarified that it had no plans to exploit dynamic pricing for increasing rates at high-traffic times. This quick response highlighted an oversight in how the intentions behind the digital menu boards were communicated, revealing a gap that Wendy’s acknowledged: “We said these menu boards would give us more flexibility to change the display of featured items… This was misconstrued in some media reports as an intent to raise prices when demand is highest at our restaurants.”

This incident not only illustrates the delicate balance between innovation and customer perception but also highlights the importance of Voice of Customer (VoC) tactics must be effectively employed to gain and sustain customer loyalty. When done right, VoC can be your brand differentiator and game changer.

My goal in writing about Wendy’s situation is to help business leaders and teams ensure their pricing strategies are met with understanding and acceptance and not tarnish customer loyalty and trust. Through the lens of Wendy’s experience, I’ll demonstrate how clear communication, active listening, and customer feedback are pivotal to long term success. Let’s dive into some important customer experience lessons.

Evolving Pricing Models Demand Enhanced Customer Alignment

As the marketplace grows increasingly competitive and customer preferences become more nuanced, businesses are turning to dynamic pricing models as a solution to maximize profitability while catering to consumer demand. Dynamic pricing, a strategy that allows prices to fluctuate based on factors such as demand, time of day, customer behavior, and market conditions, represents a significant shift from traditional fixed pricing. This approach requires a deep understanding of market dynamics and a sophisticated technological infrastructure for real-time pricing adjustments. The backlash Wendy’s experienced underscores the potential pitfalls of implementing dynamic pricing without thorough customer engagement and communication. It highlights the necessity of integrating the Voice of the Customer (VoC) into every stage of the pricing strategy development process. Such integration ensures that pricing adjustments are not only data-driven but also aligned with customer expectations and perceptions, thereby preserving loyalty in an evolving pricing landscape.

The Crucial Role of Voice of Customer (VoC) in Pricing Strategies

In this context of rapid evolution in pricing strategies, VoC emerges as an indispensable tool. It bridges the gap between dynamic pricing models and customer expectations, providing insights that help businesses fine-tune their pricing strategies to reflect the value perceived by their customers. By actively listening to and engaging with their customer base, companies can navigate the complexities of dynamic pricing with greater confidence and success. Here’s how VoC influences pricing decisions:

  • Enhances Pricing Strategy: Leveraging VoC insights allows businesses to refine their pricing strategies, ensuring they align with customer expectations and enhance loyalty.
  • Informs on Demand Elasticity: Analyzing customer reactions to price changes provides valuable data on demand elasticity, enabling more adaptive and responsive pricing strategies.
  • Improves Value Perception: VoC insights help businesses understand how customers perceive the value of products or services, guiding pricing adjustments that reflect perceived value.
  • Strengthens Competitive Positioning: Knowledge of how your prices compare with competitors, informed by VoC, can guide strategic pricing to maintain a competitive edge while fostering customer loyalty.

Sustaining an Effective VoC Program

For a VoC program to truly influence business strategy and customer loyalty, it must be seen as an ongoing journey rather than a one-off project. Building a robust VoC program involves several critical steps:

  • Commitment to Continuous Evolution: A successful VoC program thrives on continuous commitment, requiring businesses to stay agile and responsive to both market trends and customer feedback.
  • Foundation of Tools: Utilizing a mix of surveys, customer interviews, and analytics platforms lays the groundwork for collecting comprehensive customer insights.
  • Culture of Customer Feedback: Cultivating a culture that values and acts upon customer feedback is crucial. This ensures that VoC insights are not just collected but are instrumental in shaping business decisions.
  • Regular Strategy Review Cycles: Establishing regular review cycles allows businesses to assess the effectiveness of their strategies in light of recent VoC insights, ensuring that adaptations are made as customer needs evolve.
  • Integration Across Business Areas: Applying VoC insights across the business, from product development to marketing strategies, ensures that all areas are aligned with delivering exceptional customer experiences.
  • Continuous Improvement Driven by Voice of Customer: Positioning VoC as a strategic asset empowers businesses to foster an environment of continuous improvement, where decisions are driven by a deep understanding of customer needs and expectations, thereby solidifying customer loyalty.

Implementing these practices helps businesses not only to refine their pricing strategies but also to enhance overall operations, ensuring they meet and anticipate the complex needs of their customers. This comprehensive approach is key to securing a loyal customer base in today’s competitive landscape.

 

Key Takeaway: Without Voice of Customer (VoC) Insights, Leaders Navigate Pricing Innovation Blindly

The Wendy’s dynamic pricing saga highlights a crucial lesson for businesses: venturing into pricing innovations without Voice of the Customer (VoC) insights is akin to sailing without a compass. This case spotlights the risk of public misinterpretation and the potential impact on customer loyalty when VoC is overlooked. Integrating customer feedback is not just advantageous; it’s fundamental for crafting pricing strategies that balance revenue goals with customer satisfaction and trust.

VoC acts as the critical navigational tool that guides businesses through pricing adjustments, ensuring strategies are attuned to customer needs and market demands. Wendy’s experience serves as a reminder that to maintain customer loyalty and navigate the complexities of pricing innovation successfully, businesses must prioritize listening to and acting on customer insights. This approach not only mitigates risks but also strengthens customer relationships, fostering a competitive advantage in a dynamic market environment.

