This article originally appeared in the April 2024 issue of Security Business magazine. Don’t forget to mention Security Business magazine on LinkedIn and @SecBusinessMag on Twitter if you share it.
We all want to deliver an exceptional customer experience, but how do you know if the customer journey is aligned with their needs and expectations? How do you learn about opportunities to improve your delivery? You can gauge based on praise or complaints, or retention numbers; however, by then, it might be too late.
To know if you are truly delivering an experience your customers appreciate, consider Voice of the Customer (VoC) programs. At SecurAlarm, we define VoC as a mechanism for driving short and long-term decisions through customer feedback and understanding.
Like many, our journey started with customer surveys and the infamous Net Promoter Score (NPS); however, we quickly discovered that while NPS has its place in Customer Experience (CX), it is only one element of a greater VoC program.
A consistent VoC program sets the foundation for exceptional customer experience. It keeps your finger on the pulse of customers as needs evolve. It identifies where you should invest time and energy, allowing more informed organizational decisions. All integrators have the best intentions of serving customers well, and a strong VoC program brings those intentions to fruition in the ways that matter most.
Through trial and error, perspective, and adjustments, here are five things we have learned:
1. Don't focus on one measurement.
It is OK to use a consistent metric and formula, like NPS, to gain a piece of the puzzle; however, there is not a single metric that, alone, can encapsulate the entire customer experience.
Making decisions based on one number impedes your ability to gain a deeper understanding of what matters most. Identify and monitor other performance and quality measures that help you understand your delivery at different touchpoints of the customer journey. Examples include proposal wait times, ticket resolution times, warranty repairs, etc. Then, NPS can validate that your customers care about these measures.
2. Assign a champion.
Assigning a dedicated team member to receive, engage, organize, share, and track feedback, and follow up ensures consistency. Your champion should engage customers directly and immediately. They should listen with empathy and without justification so that customers feel heard.
3. Expand beyond surveys.
Surveys are a great way to hear from customers, but we are constantly hit with them after every purchase we make, hotel we book, or restaurant we visit, so be cognizant of survey fatigue. I am not implying you should stop them completely, but find alternative ways to engage customers for feedback, such as recurring account reviews, mid-project check-ins, onboardings and offboardings, impromptu site visits, etc.
4. Make it easy for your team to contribute.
If you are laser-focused on feedback, everyone should bring it to the table. Create a centralized and transparent system with a simple and consistent process for sharing. Don’t stop there – ensure that your champion monitors and organizes this system and socializes it with the team. We have a weekly cross-functional VoC meeting to review what we have heard, gather internal perspectives, brainstorm solutions, and assign action items with due dates.
5. Take action.
Your customers will not be generous with their feedback if it falls on deaf ears. Whether it is a simple fix or a complex problem that requires more energy and planning, tell your customers what you are doing and why. Thank them for helping you see the opportunity. We can’t fix everything at once, but VoC helps us analyze the data and understand what changes will achieve the greatest impact so we can better prioritize our focus.
Brent Van Haren is President of SecurAlarm. He is a member of the PSA Security Network’s Leadership Committee and serves as a mentor in the PSA Mentorship program. https://psasecurity.com
