What is “Voice of Customer”?

Voice of Customer (VoC) is a term used to describe the interaction that your customers have with your brand. Specifically, it is a market research technique that produces a detailed set of customer wants and needs. Voice of customer demonstrates the experiences and expectations that the audience has for a particular brand. This process provides a detailed understanding of the customer’s requirements, a common language for the team going forward in the product development process, an essential input for the setting of appropriate design specifications for the new product or service, and a highly useful springboard for product innovation. Ultimately, the central focus of the voice of customer process should be for the customer to build a strong relationship with the audience of the brand and to stay ahead of the competition.

Which Brands Have Built a Successful Voice of Customer Program?

Wendy’s

When Chance the Rapper tweeted at Wendy’s to bring back their famous spicy chicken nuggets, the major fast-food chain took it as an opportunity to address their voice of customer directly. Wendy’s took it a step further by stating that if the tweet got to 2 million likes, they would bring back their spicy chicken nuggets. Not only did this effectively address the voice of customer, but it was also a clever marketing tactic on their part. Customers retweeted and shared the tweet with their friends and family, which resulted in greater attention toward the brand. By following their voice of customer and engaging their audience, Wendy’s can understand that a large portion of their audience really likes their spicy chicken nuggets. Moving forward, they can consider this tactic for future marketing and sales campaigns.

Heinz Ketchup


To track their voice of customer, Heinz Ketchup posted a poll on Twitter for customers to vote on the release of a new product. The poll effectively helped Heinz gain valuable insights on whether their idea for this new product was necessary or not. The demand from their customers revealed that they desired the new tomato ketchup and mayonnaise fusion product, and Heinz listened. We can see how engaging customers and listening to the voice of customer results in significant return on investment for the brand.

Starbucks

Starbucks noted the increase of demand for the return of their S’mores Frappuccino. They took this as an opportunity to listen and deliver on their customers’ needs. They took their voice of customer into account and have brought back one of their most popular seasonal items. In doing so, it is evident that their decision to listen to their customers was great for their overall brand reputation. Customers are ecstatic that Starbucks listened, which has further strengthened its brand-to-consumer relationship. Starbucks has gained the loyalty and trust of their customers, by addressing their customers.

voice-of-customer-starbucks

Leveraging What Your Audience Is Saying about Your Brand

Organizations that understand their customer journey are considerably more likely to improve their products and services to accommodate the evolving interests of their customers. By paying close attention to customers, brands build a strong relationship with them and foster their loyalty. Voice of customer is a critical component for driving company-wide efforts to deliver value to your brand. In sum, an ideal voice of customer program will provide a business-wide structure for addressing and utilizing customer feedback. The brands mentioned earlier have all implemented a strong voice of customer program, which has enabled them to strengthen their relationship with customers and foster loyalty.

Above all, the communication between a brand and its audience on social media is bridged through social listening. Through social listening, brands can gain valuable insights and leverage what their audience is saying about them. Listen to the voice of your customers by tracking real-time conversations around the world with Synthesio’s industry-leading Social Listening Platform.