 

If you need help to develop a Voice of Customer Program at your company that enables you to continuously understand buyer needs and increase customer loyalty, let’s talk.

Contact Me Now

If you like this article…

Check out my conversation with Jeremy Hyde, Director of Customer Service at Sun Country Airlines. In this article, we dive into the delicate balance between quality and price and its significant impact on customer decisions. The insights gleaned from our discussion are not limited to the airline industry but resonate across various sectors, offering valuable lessons on navigating customer expectations and business strategies. 

How To Make “Voice of Customer” Your Game Changer

How To Make “Voice of Customer” Your Game Changer

by | Oct 20, 2020 | Voice of Customer & Insights

Who are your favorite companies, and what makes you brand loyal? People typically answer this question based on how well a business understands and meets their needs which come from Voice of Customer initiatives.. Buying decisions go way beyond price as we often pay a higher cost to shop at a particular place.

Consider coffee, for example. Customers, including me, spend triple the price at Starbucks compared to other local coffee shops. Why would we pay more money on purpose? The reason is that the most reputable brands, like Starbucks, proactively LISTEN to the voice of the customer (also referred to as VoC) and use feedback to deliver personalized experiences that exceed customer expectations. 

Research proves the value of doing CX right, such as a study conducted by PWC. People were asked: “How much would you pay for the following product  or service if the company provides a great customer experience?” As shown in the image below, the answer is a lot, and getting it right is real!

The price premium for great customer experience:

Price Premium for Customer Experiences and Customer ServiceSource: PWC Future of Customer Experience Survey

Best in class companies also care about employee views and empowers their staff to deliver customer excellence. Their competitive edge comes from humanizing business, and you can apply the same principles no matter where you work. 

 

THREE WAYS TO DIFFERENTIATE YOUR BRAND 

 

#1. Leverage Voice of Customer (VoC) In Everything You Do   

VoC is a valuable research method that enables you to understand the difference between customer expectations and how well you deliver what they need. Even if you believe there is no gap, your customer may think differently, and you must know that to adapt your strategies. Customer perception is YOUR reality. 

 Asking customers about their overall satisfaction level helps you gauge the likelihood of them continuing to purchase and recommend your products and services. Getting high-level feedback is good, but the magic happens when you dig deep into the customer journey. I highly recommend you ask customers to rate their experiences and provide comments about EVERY interaction point, commonly referred to as “moments of truth.” 

If you have not launched a business and do not have customers yet, then co-create a journey map with your target audiences (also referred to as personas). There are plenty of resources on the internet to guide you through the process, including my blog, DoingCXRight. My point is that getting Voice of Customer feedback in the right way and at the right time is essential for business success.   

 Most people rely on surveys as their Voice fo Customer source. While valuable, it must not be your only method of getting customer feedback. Additional useful data comes from: 

  • Website contact forms 
  • Interviews (online and in-person)
  • Social media
  • Ratings and Reviews (on your site & external rating pages)
  • Website visitor behavior analytics
  • Customer Care Call Data
  • Website Live Chat

I recommend aggregating and centralizing all VoC insights to understand your customers’ views from a holistic perspective. It’s a critical job function, so either assign the role in your organization to someone who has the right skill sets, or outsource the work. 

 

Step 2: Turn Voice of Customer Data Into Actionable Insights. 

 Obtaining customer feedback and analyzing the data takes time, but it is well worth it. You can’t possibly develop products, services, and market messages without understanding what your customers think and feel. 

 There are tools to help you compile, analyze, and prioritize data so that you know where to focus your improvement efforts. Some reputable time-saving platforms include Qualtrics. Medallia. Hubspot. Clarabridge, and more. They vary in capabilities and costs. If you have minimal or no budget, then start with manual methods of collecting customer feedback and using the data to inform your business decisions and changes.   

#3: Close The Loop With Customers 

If you ask customers what they think, then inform them what actions you took because of their feedback. For example, if you lead a focus group to design a new product, follow up with participants to show what you created because of their input. Even better, offer a discount that is not available to the public to express appreciation. If you have a centralized survey team, who calls customers share recordings and notes with your sales teams so they can contact customers, rectify issues, and thank them, too. 

 

THE GAME CHANGER 

Top performing companies combine Voice of Employee (VoE) and Voice of Customer (VoC) as part of their decision-making process. Asking employees for feedback makes them feel heard and valued. And, when that happens, their commitment and engagement to deliver customer satisfaction increases. Happy employees fuel happy customers. That is the formula for Customer Experience (CX) success. 

 

REMEMBER: 

Proactively ask for feedback and use the insights to improve customer and employee experiences. Let them know of what changes occurred because of their input, as that is how you gain loyal brand advocates. On the contrary, if you do not follow CX best practices, people will switch to a competitor. According to PWC,

“1 in 3 will leave a brand they love after just one bad experience. 92% would completely abandon a company after two or three negative interactions.” 

It costs a lot of time and resources to make up for one unhappy experience.  

It Takes 12 positive great experiences to make up for one bad. Are you DoingCXRight?

I can’t say it enough….

Customer Experience must be intentional and never an afterthought.  Make sure you are NOT just TALKING about it but actually DOING CX RIGHT!