CX leaders understand the power of knowing our customers, and we spend a lot of energy fighting to get them heard. Having a VoC program is huge for insights that improve product, but they absolutely require cross-functional collaboration to function at the highest level.
To build a high-performing VoC program, we need active participation from teams like Product, Marketing, Sales, and Operations. Here’s how to collaborate:
Champion the "Customer Voice": Remind folks that your VoC program is the objective voice of the customer, you’re not making assumptions. You’re collecting and sharing direct feedback from the customer, highlighting their needs and expectations.
Define Shared Objectives: While building, find common challenges that customer insights can address. Instead of "We need a VoC program," say, "How can customer feedback help Product prioritize, Marketing refine messaging, and Sales understand customer needs?"
Speak Their Language: Product focuses on adoption; Marketing on messaging effectiveness; Sales on deals. Relate VoC insights to their KPIs and challenges. Show how customer feedback can help.
Establish Clear Feedback Loops: Collecting the data isn't enough. Create consistent, easily accessible channels for sharing insights, like cross-functional VoC meetings, dedicated Slack channels for urgent feedback, or tailored dashboards.
Involve Them in the Design: Talk to your xfn partners from Product, Marketing, and other teams during the design phase. What questions need answers? Which customer journeys matter? Ownership leads to investment in outcomes.
Highlight Success Stories: Share concrete examples of how feedback has led to improvements. Did a product change increase adoption? Did marketing campaigns benefit from customer language? Quantify the impact!
A high-impact VoC program is a company-wide commitment to customer-centricity. By bringing our cross-functional friends into the program from the beginning, we can turn feedback into a powerful engine for growth and innovation.
