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-- Article --

Your VoC Program Shouldn't Require Change

Posted on May 6, 2014 , by Steve Bernstein
CATEGORIES: Lessons Learned

Readers of this blog may be concerned about the above title. “Don’t change?!?  Don’t we need change in order to adopt a new program within the company?  Aren’t the resulting initiatives from VoC / CX efforts all about change?”  Well, yes and no.
I’ll summarize here, and we’re pleased to have been invited to elaborate on these points and share lessons-learned at the coaching blog, “Be Nimble.

  • improve customer feedback

    Don’t think “change.” Think, “improve.” Better, faster, stronger. Not different.


    No, we don’t want change:  We’ll generally advocate making sure that voice-of-customer processes (insight and action) are integrated with the day-to-day responsibilities and activities of every employee.  Adoption suffers when “customer success” is viewed as something different and separate. Make sure the voice-of-customer listening and action processes fit into what the organization is already doing.  Don’t ask them to change what they are doing just to fit your desired process.

 

  • Yes, we need change:  Getting people to change is hard.  The only way someone will change is if they want it.  Change comes from within.  So how do we get people to “change?”  Orient discussions around improvement, and remove the politics by focusing on customers.

Remember, VoC should make things easier for employees to do their jobs….that is, if they are focused on outcomes.  VoC / Customer Experience/ Customer Success / Customer Feedback efforts are tough when employees are focused on short term tasks instead of business outcomes.  When you help your colleagues understand the business outcomes they are striving for you’ll find that “change” (adoption, action -> improvement) is possible after all.
The full article is posted at the coaching blog, “Be Nimble.